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Old 06-17-16, 09:07 AM
  #23  
jacobsever
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Originally Posted by SquidPuppet
You have that reversed.

Cotton is the most breathable fabric. Fact. It also has the best moisture wicking capabilities. Cotton is vastly superior to Lycra/spandex in regards to both.

Lycra/spandex are among the worst fabrics for breathing and moisture wicking. The worst for both is polyester which actually repels water. Lycra/Spandex dries quicker than cotton which is actually a bad thing for sports wear. As you probably know, sweating is your body's (necessary and healthy) way of cooling off. Altering that natural process is a bad thing. Lycra/Spandex and polyester also fail miserably at releasing bacteria where cotton excels. This is why a person wearing Lycra/Spandex or polyester smells like hell after their clothes dry.

Lycra/Spandex is strong for how thin it is and is also used for biking because of it's superior stretching ability. Baggy T-shirts are not aero, and that matters if speed is important.

All these high tech "moisture wicking" sports fabrics are snake oil designed by the same folks that bring us GMO crops. It's all about the logo. They sell a $2.50 shirt for $85.00 because people believe the hype and the "Science".
Well I'll tell you one thing, riding in a cotton t-shirt that feels like 10 pounds because it's weighed down by sweat feels a lot worse than a cycling jersey that feels like the same weight on your body as when you first started riding. Plus, the padding in the shorts/bibs makes being in the saddle a lot more comfortable than regular jeans/pants.
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