Originally Posted by
Koyote
Cotton is the worst possible material for athletic apparel -- especially cycling jerseys. And that's got nothing to do with aerodynamics.
Originally Posted by
livedarklions
I presume you're referring to comfort here because a lot of people do not like the wet sensation you get with cotton.
I actually prefer cotton to polyester because the sweat gets cooled by the airflow when it's wicked into the cotton as opposed to pooling under the polyester. Comfort really isn't a scientific, objective concept. Unless you're talking about things that are actually causing you harm (I'm objectively uncomfortable wearing latex because I will itch and develop a rash, for example), it's more like a preference for one sensation over another.
I get you. Most people's objection to cotton is that it holds moisture and sticks to your skin...But that actually
does lead to some evaporative cooling; with polyesters, you don't get that effect because they just pull the moisture away from your skin and out to the fabric's surface, where it eventually evaporates.
If you feel like moisture "pools" under polyester, that might be a function of your jersey's fabric and/or fit. Some textiles are better at wicking away moisture, and a tighter fit allows for faster transfer of moisture from the skin. A couple of my fave summer jerseys are made by Assos, and they have a sort of honeycomb inner surface which aids wicking...And they are a tight race fit.