Toadmeister

Was reading elsewhere on the interwebs and someone claimed they converted to silk underwear for riding. Said it took them a little while to convert from chamios but was worth the journey.

Anyone try silk shorts, underwear, or tights? Any links?

Sure I’ve had silk boxers in the past but they really don’t keep the family jewels held snugly enough for biking, I need proper support!. YMMV.

Inusuit

I have a pair of silk long johns. Never tried riding in them. I also have a very light weight pair of bike undershorts with very thin padding. I prefer regular chamois.

cxwrench

Toadmeister

I also have a pair of silk long Johns and they tore apart at the crotch first! Maybe that’s telling me something?

Elvo

Silk sleeping bag liner adds like 5-10 degrees of warmth

Toadmeister

yes, but I don’t plan on biking in that…

50PlusCycling

Silk has a different feel (not as soft as you might think), does not dissipate sweat as well, and has to be hand-washed (at least I hand wash).

frogman

Where is this going ? What color silk under wear ?

CAT7RDR

I remember buying some OTR silk shirts decades ago.
Wore them once. Unbearably hot and did not breathe.
Looked great but not for cycling.

PeteHski

I wonder what started that "journey"?

Chuck M 

Duh... Red of course if you want to go faster.

JohnDThompson 

Silk was a popular material for velodrome wear before lycra was available. Road riders seemed to prefer wool.

Daniel4

I used to wear silk shorts. They torn when I was doing barbell squats.

Iride01 

I use to wear silk boxers when young and all the cool kids wore silk. However from my experience with the boxers from just working and every day stuff, the only advantage they had over cotton boxers or briefs is that they dried out somewhat quicker after being drenched with sweat. Just like cotton, they became a little more abrasive to the skin when damp or wet.

So like cotton underwear, it has no business being on my body when I'm riding. If I'm road cycling, then just the bike shorts or bibs. They should fit tight enough to move with my skin so that the rubbing is between the saddle and the shorts and not my skin to the shorts. If I'm wearing loose clothing, then I'll were snug fitting synthetic underwear. Usually the kind made for active sports.

big chainring 

Loved my silk tires back in the day.

Fredo76

I bought some silk boxers to wear instead of cotton boxers or padded cycling shorts under my (un-padded) cycling pants. This on the theory that they would slip easier against the pants, and feel better than cotton, with less noticeable seams. Those objectives were met fairly well, I thought.

Toadmeister

I expect that TPS report on my desk by Friday .

seriosly tho….you wore cotton briefs biking?

Fredo76

Seriously, I avoided them, thus the silk purchase. Since then, however, I have taken to riding in what I am wearing on some occasions, meaning sweats, cotton drawers, and street shoes.

My Selle SMP TRK saddles make this much less problematic than with old 'saddle style' saddles. So, yes, I've actually STARTED wearing cotton briefs biking since then, when I want to get out with minimal prep hassle. Just so everybody is fully informed!

Branko D

While lycra is just unmatched by anything else for cycling, I do ride my bike in ordinary clothes as well - for commuting or if doing an afterwork ride, or if I just want to do a hour easy and just don't feel like changing and getting all ready - it's not a big deal. I just don't see major rubbing issues happening if clothes fit well and you aren't overweight. Cotton is just fine for underwear.

That said, while I was also hesitant to go with lycra myself initially, once I really tried it (worn properly - no underwear), I was a convert.

Calsun

For 50 years I have worn cotton underwear with my bike shorts. I avoid having bacterial buildup in the chamois material and the resulting skin sores that friends who go commando experience. Silk would not be my choice for material. Either cotton or synthetic depending on how much wicking of perspiration is needed with a garment.

blacknbluebikes 

I'm thinking about a feather boa to go with the silk riding pants. How you like me now?

noimagination

I experimented with a thin silk LS base layer under a wool jersey for winter riding, because I had a wool LS jersey that was a little scratchy against bare skin. The silk base layer got really wet, and was clammy against my skin. I was much more comfortable with a wool base layer, or a synthetic base layer - both wicking and comfort-when-wet were better with those fabrics. Silk was the worst performer of the three, though better than cotton.

If you want to wear underwear or shorts, for example under regular clothes, IMO underwear/shorts made of a synthetic material would be your best bet - perhaps boxer briefs, or compression shorts (keeping location of seams in mind). I'd stay away from regular briefs, the way they're normally constructed places seams in high-friction areas.

Troul 

idk about silk...
Princess lace satin naturally hugs the many bodily curves & really highlights the glutes with its shiny like properties.
A nice light weight, smooth & complimenting material.

bbbean 

I'm all for natural fibers, and would happily wear a silk, cotton, or wool kit if it functioned as well as spandex currently does.

But that's a tall order.

noimagination

Nearly all wool clothing is a blend of wool and synthetic fibers now, to improve durability and to reduce stretching/bagging. So, I agree with you, but "wool" clothing is hardly ever just wool. Lycra works great for cycling, but I love putting my wool (blend) t-shirt on as a base layer as soon as the temp. falls below about 70°F or so. And all of my cycling socks are wool blend.

Using cotton during aerobic exercise is just evil. I learned that the hard way 30 years ago during a week-long solo backpacking trip on the Long Trail, when it rained almost continuously. I was wearing cotton underwear and t-shirts, fortunately my socks were wool so blistered feet wasn't a problem, but my most prominent journal entry for that trip was "NO MORE F#@KING COTTON!!!" Since then, I haven't worn a scrap of cotton when hiking/backpacking, cycling, skiing, running ...