Bicycle accessories for the discriminating cyclist

Touring Tip – Cycling Shorts

How Many Pair of Shorts Do I Need?

Since you want to begin with clean, dry cycling shorts every day – and CLEAN is the operative! – I would suggest at least 2 pair for every 4 days of travel. So, a 7 day trip would need 3 pair of shorts.

You can wash a pair out each night and re-use them the next day; however, drying time depends upon the weather – humidity, etc. AND, you may not feel like washing clothes every night.

IF you are unable to wash your cycling shorts clean before wearing them, you open yourself up to bacteria that can cause rashes, chafing, sores, and other unpleasant problems. It’s not worth testing this – believe me, it’s important.

If the shorts are not dry when you put them on, chafing and added moisture in areas where you don’t want or need it can cause similar issues as shorts that are not clean.

Perhaps one of the best solutions to extending the life of a short is the use of a liner. In addition to allowing you to wear a pair of shorts for a second day, a liner can add a bit more padding, offer a second wicking fabric between you and the chamois pad in your cycling shorts, and they wash clean and dry lightning fast!

You can read about the Andiamo unpadded Skins™ that we sell and see if this might be a solution for you.

If you are loathe to wear tight fitting cycling shorts, Andiamo also makes  padded liners for men and women that you can wear under virtually any garment – short, skirt, trouser, or Capri. They add a seamless pad, protecting you from the seams of other garments and will also wash clean and dry quickly.

My recommendation for shorts + liners: Take two pair of shorts for every 5 days and 3 liners. Just like feet, it’s always nice to have a dry bum!

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