[StoNaiBeiCy]

Hello All - I’m getting ready to go on a cross country (DC to SFO) trip very soon (3April) and I am wondering if I should wear something special underneath my riding suit to make things a little bit more comfortable for the long days in the saddle. I always ride in an Aerostitch R3. I will typically wear very thin pants or shorts and I try and wear seamless Lycra underwear. Specifically I’m wondering… are LD comfort shorts worth the money? I’ll be headed through Texas and the desert southwest during mid and late April, so it shouldn’t be roasting but will definitely be pretty warm. Chaffing and “monkey butt” are a worry for me. This forum has been a fond of wisdom and good advice for me, and as this trip comes closer, I may lean on you guys a bit more! Thanks in advance.!

 

[John_Atkinson]

Hello All - I’m getting ready to go on a cross country (DC to SFO) trip very soon (3April) and I am wondering if I should wear something special underneath my riding suit to make things a little bit more comfortable for the long days in the saddle. I always ride in an Aerostitch R3. I will typically wear very thin pants or shorts and I try and wear seamless Lycra underwear. Specifically I’m wondering… are LD comfort shorts worth the money? I’ll be headed through Texas and the desert southwest during mid and late April, so it shouldn’t be roasting but will definitely be pretty warm. Chaffing and “monkey butt” are a worry for me. This forum has been a fond of wisdom and good advice for me, and as this trip comes closer, I may lean on you guys a bit more! Thanks in advance.!

StoNaiBeiCy,

FWIW, IMHO, yadda, yadda, yadda…I have had Mario’s LD Comfort shorts for many years, and have ridden more than a few “long days in the saddle” with said garments. A truly invaluable piece of kit.

I believe you will find that in the Long-Distance Riders community, there are few who will not attest to the value of Mario’s LD Comfort gear.

Get some.

JA

 

[rbentnail]

I'm an LDComfort underwear guy, have been for yrs. It is DEFINITELY worth the money.

 

[Whooshka]

I actually tried that Monkey Butt powder for a long highway drone in hot weather one time. I gotta admit it made a nice difference.

Anti Monkey Butt | Body Powder with Calamine | Sweat, Odor and Friction Fighter | 6 Ounces

Buy Anti Monkey Butt | Body Powder with Calamine | Sweat, Odor and Friction Fighter | 6 Ounces at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision!

www.amazon.com

 

[bounce]

Anti Monkey Butt products contain "powdered calamine" (as in the lotion). For those of us allergic to it, the rashes and extreme itching (even making poison ivy/oak/sumac itching worse than before using it) that is a game ender.

 

[Whooshka]

Well that's true of any allergy but yeah, I'd hate to find out I'm allergic to calamine on a 500 mile ride in 85 degree heat. LOL

 

[RaYzerman]

There are tech fabrics out there, usually some kind of polyester blend, fit skin tight for moisture wicking. Coolmax, etc...... LD is a two-part fabric, smidge thicker than most...... pricey but you'll only buy it once. All the tech fabrics aren't cheap.

 

[DesertBike]

OP, in LD Comfort you may want to consider the full-length version, the so-called "riding tights" vs. the shorts.

I live in the desert, and I've tried a bunch of base layers in our summers. Not all, by any means, but several types in different lengths.

Somewhat counterintuitively, I find that I'm most comfortable when I have the most skin covered under my gear.

I don't like riding in any kind of shorts. While I am cooler initially, it isn't long before my sweaty knees and lower legs start sticking to the inside of my riding pants. I don't care for the sensation.

With a good wicking layer covering the entire leg - such as LD Comfort - I still sweat, but I don't have the "melted chocolate bar in its wrapper" sensation.

Riding pants with leg vents help a lot, but unfortunately none of Aerostich's pants or suits have them. That's the main reason I stopped wearing my Aerostich AD-1 pants in summer. You'll be OK though, I mean there's nothing "wrong" with Aerostich, just sayin' I wish they'd do leg vents. If they did I'd own more of their stuff.

If you are going to get either the shorts or the leggings, might as well get the LD Comfort shirt too. Based on the same reasoning as above, I suggest the long-sleeve mock-turtleneck top.

Just for fun, you might check out VNM Sport base layer. It's stupid expensive, even compared to LD Comfort, but you can't beat it on the hottest days.

 

[BigOgre]

Another vote for LD. Ended up grabbing a second pair of shorts which I found comes in handy on multi-day rides. They wash easily at the end of each day in the shower but sometimes they won't be completely dry in the morning. This is where it's nice to have that second pair to rotate every other day.

I like riding in light-weight convertible pants under my Roadcrafter too. (REI, Columbia, etc.) As DB talked about above I don't like the bare legs inside the suit and these are light enough not to bulk up and such. Also nice if you want to slip out of the suit at any stops to walk around somewhere. You also have a pair of shorts for later if you want.

If you feel like spending more money grab a long sleeve shirt from them too, again as mentioned above. I have the 3/4 zip or whatever it's called. Don't wear it too often but on very hot days it really works. Close all the vents on the 'Stich, pour water inside down the front, back and each arm, enough to wet the shirt. Zip up the front, unzip the sleeve cuffs and ride off. First time I was amazed how it felt like cold air around me inside the suit. Lasted almost two hours before I wanted to soak down again. Oh, and a very wet skull cap under the helmet at the same time.

 

[natsmada4fjr]

OP, in LD Comfort you may want to consider the full-length version, the so-called "riding tights" vs. the shorts.

I live in the desert, and I've tried a bunch of base layers in our summers. Not all, by any means, but several types in different lengths.

Somewhat counterintuitively, I find that I'm most comfortable when I have the most skin covered under my gear.

I don't like riding in any kind of shorts. While I am cooler initially, it isn't long before my sweaty knees and lower legs start sticking to the inside of my riding pants. I don't care for the sensation.

With a good wicking layer covering the entire leg - such as LD Comfort - I still sweat, but I don't have the "melted chocolate bar in its wrapper" sensation.

Riding pants with leg vents help a lot, but unfortunately none of Aerostich's pants or suits have them. That's the main reason I stopped wearing my Aerostich AD-1 pants in summer. You'll be OK though, I mean there's nothing "wrong" with Aerostich, just sayin' I wish they'd do leg vents. If they did I'd own more of their stuff.

If you are going to get either the shorts or the leggings, might as well get the LD Comfort shirt too. Based on the same reasoning as above, I suggest the long-sleeve mock-turtleneck top.

Just for fun, you might check out VNM Sport base layer. It's stupid expensive, even compared to LD Comfort, but you can't beat it on the hottest days.

I agree with wearing tights or even a pair of pants/jeans under my Aerostich Roadcrafter 2-piece suit even in the warmest of temperatures. I find that the extra layer of insulation protects the family jewels
from getting too much heat from the engine. Nothing worse than "roasted nuts". The Roadcrafter pants do have side vents on the hips that can be opened and this creates a cooling effect.

In the summer, I still wear a layer that covers my knees as I hate sweaty knees! I also wear a long sleeve base layer and when I stop in the heat of the day, a quick visit to the restroom and some cold
water splashed on the sleeves and front and back really cools a feller down. YMMV

 

[Haynes]

I wear Under Armour HeatGear leggings and long sleeve shirts underneath my Klim 2-piece riding suit. Both the pants and the jacket are vented. Works for me and easier to get in Canada. Unless my Canadian friends know of a Canadian source for LDComfort, their shipping to Canada is ridiculously expensive.

Haynes

 

[DesertBike]

The Roadcrafter pants do have side vents on the hips that can be opened and this creates a cooling effect.

It looks like they don't have the vents on the Roadcrafter suits. Sigh.

On another thread on another forum, there are at least 2 or 3 of us asking Aerostich to make an unlined version of the Roadcrafter for us hot-weather riders. With leg vents, please.

Leaving out the waterproof membrane ought to save $, some bulk, and make the suit cooler in the hottest weather.

 

[BigOgre]

I'm sure you're aware they offer Light versions of their gear which are unlined. But leg vents could be nice. Those hip openings don't do much while sitting.

 

[DesertBike]

I'm sure you're aware they offer Light versions of their gear which are unlined. But leg vents could be nice. Those hip openings don't do much while sitting.

No, that's not what the "Light" version of the Roadcrafter is. The Roadcrafter Light still has waterproofing built-in, just like the standard Roadcrafter.

The difference is that the "Light" uses less-heavy fabric, 200D instead of 500D . Aerostich states the Light has about 2/3 of the abrasion resistance of the standard Roadcrafter.

A friend has a regular-weight R3. He lived in south Texas when he bought it, and moved back near me in the desert recently.

I asked whether he considered the "Light" Roadcrafter, to help deal with summer heat. His reasoning was that the standard, heavier Roadcrafter might provide some insulation against extreme heat.

He could be right. I haven't tried it.

The Roadcrafter does need thigh vents. It should be possible to use the same waterproof zippers as on the other vents, if Aerostich wants to offer these vents on all models.

Make the thigh vents a customization option.

For those of us buying the hypothetical un-waterproofed Roadcrafter model (that doesn't yet exist), maybe we'd get a small discount, since it wouldn't be necessary to use waterproof zippers anywhere.

That said, I wouldn't expect any huge savings. Most of the price of an Aerostich item is not material cost. It's labor cost. I have no problem with that. They're made well, and made here in the US.

 

[BigOgre]

2 or 3 of us asking Aerostich to make an unlined version of the Roadcrafter for us hot-weather riders.

No, that's not what the "Light" version of the Roadcrafter is. The Roadcrafter Light still has waterproofing built-in, just like the standard Roadcrafter.

Well if we're going to do the highlighted quote thing . . . you confused me when you used "unlined" and "waterproofing" to mean the same thing.

Going back to what I wrote above, yes, that is what the "Light" version of the Roadcrafter is. It is an unlined version of the original Roadcrafter. You even made me walk over and check as I have a version of both hanging next to each other. True, it uses a lighter weight fabric also but if I'm not mistaken this started when discussing how uncomfortable bare, sweaty legs feel against the liner. The Light versions are unlined.

As for not having the waterproof membrane, that's another issue. Sure it should make the suit lighter but that seems to go against the suits DNA. To me it was designed to be the one piece of gear you'll need to go through anything that comes along on your long distance ride, including rain.

I do agree though that legs vents could be a nice addition.

 

[StoNaiBeiCy]

As always - great advice and my thanks to all. I grabbed two pair of the shorts and will wear them under a pair of light weight “tech” pants so when I get off the bike I can take off the ‘Stitch and not look too crazy walking around in my tight shorts. Trust me - it’s not a great look on me haha! I just wish the tech pants had no seams as they can defeat the purpose of the LD Shorts. Anyone have a better idea of what is best to wear OVER the LD shorts but under the suit while riding?

 

[NeoRonin]

I actually tried that Monkey Butt powder for a long highway drone in hot weather one time. I gotta admit it made a nice difference.

Anti Monkey Butt | Body Powder with Calamine | Sweat, Odor and Friction Fighter | 6 Ounces

Buy Anti Monkey Butt | Body Powder with Calamine | Sweat, Odor and Friction Fighter | 6 Ounces at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision!

www.amazon.com

I found the Monkey Butt powder to be miraculous. The challenge is apply to the affected area, which requires some creativity to overcome gravity. I usually get it all over the place.

 

[BigOgre]

As always - great advice and my thanks to all. I grabbed two pair of the shorts and will wear them under a pair of light weight “tech” pants so when I get off the bike I can take off the ‘Stitch and not look too crazy walking around in my tight shorts. Trust me - it’s not a great look on me haha! I just wish the tech pants had no seams as they can defeat the purpose of the LD Shorts. Anyone have a better idea of what is best to wear OVER the LD shorts but under the suit while riding?

I fully understand the look thing. Might be one of the reasons I don't wear the LD shirt more often. I know the important thing is how it all works for you and I do admire the folks that just don't care but I still have that hang-up.

Gym shorts? I have seen guys walking around with those along with riding boots and taller socks. The more colorful the better. They can only laugh at you for so long.

 

[Whooshka]

I found the Monkey Butt powder to be miraculous. The challenge is apply to the affected area, which requires some creativity to overcome gravity. I usually get it all over the place.

I sprinkle a little into some wadded up toilet paper and then pat my tushy with it. 😁

 

[DesertBike]

Seems like there's a marketing opportunity.

Could Monkey Butt be delivered in a spray form, for easier adhesion to areas against gravity?