I wear the lycra shorts because they're super comfortable, lightweight, feel great and I'm certain they make my riding more effective.....but I'm not actually certain why they make such a difference?

Time and again I come across the term "compression"....my take on it is that the material is snug and compresses on the muscle (obviously). Some advertising claims the compression holds the muscle in place, hard to believe it's that tight....and how is that good?

When the muscle is doing it's thing, more blood comes into the fibers and you get that "pump"...so why would compressing the muscle serve to any advantage???

Also, does the color of the shorts make a difference? (J/k)

Holding the muscle against the bone keeps it tracking properly through the range of motion which causes it to be more efficient at performing the work. While the difference isn't huge, it is real. Studies have shown that over a 10k footrace, those wearing compression shorts were about 5% faster. Anything more than that is probably a placebo effect, but hey, an effect is an effect, right?

i usually wear them at a begging of my sport seasons to avoid pulling my quads ... seems to have worked over the last couple years, as it was a habit of taking myself out for a couple weeks from that in previous years.

They return venous return and blood flow to heart resulting in faster recovery. They also decrese muscle vibration. I have them for swimming and have full legs for running and they make a huge difference to me. A friend of mine is a cyclist and she clocks up over 600km a week. She even sleeps in them for their recovery properties.

Just ask any fugly woman that hang out at bars! It's just a matter of how many beers it takes

(I'm sorry, that was just too easy & funny)

Very good info. I'd have figured you'd want the muscle to open-up and allow more blood flow. Much like you get a "pump" when you lift weights, why compress & accordingly restrict?....but evidently it works.

As for my bike riding, I just know my riding is MUCH stronger in the compression shorts then the typical mountain biking shorts...the difference is almost as significant as using or not using clip-ins...at least by my experience!

Thanks for the info guys!

Yeah it is one way of looking at it, lactate levels seem to be diminished quite alot when wearing compression shorts as well, and thats always good. Im quite lucky that I am a born anaerobic athlete as shown by many tests I have been put through and the fact I was a sprinter for so many years so I can tolerate high blood lactate levels. I still find the shorts a help though.

So wait...let me see if I have one aspect of this correct....

The compression keeps the muscle more confined and decreases swelling with blood...this acts to get the blood back to the heart/lungs so it can remove the lactic acid AND sooner replenish the muscle with oxygenated & energized blood?????

THAT would make sense...yeah??

Wow I didn't know compression shorts did all that. I have a pair of Under Armour compression shorts I wear for hockey and soccer and sometimes running. I thought it was just for comfortable and sweat upsorbsation(sp?)
Good to know though

I though they were designed to help show the goods eh!

but they do make your leg feel more powerful. Feelin the muscle working feel spowerful!

WOW this is new info to me too

Hang on, does anyone have any proof of this !

Pkinton, funny you say that because i dont think ive ever seen marathon runners wear any elastic, lycra etc clothing at all. They all wear loose short shorts.

Someones been reading the proquest There have been studies that show that it is a placaebo effect and that they are no better than bike pants. These articles are peer reviewed.

However other articles have found significant increases (R2 = 0.89 approx) In performance and decreasing of muscle vibration.

Its each to their own, I wear them and I think the help out, I dunno if its a placaebo effect...... dont really care either, ignorance is bliss

Ah yeah....that takes me back to my adolescence and lonely nights.

Oh drat...I went there.


I dunno...in all honesty I'd figure you'd REALLY have to compress the muscle quite a bit to make any real difference, but results are results and I'm 100% certain that my riding DRAMATICALLY increased in power, comfort & sexiness when I went to the lycra/compresssion.

Just for the record, the outfit that Borat wears....NOT.

wow..... this has gotten soooooo sexy.

pics please!

i was wondering about compression shorts too... so you guyz would recomen them for me? When i am healthy i run a lot, suicides and stuff and wuld this shorts be an + to this? i was always wondering... and one more questions... are you talkin about those long all leg shorts? i noticed basketball payers also have some sort of sleeves on their arms.. are those for the same purpose? and sory for may bad english xD c ya