Do jerseys dry quicker?

[Ken]

Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I find them
to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is because
they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there is an old
saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am assuming
that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
dispelling moisture.

Ken

--
Remove "-dispose-trash" for email address
My personal webstie: http://kcm-home.tripod.com/
My blog: http://mind-dribble.blogspot.com/

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Mon, 16 May 2005 14:04:17 -0400, "Ken"
> wrote in message
>:

>Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I find them
>to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is because
>they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there is an old
>saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am assuming
>that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
>dispelling moisture.

Correct. Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

[gds]

Ken wrote:
> Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I
find them
> to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is
because
> they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there is
an old
> saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am
assuming
> that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is
better at
> dispelling moisture.
>
> Ken
>
> --
> Remove "-dispose-trash" for email address
> My personal webstie: http://kcm-home.tripod.com/
> My blog: http://mind-dribble.blogspot.com/

Yep

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
"Ken" > writes:

>I am assuming
> that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
> dispelling moisture.

I believe polypropylene is the main ingredient.

Not only do cycling jerseys and shorts air-dry quicker
than cotton, but they're wonderfully wringable too,
if you want to hasten the process.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[gds]

Matthew wrote:
>> >
> Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
> thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
> material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
> damp environments.
>
> Matthew

I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly the
climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is that
the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the evaporation
going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.

[Matthew]

Ken > wrote in message
...
> Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I
find them
> to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is
because
> they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there
is an old
> saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am
assuming
> that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is
better at
> dispelling moisture.
>
Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
damp environments.

Matthew

[Ken]

"gds" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Matthew wrote:
> >> >
> > Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
> > thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
> > material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
> > damp environments.
> >
> > Matthew
>
> I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
> experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly the
> climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
> Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
> comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is that
> the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the evaporation
> going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.
>
Yeah that was my thinking, about the evaporation that is. I live in Florida,
and it is humid, and with a soaked t-shirt, I don't feel very cool. So I was
thinking that some fabric that dried quicker might have more of a cooling
effect.

Ken

[gds]

Ken wrote:

> Yeah that was my thinking, about the evaporation that is. I live in
Florida,
> and it is humid, and with a soaked t-shirt, I don't feel very cool.
So I was
> thinking that some fabric that dried quicker might have more of a
cooling
> effect.
>
> Ken

I have no real understanding of the science but at a simplistic level
it would seem tht faster drying = more evapration = more cooling.

I love cotton for hanging out in hte shade but for working out I'm a
total convert to synthetics. This applies to both heat and cold.

[Dukester]

"Ken" > wrote in message
...
> Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I find
them
> to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is
because
> they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there is an
old
> saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am assuming
> that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
> dispelling moisture.

Yes, and they work beautifully. BTW, you don't have to buy a $50 one from a
bike shop or catalog to enjoy them. I hate to plug them but,...Wally world
has a decent line of wicking clothes with jerseys under $15, some under $10.
Some of the ones I bought there seem copied from cycling clothing with
zippered necks. I think Starter and Athletic Works are the "brands". I
also have a black jacket made of the same material I bought there that is
perfect for chilly mornings. It is as nice as any I have seen in the LBS.
I paid $9 for it. (Sheepishly) I will admit that I do have a really cool
Fox jersey that is my favorite of all which I bought from the LBS..it was
kind of expensive though.

Cheers!
Duke

[Peter Cole]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article >,
> "Ken" > writes:
>
>
>>I am assuming
>>that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
>>dispelling moisture.
>
>
> I believe polypropylene is the main ingredient.

I think polyester is the most common ingredient. My favorite, CoolMax,
is dacron. A lot of the "wicking" technology is the small fiber diameter
(microfiber) and fiber surface treatment (shape, coating).


> Not only do cycling jerseys and shorts air-dry quicker
> than cotton, but they're wonderfully wringable too,
> if you want to hasten the process.

Yes, if you wash them in a machine, they're almost dry after the spin
cycle. Synthetics should be washed promptly, else skin oils can permeate
the fiber and create the well-known "synthetic stink".

[gds]

Matthew wrote:
Consider why natural
> selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.
>
> Matthew

Well sure. No argument there. But at our most primitive state we didn't
have T shirts at all- cotton or other wise. So the discussion isn't
about about our biological adaptation but what among several choices in
fabric is most comfortable and efficient for cooling.

I have no problem with you prefering cotton but I still prefer
synthetics. I have no idea what folks wear in the Badwhatever but
certainly the pro racers race all summer in synthetic jerseys and my
guess would be that with $millions$ at stake they would be wearing
cotton if they thought it gave them any advantage.

[Matthew]

gds > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Matthew wrote:
> >> >
> > Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
> > thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
> > material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in
cold,
> > damp environments.
> >
> I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
> experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly
the
> climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
> Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
> comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is
that
> the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the
evaporation
> going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.
>
I also live in the desert Southwest (USA) and light, loose cotton
works well for me. As I understand it, cotton is also a common choice
among participants in the Badwater Ultra. Consider why natural
selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.

Matthew

[RonSonic]

On Mon, 16 May 2005 15:19:36 -0400, "Ken" >
wrote:

>
>"gds" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>>
>> Matthew wrote:
>> >> >
>> > Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
>> > thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
>> > material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
>> > damp environments.
>> >
>> > Matthew
>>
>> I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
>> experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly the
>> climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
>> Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
>> comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is that
>> the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the evaporation
>> going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.
>>
>Yeah that was my thinking, about the evaporation that is. I live in Florida,
>and it is humid, and with a soaked t-shirt, I don't feel very cool. So I was
>thinking that some fabric that dried quicker might have more of a cooling
>effect.

I'm in Tampa and feel cooler in a proper bike jersey than a t. So far things are
pretty mild, only low 80s, so pretty nice if I can stay in the woods and keep
moving when out in the sun.

Ron

[Benjamin Lewis]

Matthew wrote:

> I also live in the desert Southwest (USA) and light, loose cotton
> works well for me. As I understand it, cotton is also a common choice
> among participants in the Badwater Ultra. Consider why natural
> selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.

Because evaporation has a cooling effect, as a couple of other posters have
mentioned.

As far as I can tell, the jury is still out with regard to cotton in warm
climates. For example, this site indicates that synthetics may have no
advantage over cotton in regard to temperature regulation:

http://tinyurl.com/7fsqs

"However, there was a difference in the retention of sweat by the clothing
ensembles, with the cotton outfit retaining approximately three times more
sweat than either the synthetic or the semi-nude variants.

'It is therefore evident,' point out the researchers, 'that the synthetic
material...does promote greater evaporation, as claimed by the
manufacturer. In spite of this, the [cotton] ensemble did not impair
temperature regulation in a warm environment.'

They acknowledge, though, that the same might not be true of cold
environments 'where postexercise evaporation may create a significant
cooling effect, especially during intermittent exercise. Thus, the use of
fabrics that promote evaporation may have a potentially greater benefit
during exercise in a cold environment'."


I can't find anything that indicates that cotton could be *better* in warm
climates.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.

[Alex Colvin]

>saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am assuming
>that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
>dispelling moisture.

Yeah, but the lapels and flares aren't very aeroynamic.

--
mac the naïf

[gds]

Matthew wrote:
>>
> You mean the guys that drill holes in titanium parts?

Perhaps but it would seem that they are the ones that would know
something about this.


Cotton weighs
> more, especially when wet. Cycling isn't my job so I don't need to
> waste money and resources buying specific clothing when what I have
> already and can use for many purposes works well enough.

Well enough is fine. But the question was what works best.(or at least
better)
Hey, if you don't want them and don't want to spend the $$$ that is
100% OK. But that doesn't (necessarily) mean its best.

But if you
> like synthetic jerseys that's fine with me. In fact, if you're a size
> medium you can have mine; I don't need it.
>
> Matthew

There is another thread going on "attitude" and perhaps you should post
the offer there.

[Matthew]

gds > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Matthew wrote:
> Consider why natural
> > selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.
> >
> > Matthew
>
> Well sure. No argument there. But at our most primitive state we
didn't
> have T shirts at all- cotton or other wise. So the discussion isn't
> about about our biological adaptation but what among several choices
in
> fabric is most comfortable and efficient for cooling.
>
> I have no problem with you prefering cotton but I still prefer
> synthetics. I have no idea what folks wear in the Badwhatever but
> certainly the pro racers race all summer in synthetic jerseys and my
> guess would be that with $millions$ at stake they would be wearing
> cotton if they thought it gave them any advantage.

You mean the guys that drill holes in titanium parts? Cotton weighs
more, especially when wet. Cycling isn't my job so I don't need to
waste money and resources buying specific clothing when what I have
already and can use for many purposes works well enough. But if you
like synthetic jerseys that's fine with me. In fact, if you're a size
medium you can have mine; I don't need it.

Matthew

[Matt O'Toole]

Matthew wrote:

> I also live in the desert Southwest (USA) and light, loose cotton
> works well for me. As I understand it, cotton is also a common choice
> among participants in the Badwater Ultra.

This is a dry environment where moisture evaporates so quickly the performance
of the fabric hardly matters. I'd be more interested in what marathon runners
in Houston have to say.

> Consider why natural
> selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.

Evaporative cooling is superior with synthetic fabrics. The rate of evaporation
is what counts.

Matt O.

[Chalo]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>
> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.

Chalo Colina

[gds]

Matthew wrote:
> >
> It's a serious offer; sleeveless Nashbar colorblock jersey white with
> black sides. This is a valid e-mail address.
>
> Matthew

OK, then thanks for the offer. But I wear a Large. Perhaps another
reader can benefit from your generosity.

[Matthew]

gds > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Matthew wrote:
> >>
>
> But if you
> > like synthetic jerseys that's fine with me. In fact, if you're a
size
> > medium you can have mine; I don't need it.
> >
>
> There is another thread going on "attitude" and perhaps you should
post
> the offer there.
>
It's a serious offer; sleeveless Nashbar colorblock jersey white with
black sides. This is a valid e-mail address.

Matthew

[Matt O'Toole]

Chalo wrote:

> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>
>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
>
> Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
> experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
> some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
> foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.

Polypropylene seems most prone to this. This is because the long polymer chains
of some body oils bond particularly well with the long polymer chains of the
plastic. Note how it's harder to wash oily salad dressing off a plastic bowl
than a glass one. Same thing.

Wool is amazing how it doesn't retain odors. Just hang it up and air it out,
and it's good to go in a few hours. It rarely has to be washed.

Matt O.

[gds]

Matt O'Toole wrote:
> Wool is amazing how it doesn't retain odors. Just hang it up and air
it out,
> and it's good to go in a few hours. It rarely has to be washed.
>
> Matt O.

But I would think that odor was a sufficient but not the only reason to
wash a garment that had been worn for vigorous exersize. And wet wool
does have an odor all its own.

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On 16 May 2005 14:28:18 -0700, "Chalo" > wrote
in message . com>:

>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

>Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
>experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
>some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
>foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.

As a former gym rat I can say with great confidence that for me the
exact opposite is true. My synthetic vests and shirts (and my
synthetic cycling jerseys) can take an hour or two of seriously hard
work - and bear in mind that at the gym I would routinely maintain a
heart rate of 185+ for a solid hour on the crosstrainer - without
stiking like a week-dead skunk, but any cotton at all and they were
unbearable after less than half that time.

But it does depend on the synthetic material. I am talking here about
modern technical fabrics, not plain old-fashioned polyester.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

[Rich Clark]

"Matthew" > wrote in message
...

> Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
> thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
> material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
> damp environments.

Interestingly, my very best jerseys -- Zoic Continentals, about 4 years
old -- are 55% polyester and 45% cotton. They wick very well and dry fast,
they don't retain odors, and they look and fit like new after at least 200
launderings.

I commute in these, so if odor was going to accumulate they have 8 hours a
day while hanging unwashed and sweat-soaked before the ride home to do so.

I suspect there's more to it than just the fabric. These jerseys' fabric
seems to be some sort of wicking mesh on the inside bonded to a smooth shell
on the outside. They don't feel heavy or hot (indeed, they breathe better
than any 100% synthetic jersey I've tried), but there's a substance to the
fabric that all-polyester seems to lack.

RichC

[Jeff Starr]

On Mon, 16 May 2005 14:04:17 -0400, "Ken"
> wrote:

>Since taking up cycling again I have been riding in t-shirts and I find them
>to be pretty comfortable, however they stay wet FOREVER. And this is because
>they tend to be all or mostly cotton. Being a camper / hiker there is an old
>saying "cotton kills" in regards to how long it stays wet. I am assuming
>that jerseys are made of some sort of polyester that probably is better at
>dispelling moisture.
>
>Ken

For decent prices, buy the Performance house brands when on sale. I
have a number of their Skeletin style short sleeve and sleeveless.
They fit well, dry quickly, and have the pockets in back. The Ultra is
real nice too, here take a look:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19922&subcategory_ID=1112


Life is Good!
Jeff

[Steve Knight]

>Correct. Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

I agree they keep you warmer but they only keep you cool while your moving. once
you stop they suck.
for commuting I found a 85% poly 15% cotton sports tee that works very well it
is cooler once the temp gets above 55 and I can wear it as a shirt at work as
long as I don't get too sweaty.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

[Ken]

"RonSonic" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 16 May 2005 15:19:36 -0400, "Ken"
>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"gds" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >>
> >> Matthew wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> > Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
> >> > thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
> >> > material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
> >> > damp environments.
> >> >
> >> > Matthew
> >>
> >> I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
> >> experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly the
> >> climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
> >> Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
> >> comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is that
> >> the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the evaporation
> >> going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.
> >>
> >Yeah that was my thinking, about the evaporation that is. I live in
Florida,
> >and it is humid, and with a soaked t-shirt, I don't feel very cool. So I
was
> >thinking that some fabric that dried quicker might have more of a cooling
> >effect.
>
> I'm in Tampa and feel cooler in a proper bike jersey than a t. So far
things are
> pretty mild, only low 80s, so pretty nice if I can stay in the woods and
keep
> moving when out in the sun.
>
> Ron
>
Well I am pretty close to you, down here in Sarasota county. And it depends
on how I am riding how wet the t gets how comfortable I am. If I am just
riding to the store, with a slow pace the t doesn't get to bad. But if I am
doing an all out 12 mile lap it gets REALLY wet, and it will stay that way
for what seems like hours!. I think I need to try a proper jersey for my
high intensity rides.

Ken

[wafflycat]

"Chalo" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>
>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
>
> Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
> experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
> some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
> foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.
>
> Chalo Colina
>

In that case, you aren't washing them properly. The rule in this house is
wear once, wash immediately. 40 degrees C unless fabric guide says lower
temperature, with a gentle non-biological detergent and the stuff behaves
beautifully. Having just got back from France where the offspring cycled
500km in 2.5 days wearing cycling kit of said modern fabrics, there is no
problem with long term odour at all. If he stank, I'd tell him!

Cheers, helen s

[1oki]

"wafflycat" <waffles*AT*v21net*DOT*co*DOT*uk> wrote in message
...

> "Chalo" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>>
>>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
>>
>> Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
>> experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
>> some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
>> foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.
>
> In that case, you aren't washing them properly. The rule in this house is
> wear once, wash immediately. 40 degrees C unless fabric guide says lower
> temperature, with a gentle non-biological detergent and the stuff behaves
> beautifully. Having just got back from France where the offspring cycled
> 500km in 2.5 days wearing cycling kit of said modern fabrics, there is no
> problem with long term odour at all. If he stank, I'd tell him!

While not commenting on the odour adhering qualities of synthetics, I had a
rude experience in a store once.

I was browsing through the shirts of a local sporting goods store. I pulled
out a standard name-brand polyester shirt to look at it and notice a smell.
Not a faint odour but a body odour reek that would knock over an elephant.

I figure either an employer surrepticoiusly borrowed it or a customer
returned it after wearing it without washing it.

That shirt stank!

Needless to say I passed on making a purchase.

--
'We're through the looking glass here people'
-milhouse van houten

[RonSonic]

On Tue, 17 May 2005 08:40:54 -0400, "Ken" >
wrote:

>
>"RonSonic" > wrote in message
...
>> On Mon, 16 May 2005 15:19:36 -0400, "Ken"
>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"gds" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> >>
>> >> Matthew wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> > Modern materials do dry faster, but that isn't necessarily a good
>> >> > thing. Cotton may "kill" in cold climates, but it is a preferred
>> >> > material in warm, dry climates for the same reason it is bad in cold,
>> >> > damp environments.
>> >> >
>> >> > Matthew
>> >>
>> >> I've heard this argument about cotton but it doesn't match my own
>> >> experience. I ride in southern Arizona so warm and dry is certainly the
>> >> climate and I find synthetics are much more comfortable than cotton.
>> >> Having a soaking wet shirt is uncomfortable and the cooling effect
>> >> comes from evaporation not from just being wet. My experience is that
>> >> the modern synthetics do a much better job of keeping the evaporation
>> >> going as oppposed to cotton and thus result in more cooling.
>> >>
>> >Yeah that was my thinking, about the evaporation that is. I live in
>Florida,
>> >and it is humid, and with a soaked t-shirt, I don't feel very cool. So I
>was
>> >thinking that some fabric that dried quicker might have more of a cooling
>> >effect.
>>
>> I'm in Tampa and feel cooler in a proper bike jersey than a t. So far
>things are
>> pretty mild, only low 80s, so pretty nice if I can stay in the woods and
>keep
>> moving when out in the sun.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>Well I am pretty close to you, down here in Sarasota county. And it depends
>on how I am riding how wet the t gets how comfortable I am. If I am just
>riding to the store, with a slow pace the t doesn't get to bad. But if I am
>doing an all out 12 mile lap it gets REALLY wet, and it will stay that way
>for what seems like hours!. I think I need to try a proper jersey for my
>high intensity rides.
>
>Ken

Yep, exact same experience. I like cotton, love the feel of it and nothing's
more comfortable for JRA. But if you're gonna sweat get a jersey. Even the cheap
ones aren't bad, but don't try to spend less than $30 for one. You might get
lucky with a sale and spend less, but the really cheap ones don't have the
wicking and fit and feel of the better ones.

I'm not a polyester fan and find that the cheapest have that yucky feel I
remember from yucky shirts of the disco era.

Besides, where else does a grown man get an excuse to wear something that loud.

Ron

[RonSonic]

On Mon, 16 May 2005 13:21:16 -0700, Benjamin Lewis > wrote:

>Matthew wrote:
>
>> I also live in the desert Southwest (USA) and light, loose cotton
>> works well for me. As I understand it, cotton is also a common choice
>> among participants in the Badwater Ultra. Consider why natural
>> selection favored a body that sweats in the first place.
>
>Because evaporation has a cooling effect, as a couple of other posters have
>mentioned.
>
>As far as I can tell, the jury is still out with regard to cotton in warm
>climates. For example, this site indicates that synthetics may have no
>advantage over cotton in regard to temperature regulation:
>
>http://tinyurl.com/7fsqs
>
>"However, there was a difference in the retention of sweat by the clothing
>ensembles, with the cotton outfit retaining approximately three times more
>sweat than either the synthetic or the semi-nude variants.
>
>'It is therefore evident,' point out the researchers, 'that the synthetic
>material...does promote greater evaporation, as claimed by the
>manufacturer. In spite of this, the [cotton] ensemble did not impair
>temperature regulation in a warm environment.'
>
>They acknowledge, though, that the same might not be true of cold
>environments 'where postexercise evaporation may create a significant
>cooling effect, especially during intermittent exercise. Thus, the use of
>fabrics that promote evaporation may have a potentially greater benefit
>during exercise in a cold environment'."
>
>
>I can't find anything that indicates that cotton could be *better* in warm
>climates.

Well other than thousands of years of experience. Yeah, I know the Beduin never
had synthetics. Still cotton's the best in hot weather except for specialized
athletic wear.

Ron

[RonSonic]

On 16 May 2005 14:28:18 -0700, "Chalo" > wrote:

>Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>
>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
>
>Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
>experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
>some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
>foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.

I'm not having any of that in my cycling gear. I was a little surprised, too,
remembering the poly problem. Apparently they've managed to design fabrics that
don't retain and exaggerate odors like the old stuff did.

Ron

[Benjamin Lewis]

wrote:

> On Mon, 16 May 2005 13:21:16 -0700, Benjamin Lewis > wrote:
>>
>> I can't find anything that indicates that cotton could be *better* in
>> warm climates.
>
> Well other than thousands of years of experience. Yeah, I know the Beduin
> never had synthetics. Still cotton's the best in hot weather except for
> specialized athletic wear.

I thought specialized athletic wear was what we were talking about. In any
case, that's what I was referring to in the comment above.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.

[RonSonic]

On Tue, 17 May 2005 10:21:32 -0700, Benjamin Lewis > wrote:

wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 16 May 2005 13:21:16 -0700, Benjamin Lewis > wrote:
>>>
>>> I can't find anything that indicates that cotton could be *better* in
>>> warm climates.
>>
>> Well other than thousands of years of experience. Yeah, I know the Beduin
>> never had synthetics. Still cotton's the best in hot weather except for
>> specialized athletic wear.
>
>I thought specialized athletic wear was what we were talking about. In any
>case, that's what I was referring to in the comment above.

Sorry if it came off wrong. I"m just commenting on how good cotton is for hot
weather, and noting agreement with you on that one exception where something
else is better..

Ron

[[email protected]]

On 16 May 2005 14:28:18 -0700, "Chalo" > wrote:

>Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>
>> Modern fabrics wick better, smell less, dry quicker, and
>> keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
>
>Now I will take your word for all of these assertions save one. In my
>experience, polyesters greatly exaggerate body odor, and tend maintain
>some amount of smelliness even through washings. That's probably the
>foremost reason I don't wear synthetics anymore.
>
>Chalo Colina

Even synthetic are made better these days- even Polyester! It's often
blended with other fabrics.

Cycling jerseys dry incredibly fast, and they don't smell. Even on
really hot sweaty days- they smell sweaty and like sunscreen, but they
don't reek of BO. At least not on me!