How to repair lycra bike shorts?

[Apennine]

Hi all,

I have a pair of elasticized bike shorts that developed a hole at the inner thigh, right on the seam. (just like my jeans)

I patched it up, but now it's coming apart at the stitching. I'm not sure if it was due to my poor stitching, or because the black fabric I used for the patch was not stretchy like the lycra of the shorts.

How do y'all patch your shorts? Are there kits? Does the stitching matter? Should I use a zigzag stitch for more give?

thanks

[scoot]

I don't wear them, but I sew, so I can tell you yes, you should use a zig-zag stitch for the stretch. Or better yet, find someone with a serger and it'll take them about 1 minute to fix 'em up so they'll stay fixed.

[kenl666]

I'm just guessing here, but you may need to double-over the lycra that you sew the patch seam into?

The reason being that when I look at the seams in my shorts it looks like that's that the factory did, otherwise maybe the single layer of lycra is not strong enough to retain the thread?

Would it be possible to use an iron-on patch?

And a related hint: I do know that when you get a loose thread in a seam of your expensive bibs, cut the thread off and then put a drop of superglue on it to stop the unravelling. uh, don't wear the bibs when you do this though...