UKC

Biking (mountain) question: not important just curious....

do most of you wear padded shorts when cycling or am i being a wimp thinking about getting some ready for when i get a bike ( next month )

yours worried about getting a bruised butt


also ladies can you recommend me a saddle? (bf's knows alot about biking but cant really help on the girl specific advice.)

thanks.

In reply to Adders:

Definitely. Don't leave home without them.

In reply to Adders:

I always use decent cycling shorts. Helen does not. Helen has bruised bits and has nicked my best oes. I know have to use my 20 year old pair and have bruised bits.

So, yes, worth it.

Saddles - Terry Saddles make female specific saddles and are considered the best. Expect to pay around £40 to £50 for a decent one.

In reply to Adders:

get a wide girly specific saddle and big foam shorts. watch the stitching though. Some shorts have a big seam that digs into youe cheeks after a long ride.

In reply to Adders: Padded shorts will lessen the initial pain, but it will still hurt your sit bones for a few days afterwards, this gets less painful as the area gets hardened so stick with it. My missus went through about 8 saddles to find something comfortable for both her roadie and MTB, Georgina Terry saddles come recommended as designed and built by and for Women, my missus settled on a Koobi PRS which has a big gap down the middle for her road bike and releives the pressure on the "undercarriage" when she is on her Tri Bars, I don't think this would be too much of a requirement on an MTB

In reply to : thanks guys ok so thats settled im not being a wimp padded shorts are essential!

can anyone suggest any decent makes for them?
i'd prefer to spend a bit more on ladies saddles and padded shorts as i dont want this to be a reason why i wouldnt want to go on my bike. so im prepared to spend more on them.

jon jones: thanks for the stitching advice, i'll keep my eye on that. i'd imagine the padding will sit differently on girls shorts to boys same as saddle shape....

In reply to Adders:
check out probikekit.com they do verious quality garments, for the best in bikewear you need to look at assos but it is v expensive

In reply to Adders:
Yes, deffo get some padded shorts. You will still get a sore arse, but less so than without them. Note that rucked-up sweat-soaked cotton knicks under them won't help, so may be worth leaving the knicks off if they're causing a problem.
Standing up for the lumpy bits will also help.

Suitability of saddle depends on shape of arse. (_._)

In reply to Adders:

Buy girl specific shorts, definitely.
Also, (and I don't know how good they are!!) you can buy padded 'knickers' that you can then wear with whatever shorts you chooses to wear. I'd suggest you get down to Butterworths at Hillsborough (at Leppings Lane/Catch Bar Lane junction) and have a chat with them - see what they recommend.

In reply to TN:

Butterworths used to be a good shop, but seemed to go downhill a bit after Tony sold up a few years ago. Having said that, it's pretty much there or J E James, so it's probably as good a place to start as any.

In reply to Craig_M:

I haven't been in there for ages! It's Ads side of town though. Langsett Cycles are nice and helpful but don't seem to have as much gear in.

In reply to Adders:
Yep, definately get padded shorts, and even so take it easy and build up the distance

You can get ones which look like normal shorts, but are padded, or the skin-tight lycra ones, which probably look a lot better on you than they do on me. Mind you I generally only wear the latter in winter, under my Ron Hills

In reply to Adders:

tip

I'm sure you know but you dont wear any underwear with cycling shorts

I think Endura MT500's are still condidered ro be the best ever short (expensive but last forever)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9384

In reply to Adders:

I've got through MANY pairs over the past 6 years of biking, and by far the best pair I've used (UK,Italy, US, Canada) are:

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=20202

Not cheap, but pretty much indestructable

Don't forget the padding is mainly to wick-away sweat, rather that just act as cushion.

Craig

In reply to all: oooh ok i thought padded shorts were skin tight lycra ones you wore underneath normal shorts.... are there casual baggy versions that are padded then? can someone pleasse send me a link?

yours confused.

wingnut; errr fat that'll be

In reply to CraigMac1:

Sorry - accidently posted the male shorts.

At least Nigel & I agree !

In reply to Adders:

check out


http://wiggle.co.uk


lots of goodies. I ordered a pair of waterproof cycle pants at 4pm yesterday. They arrived at 9am this morning.

In reply to Adders:

I'd reccomend buying regular shorts and wear them under baggy shorts, rather than buying lined baggy shorts.

In reply to CraigMac1: do these look the type of thing im after? http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=29529
then wear baggy shorts over top????

sorry if being thick. thanks everyone.

In reply to Adders:

I would wear a pair of lycra under a pair of casual shorts if worried about the look, I never really got on with padded baggys

In reply to Adders:

yes

In reply to Adders:

Yep, they should do the job. Just to add, I'd also recommend the lycra under baggy option, rather than padded baggy.

In reply to NIGBEE: yep agreed. sorry delay in our posts. ones you posted look good. think i'll get a pair of them next pay day. expensive but look good and should last

ps. if you spot anything nearly as good and cheaper send me a link would you? thanks in advance.

In reply to NIGBEE:

However you feel though there are few finer sights than a woman in a good fitting pair of cycling shorts

(meant in a non pervy good way if possible)

In reply to Adders:

You can buy regular shorts like in Nigel's link (your link shows a different make of the same thing), OR buy basic liner shorts (less durable, but they are always under other shorts).

In my experience, liners are pretty crappy in comparison. I guess the main thing you need to decide is the style (baggy or snug) and then move from there.

Oh, and definitely don't wear underwear under them - this stop the wicking working so well.

In reply to CraigMac1:

great minds eh!

In reply to NIGBEE:

You either have faster fingers than me, or it's faster in the UK (I'm in Canada) !

C

In reply to Adders:

I got my padded cycling shorts from Decathalon and they do the job just fine. Muchos cheapness -!

In reply to Adders:

I'll show you my cycling shorts when I next see you, then you will know what you should be looking for ...... Lycra jobbies which go to the mid thigh, with a chug off chunk of foam to cushion the pieces Spring/summer, you shouldn't need to wear anything else beneath/over them (other than a pair of wicking knicks, imo!) but in winter, you can wear a pair of Ron Hills under them to keep extra toasty and warm. As John said, Wiggle are good but also try these;
http://www.cyclexpress.co.uk/products/Womens_Cycling_Shorts_1009.asp

...The 'Curve' ones are also very good but a bit more expensive.

Looking forward to getting out on the bike with you this spring

In reply to Adders: My wife and a lot of other girls in our tri club have these

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=1&Manufacturer=&UberCa...

Cheers

Toby

In reply to Adders:
Here you go

http://wiggle.co.uk/Default.aspx?Main=CategoryProducts.aspx&Cat=cycle&a...


Remember to wipe your bum properly though, otherwise you gets skiddies

In reply to John Rushby: i like the go faster brown streak effect thanks perhaps i could wear my wee trousers ove rthe top of them ( see worst bit of gear thread )


thank you all! very helpful responses.
expect lots more biking questions in future. be warned.

In reply to Adders:

No problems.


Feel free to snigger at Helen as she clings terrified to her £80 back pages of the daily express 21 gear mountain bike special. It is made of the finest lead with tin foil gears and is useful for knocking Volvos out of the way.

In reply to John Rushby: i have a fantastic mental image of helen on her bike now
see you both soon im sure. (wink wink penny)