Suggestions on Bike Shorts?

Hey ladies!

Again, thanks so much for all of the insight and inspiration on here!! I've been biking (seriously) for about 4 months now and I'm starting to get the addiction to beat my numbers. haha! But in all of my riding, I've started to notice, especially on the trails, that my bike shorts aren't doing me much good. Not the back, but the front. EEK! No rashes or chaffing, thank God, but when I checked out the padding last night, it seems as if its thicker in the back and thinner in the mid and front area.

Did I just get a bad set of shorts or is there something wrong with my fitting?

I have a hybrid bike - 2010 Schwinn Searcher Expert - and its a good starter bike for my 90% trail riding. I'll be biking approx. 150 trail miles at the end of this summer as a "30 Before 30 List" item that I want to mark off. We'll be doing this over a weekend and camping along the way. Its going to be a blast, and I can't wait, but the girlie parts are less than enthused.

I was hoping that you ladies might be able to lend some thoughts as to: suggested brands/types of biking shorts and/or seat positioning solutions that might be causing this.

Many thanks!

Thanks so much!

I had contacted my local bike shop and they said "well, there isn't much as far as fitting to a hybrid bike". I thought that was unfortunate....there HAS to be something more than just moving the seat post up and down to qualify as being "fitted" for a hybrid bike.

I suppose the fact that I ride a hybrid at speeds that exceed 10mph is defying the laws of hybrid physics some how. haha. I don't know. I didn't get a road bike because I was doing trails most of the time, but I tend to try and go for speed/cadence/distance, which I would think isn't "normal" for hybrid riders? But I really don't know...I'm just guessing in comparison to what I see on the trail when I ride.

It might be worth considering changing the saddle if you haven't already done so? My first bike had a womens "comfort" saddle which may have been the biggest fib ever told. I changed it for a rather more streamlined saddle and it has felt like a different bike ever since.

As regards shorts, I mainly ride for transport at the moment and use padded liners under regular clothes. I like padding at the front, and also a bit at the sides but don't like bulk. I rate my Sheila Moon liner and my Gore shorty, and I have a winter weight pair of Terry tights with a nice chamois too. All without anything else underneath them. Arnica tablets are very good for any post-ride discomfort.

Can you be more specific about the problem? Is it too much pressure? Numbness?

It could be that you need a different saddle.

It could also be that you need a different bike shop. I've never had a hybrid, but I'm pretty sure there is more to proper fit than moving the saddle up and down. For example you might be leaning forward too much to reach the handlebars.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Biking Bella

Thanks so much!

I had contacted my local bike shop and they said "well, there isn't much as far as fitting to a hybrid bike". I thought that was unfortunate....there HAS to be something more than just moving the seat post up and down to qualify as being "fitted" for a hybrid bike.

I suppose the fact that I ride a hybrid at speeds that exceed 10mph is defying the laws of hybrid physics some how. haha. I don't know. I didn't get a road bike because I was doing trails most of the time, but I tend to try and go for speed/cadence/distance, which I would think isn't "normal" for hybrid riders? But I really don't know...I'm just guessing in comparison to what I see on the trail when I ride.

---

I recommend seeing a different bike shop. I know several bike shops in my area that would help fit with any bike type. A fit is not just to set you up on the bike but also to find issues.

After fussing and fussing with the fit of my hybrid bike and never getting comfortable enough to ride it more than 5 miles in a shot, I have come to realize that the bike was wrong for me from the get-go. The handlebars are too high relative to the height of a seat. Lesson one: just because the seat can go low enough does not mean that the bike fits. If I angle the handbars down to lower them, the handlebars are then too far away, hurting both my rear and my hands when I ride. Lesson Two: The stated "size" of a bike is only part of the story, the effective top tube length is very important. No matter how I adjust my seat, up, down, forward, backward, angle up, angle down, the seat is uncomfortable. Lesson Three: A so called plush and wide comfort seat may be far more uncomfortable than a harder, narrower seat.

I was told my bike fit me fine. Here I was, an overweight woman in her fifties lookng for a cheap bike. They weren't much interested in me and they asked next to no questions about me or how I would ride. Lesson Four: Do your homework and don't trust the bike stores to help until you can speak their language.

Good luck on working out your issues.

Hence the reason I drive 2 hours to Raleigh or 5 hours to Charlotte to go to my preferred bike stores. The one in Charlotte used to be LBS before we moved. We loved them and we always stop in there when we go back. For some things I will go to my local LBS, but not for other things. We have a really nice one about 45 minutes away and another one an hour away, but both of them are more beach crusier rental bike shops. So for most things if I want to see/try on/get fit ect, we'll be driving to Raleigh to go to one of two bike stores there.

Ladies -

Thank you ALL for your replies! I really love the support and help I get from these forums - its really invaluable.

Let me see if I can add some more detail. I don't have any numbness or chafing, which is good. Its really more like a pressure thing. For a while there, I was riding in my biking shorts while using with undergarments...I was later told that wasn't the best idea. Taking that out of the equation, I'm still left with the same result of the pressure which later turns into a sharp pain. If I hop off of the bike and move around, I'll be ok. But usually after 7-9 miles, I have to take a break.

I was wondering if the seat was the issue. I know there are women's saddles out there, but being a newbie that has a $450 bike, I don't want to dump $150 into a saddle. That being said, if I'm going to do a 150 at the end of the summer, I'm sure it will be money well spent. Does anyone have any suggestions on brands/models? I'm 5'6", about 120lbs, so I don't need something with a lot of surface area.

As far as the fitting - I ran that same line past another cycling friend of mine and he agreed that wasn't right. "You don't need a full road biking work-up, but something more than what you got. Asking you the question, 'can your feet touch the ground' is NOT a professional fitting." And with that, he had me jump on my trainer-mounted bike and began to fiddle away. We squared up my knee to ball-of-foot measurement after fixing the leg extension angle. HA! In a full extension, my leg was still at about a 30-25º angle. Kind of sad. Afterwards we did a quick 13 mile trip. Things felt better, and I began to understand how shoes/clips would help with the efficiency of the process. So I suppose, in "short", I did get the basics of a proper fitting and we'll see how that works out.

Thank you again for all the insight and advice! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Biking Bella

.... Does anyone have any suggestions on brands/models? I'm 5'6", about 120lbs, so I don't need something with a lot of surface area......

---

Height and weight doesn't really matter for a saddle. The right saddle FOR YOU needs to support your sit-bones properly and that differs from woman to woman. Search this forum for how to determine the width of your sit bones, there are assorted methods. I have to run right now so I can't provide the link. Once you have determined the width you need, that will help narrow your choice. Saddle choice differs wildly from woman to woman, what is the perfect saddle for one woman can be a torture device for another.

When I bought my first hybrid about 15 years ago, I asked the bike shop guy what I should pay attention to, comfort-wise, that might be fine in these test drives around the parking lot but would cause aches and pains for longer rides. I was thinking about my back.
He gave me a clinical lecture about making sure that I was sitting on my bones and not putting pressure on the soft vaginal tissues. (The young sales guy who had been approaching walked away quickly ;))
My seat height can be adjusted but I can also slide it forward and back onits rails. This makes a big difference in exactly where the weight and pressure are going. That bike shop also swapped out the stem of that bike for one from a Bianchi because it had a different angle that put my arms just a little further forward, which I liked. (Alas, I sent some friends to them and they got a guy who tried to tell them exactly what they wanted -- nobody should want a hybrid! -- and wouldn't listen to a word they said. I suspect they got that young guy who couldn't handle talking about girlie parts.)
It could be the angles of that bike -- but a different seat & adjustment could also really help.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Catrin

Height and weight doesn't really matter for a saddle. ...support your sit-bones...

---

Never heard of this before. I'll have to do some research.

My general rule for bike shorts is, that they should cost at least as much as the number of miles you will be riding in one ride. For example, if you are going to ride 50 miles, you should spend at least $50. Century ride.....$100 :cool:;)

Now that comment is a little in jest and doesn't really address the other issues about which you have gotten great advice, but thought it did answer your original question.

Sounds like a saddle fit issue to me, but let us know what you find that works.

So I did some research, as suggested, on how to measure your sit bones. I did it a few times to make sure the measurements were correct...and they were. My bones (center to center) are 5.5" inches apart. I rushed down stairs and measured the widest point of the seat. It was about 5".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Biking Bella

So I did some research, as suggested, on how to measure your sit bones. I did it a few times to make sure the measurements were correct...and they were. My bones (center to center) are 5.5" inches apart. I rushed down stairs and measured the widest point of the seat. It was about 5".

---

Now try to find a shop that has a test saddle program, that way you can try several saddles and find the one that works best.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RidingBuddy

...bike shorts should cost at least as much as the number of miles you will be riding in one ride.

---

This is good advice. I picked up a set of bike shorts that were about $40 (on sale, so I would figure $50 or so retail?). I have noticed that the padding as of late has shown some wear. The back part of the pad in the shorts seems to be holding its own, but the front part is thinning out. Another reason why I thought something was wrong.

I just called the bike shop (Performance Bikes) that I bought the bike from originally. They are about an hour and a half away, but they seem to provide some good information. The sales clerk on the phone apologized that they didn't fit me for the bike better when I originally bought it, but offered to put the bike on the trainer, check out my measurements, and try to match me with a better saddle. 30 day money back guarantee, even if I use it daily, helps with the decision process I suppose.

Any other tips I should know before I head up this evening for this "fitting"?

Ladies -

I went to the LBS with my ride and tried a couple saddles. After they put me on a trainer and raised my seat post height, I did some basic spinning on a few of the saddles they had - purchased one, and took it home.

I rode on it yesterday and could only get 8 miles into the ride before I had to turn back. Usually I can push a 25mile RT without an issue, but within 5 miles in I was in some serious discomfort. :(

I ended up calling my chiropractor once I got my bike back into the car and started off of the mountain. My lower leg and foot on my left side were numb. Lower back was yelling at me. Girly bits still on the painful side. It was ridiculous! After the chiro adjusted my hips and lower back, then put those electrodes on me for 20 mins with some ice, we went and looked at my bike positioning. He ended up lowering the seat a bit and suggested I slide it back some as well to see if that helped. Yes, he's not a biking professional, but I figured his input might be worth something since, well, he is my doctor.

I'm hoping to work on the saddle positioning a little today and hopefully take an easy 3-5 miles with it on the trainer to see how it feels without causing myself pain. :(

Here is the saddle I ended up purchasing -
Selle Italia Women's Diva Gel Flow Saddle

Hoping to get back on the trainer today (stupid rain) and try some miles with different seat heights/angles. I definitely think that the LBS had me too high off of the pedals. :(