re: seats and shorts

[gretchen]

Okay...let's talk shorts and seats....
Shorts: what's the purpose of the cut out on the bike saddle if your shorts are so full of padding that the cut out "goes away"?
Wouldn't it be great to have a pair of padded shorts with the shammie with some kind of cut out part so you don't rub so much.
Anyone have a solution for that? Or even relate to what i'm talking about?
When you say "my seat gets sore after 20 miles (like mine does)...do you mean..."my butt" or "my girl parts"? For me? It's not the Butt!
Solutions wanted and welcome. Or...just commiserate with me!
gretchen

[Veronica]

Everyone has their favorite saddles and shorts. I guess because we're all shaped so differently. Since I switched to a Brooks saddle I haven't had any problems of any kind. My favorite shorts are Sugoi's RS series. They're a ten panel short and have the perfect amount of padding in them. I've spent a hundred miles in this shorts and been very comfy. They're pricey, but my saddle time is worth it.




You might try canting the nose of your saddle down slightly to get the pressure off the girly parts.

V.

[gretchen]

I've heard a ton about Brooks saddles...they must be great.
I love my saddle though, just over 620 miles so far this spring on it. I do have to shift myself back often when i ride over 20 miles and that's when the chaffing and rubbing come in. I wonder if i should tip it back?

Just a note on the side: I hate rain! I just took off for a ride and it's constant drizzle. I rode 40 yesterday so i'm justifying the turning around and opting for swimming tonight.
Good call? ....just agree so i stop feeling guilty!
gretchen

[Veronica]

Are you using Chamois Butt'r or some similar product? If I'm doing more than 40 it's a must.

Riding is supposed to be fun. I did weights for the first time in like 3 months yesterday (I hate doing weights!) then went for a swim. I'm kind of sore today. I was going to ride to the pool and swim again this morning, then mountain bike tonight with Thom. I've decided instead to be a slug and cross stitch and read today (maybe do some house work and yard work) and just do the mountain bike ride. The point is - don't feel guilty.


V.

[gretchen]

V. I like your game plan for the day! That sounds so great.
I am one of those that has to have everything done before i "allow" myself to relax...which means NEVER!
My daughter keeps talking about the butter...i'll need to get some.
Have a great day. I think i'll go work on a painting project i'm doing (it's a fun one...not like painting a room!).
Have a good ride tonight
gretchen

[ragbrai40]

Ok couple of questions regarding above commments:

Regarding the butt'r - I have some, never used it and was wondering - do you apply directly to skin or to the short padding? If appied to skin, the obvious would be to avoid the "girly" parts? Where exactly does it get applied and how much?

Regarding the shorts - My absolute favorite pair from last year that I could ride 50 - 80+ miles in - Pearl Izumi's 8 panel (not sure which ones) are suddenly uncomfortable and I'm squirming constantly on the seat after 25 miles. In fact I can't ride in the drops as it's really uncomfortable "down there" and have to sit up. Question - can the padding break down after numerous wearings and also I'm wondering if they are slightly too big due weight loss from last year?!

And is it normal to have to scoot back on the seat quite often when changing bar positions? All this saddle talk is making me wonder if I should have checked out more options when I got the bike last year. Hmmm......

[Veronica]

You can put the Butter either directly on your skin or on the shorts. I put it on my skin - where the pad runs out to prevent chafing on a long ride. I don't bother with it unless it's going to be a long day.

About the shorts - I had the same thing happen with the Castelli shorts I loved last year. I suspect the pads wear out. Look at what happens to your padded gloves. Seems to me it would happen to shorts as well.

I scoot back a lot on the tandem since the geometry of the bike doesn't allow me to get my handlebars level with my saddle. I don't scoot on my single. For me, saddle and handlebars level, with the saddle nose canted up slightly works.

Veronica

[gretchen]

First off: we women are awesome. We just put the questions right out there. Men, they would be internalizing it all...and as for them, where the heck to they put all that "parifanallia" (sp?) in those little shorts and on that seat. We'll leave that problem up to them!!!

Re: Butt'r (love that name!) As my daughter discribes it...you just slather in on. I"ll have to ask her to get more specific...but i think the intention is to be "ON" the girlie parts to keep them from falling off!!!!

Too big shorts: way to go on the weight loss...i say, "New shorts for everybody"!!!!
I too love those PI shorts. I have the new 3-D ones too and they are REALLY padded...almost too much for me.

I was thinking of taking a pair of 'less expensive' shorts and trying to modify them , cutting out some of the padding.

Hey, while we're on the subject...has anyone tried the biking underware? (briefs). I just can't get myself to go camando and was thinking that would be awesome to have underware that was biking padded that you could put gym shorts over. Any thoughts on that one?

gretchen

[Veronica]

OOOOOO Gretchen, are you wearing undies, under your biking shorts? I can see that leading to lots of chafing.

Yep, I find PI shorts to have way too much padding for me. It seems like it goes halfway down the inside of my thigh. Not where I need padding, as I am genetically engineered to have large, but muscular thighs.

Veronica

[ragbrai40]

Veronica - Thanks for the application info! I've ridden some long days and have never tried it - maybe that will save me from some uncomfortable moments - I'm trying it on the next long ride! Also I had kind of figured the padding might break down - I need a new pair of shorts anyway and have the Sugois in my TE shopping cart ready for checkout!

Gretchen - Not going commando in the biking shorts could be an issue - I never wear anything underneath, the excess seems to cause more problems than not. I've been rubbed raw by the underwear seams when I have worn it - and that's usually "that time of the month". Normally it's commando for me!

[kpc]

Gretchen, try going commando. It's way more comfortable. The bike shorts are so thick, that no one can see any shadows or anything. I even wear underwear when i sleep, and I really like being bare under the shorts. I was skeptical too, but now am a believer.

[gretchen]

Ok, you've all convinced me...i'll try going "neckid" under my shorts. Ewwww, just thinking about it, kind of grosses me out!

Oh, great, the rain has stopped and i have to go over to my shop now. Drag. I'm feeling ancie not riding today!
Tomorrow...comando.

[emily_in_nc]

I agree with the posters here about the importance of not wearing undies under shorts. I've done several centuries with minimal saddle problems (and I wear the cheap Performance shorts, mostly!), so I think that's a really important thing. No reason to be modest since black shorts are not see-thru at all!

As for Chamois Butt'r, I also use it for all rides over 25 miles. I do not put it in the middle (girly bits!) where it might sting, just in the areas between my inner thigh and crotch, which is where I will chafe if I am going to. It's good stuff!

Emily

[MightyMitre]

Some great tips here, especially about making sure you're wearing - or rather not wearing - the correct underwear

There's also various types of chamois cream. Some are good for stopping rubbing, while others are anti - bac and anti- fungal which can be useful if you're in your shorts all day every day or think you might be susceptible to candida infection.

I've got some stuff that's like petrolum jelly which is also anti - bac and I use it every time I ride, except for the shortest of distances. Helps keep the rubbing or chaffing away.

[spokes]

hi, all. i had the same problem as you, gretchen-- i think. i had pain from where the saddle nose met my body-- definitely girly-parts territory! i bought a saddle with the nose cut-out, recommended for pain in that area. now i have soreness (more like post-ride annoyance) where the edge of the cutout meets my body, which is kinda where girly parts meets thigh (hard to explain! ) but it's definitely better than the numbness and pain before! it kinda feels like the sore-butt thing, when i was just starting to ride and my body was just suddenly getting used to the bike under me for that long.

i've been wearing the same shorts for a while now, but i noticed that the chamois is now a little stiffer. if that was happening to all shorts, i imagine they'd start to chafe eventually, just from age. i also notice that i shift around a lot on my saddle and have to remind myself to scooch back on to my sit-bones constantly.

one time my chamois was still wet from washing when i wanted to bike to work. undaunted, i wore sweats and regular underwear, oh, the horror! there was much chafing and bunching. never again! i also highly recommend going commando simply because it's very liberating!

i have bought two saddles so far, and the second seems to be working so far. this is one of those cases of 'try and try again,' unfortunately.

btw, thanks all. this thread has been very informative!