Okay, today I stopped by the bike shop and looked at SPD sandals (didn't have my size). Anybody know how these things hold up compared to regular bike shoes? Any experiences with these things would be appreciated. ALso looked at triathlon shorts (to swim in). Problem there is that I don't like to wear tight stuff and at 54, I don't think I'm going to change my mind!
More important, I decided to try an experiment today. I remembered I had a pair of baggy bike shorts (first pair I ever bought when I knew even less than I know now). I would say the inner bike short part was too loose.
So, I thought I'd try to wear my baggy swimming trunks and wear those bike shorts on top.
First problem was the tendency to bunch up which I handled as best I could. I then rode in a very relaxed manner to Waikiki (about 70 minutes on the bike). I ate breakfast (about 50 minutes wearing this outfit), then I went to the beach where I took off the bike shorts.
After about 150 minutes on the beach, I put the bike shorts on top again and rode causually for another 40 miles before getting home (including a stop for lunch). This added another 5 hours or thereabouts in this outfit.
It always tended to feel bunched up some and I did get some numbness from time to time (I would stand to take care of that). I didn't really seem to get any real feeling of irritation until I had ridden about 30 of the 50 miles and from then on it got worse, though never as bad as the time I tried to ride my new road bike with just swim trunks and regular shorts.
Right now, having gotten out of the extra clothing, it doesn't feel too particularly sore, though I'll know better about it tomorrow I guess and I would never normally be riding that far with this getup!!! Typically it would be a total of 25 miles, round trip.
So, I guess this would work, but I think I might try riding without bike shorts one for time at least just to see if my body has adjusted to this bike since the first week or so I had it.
Boy, it would be great if I didn't need the shorts normally!
Bob