tjcough 

So I have recently entered the realm of cycling again. I ride around 10 miles per outting and experience some discomfort late/post ride. I was wondering if some cycling shorts would help rectify this problem?

Also, what have been your experiences going from normal gym type shorts to cycling shorts? Lastly, any recommendations for brands to look into?


Thanks,

tj

Mark Stone

Yes. Many people ride with street clothes comfortably, but for the best comfort padded shorts are the way to go.I wear Nashbar's house brand of baggy short.

A side note: You should also look at your saddle, both the saddle itself and how it is adjusted because that may be part of your discomfort too.

CraigB

Depends on the nature of your discomfort. With no more information than that to go on, it could be saddle type/configuration/position, it could be clothing-related, it could even just be the need for more saddle time to "toughen up" those sensitive tissues around the sit-bones, something that all cyclists have to get through when they start riding.

IBOHUNT

Second what Craig said. Takes miles to get your body to toughen up even with the right saddle and it in the right position.

I'll add... Bibs are your friend.

Fangowolf

Mt. Borah Ridge Charcoal Gray Baggy Bike Shorts sizes up to 52" waist. While they will not eleminate the pain, they make it better and everytime you adjust that seat, new pains appear. I wish I had gotten mine before I started adjusting the seat.

RichardGlover

I've found that for short rides, street clothes are fine. Moderate-length and long rides, I really prefer cycling shorts. Mostly, center seams in pants and shorts cause discomfort in the 'taint' area (i.e. perineum for the technical among us) after riding for 'too long'. 'Too long' is going to differ for different people.

For me, about 30 minutes is where I draw the line. I commute to work - about 25-35 minutes, depending on whether I'm "feeling it" that day, and I almost always wear cycling gear. If I don't, I have to slow down enough that I don't break a sweat, and that puts me in the saddle 35-40 minutes, which starts getting uncomfortable.

E.S.

Un-padded shorts are fine for me for anything under 5 miles, but after that padded cycling shorts make a huge difference in comfort.

As for brands, I would just go the LBS and get whatever they carry.

Mr. Beanz

I must have sensitive ying yangs cause even riding the bike around the driveway, a mile or so to make bike adjustments will scour the heck out my bejangles in street shorts or clothes.

I hate getting on the bike without cycling shorts.

Bluish Green

I like bike shorts for all but the shortest rides. I commute 6 miles each way and wear them every time and love them.

I have tried Pearl Izumis and Aero Tech Designs. My favorite is the Aero Tech Designs Top Shelf bike shorts. Expensive, but comfortable and durable. They come in sizes up to 5XL. I started with a 44 waist, am down to about 42, and I wear 2XL, if that info is helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/Mens-Shelf-Sho...+top+shelf+men

Good luck, I hope you find what works to make you want to ride every time.

tjcough 

I doubt it is the saddle. I use a Brooks B17 that I have had on the bike for well over a year. I had to take a hiatus from riding for a few months and never changed a thing. Before my hiatus I was riding 25+ in street clothes and didn't have too bad of discomfort. Maybe I had just gotten used to the ride. However this time around it's way more of a discomfort, which lead me to my questions about shorts.

chefisaac

Aero Tech is great: https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/

Get their bibbs and wear shorts over them if needed. I love them.

jerrduford

Being that you're just getting used to cycling again.. The problem will mostly correct itself within a few weeks. While padding cycling shorts would probably lessen the problem, the best way to correct saddle soreness is to log more saddle time.

Now, if the saddle doesn't fit you correctly, or the bike in general doesn't, no amount of time or padding will correct the issue. Make sure that's not the case, first.

FMadridRN

I wear the Nashbar liner shorts under a pair of normal gym shorts. Has been working great. And they always have a sale on them.

CommuteCommando

Street clothes are fine if that's all you've known. I was in that state for years. Now that I've tried them, I've become spoiled and am loath to ride in street clothes. I prefer bib style because for us clydes, "plumbers cleavage" can be an issue.

Rootman

Me too, with cargo shorts. They are good at keeping the boys at home too as well as padded for that extra comfort.

Yo Spiff

I'm partial to lycra roadie shorts. My faves are the Tecumseh and Isolation shorts from Nashbar. I also have a few pairs of Nashbar liner shorts (about $15) that work well under regular street shorts and are comfortable.

I'm not as fond of baggy MTB shorts, the extra layer tends to snag on the nose of my saddle and the outer layer bunches up under my butt more than I like. I did buy a pair of Pearl Izumi MTB shorts on clearance yesterday that seem to fit like road shorts, but without the shiny skintight look. I'll be trying them out this evening.

Depending on what your current weight is, your options may be limited and/or expensive. I was able to find shorts again when I slipped under the 250 pound point. At about 208 right now, it's fairly easy to find shorts I like.

nerys

My conditions are probably (almost certainly) non standard but here it is in case it helps

I wear regular "civies" when I ride and have no real issues save one. I don't use a normal saddle I can't I am far too large and heavy (the pain they impart is unbearable for more than a short time and its cumulative if I ride often.

I am 455 pounds 6'4" so I an big tall and heavy.

I ride a dream 21 by day 6 bicycles. AMAZING besides breaking the seat (which I fixed and reinforced) its holding up fantastically.

Step #1 Bike Adjustment. this is CRITICAL the bike MUST fit you well and be adjusted specifically for you. ride adjust ride adjust if you have someone experienced to help you even better.

I am NOT a pro at this. this is nothing more than what I learned by trial and error on my own.

if the seat bothers you CHANGE IT. one of the best improvements you can make is a nice soft LARGER seat with a short or non existant nose. walmart has a really nice big bum seat for $20. go get it you will love it.

once you have it all adjusted the next issue is clothing. this may be particular to me but one issue I had was the SEAM in my underwear would be pressed into my flesh and wiggled around over and over again till it literally tore my flesh and I had to stop riding for a few days to heal up.

thats when I ordered some cycling shorts. I found some 5x cotton/lycra blend for $6 a pair (one off deal regular is around $30 a pair)

WOW what an improvement. since they are tight fitting and have NO SEAM between your bum and the "seat" there is no more pressure points of fabric seams. ZERO pain now. ZERO. what a blessing. Now I FULLY understand why cyclist love spandex. huge improvement.

from what I hear cotton is not ideal for riding and the supplex (nylon etc..) base "typical" cycling shorts are superior.

I could not afford them and they don't make too many to fit a 56" waist. the cotton works fine for me and breaths better (I overheat in lycra I am guess because of how heavy I am)

but hit ebay you CAN find a deal just keep looking. also check amazon.com.

I wear regular short or pants over the cycling shorts. for me it was not the shorts or pants causing the trouble it was the underwear causing the trouble. once I got rid of the underwear and replaced them with cycle shorts WOW what an improvement I am going to try and ride every single night when its not raining if I can. did 5.7 miles tonight was going to try and push for 10 but I was really getting pooped and it was starting to drizzle. I am a fat guy I DO NOT want to be caught pedaling out in the rain. real quick path to crotch rot :-(

now I need get some decent shoes. I can not "walk" in regular shoes (crushes my arches no support) I wear crocs exclusively. alas they are not ideal for cycling. my toes feet move around too much and get numb and I am told this is because of the loose fitting flexible crocs that once I get some "solid" shoes this problem should go away.

so I am going to grab some cheap velcro shoes from walmart to use just on the bike and see how that goes.

I don't mind the "skin tight" look so much as I don't want people to see all that ugly sweat that will result and who wants to have to look at a 455 pound man in skintights :-) not me :-) hehe