tandem130

New to the forum and new to biking. Went on a 50 mile ride and then a 40 mile ride, needless to say, my butt was killing me for a couple days. I know that part of it is getting used to riding for long distances. Can anyone suggest bike shorts that would help out any. Would bike shorts make any difference. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

fietsbob

OOdles of missing info.. the sweaty bits will have the moisture drawn away better with the Faux Chamois
in many cycle shorts. and its seamless , or at least seams strategiclly located to not be in the center...
but Its not a cure all to solve a bike that does not fit well.
or a saddle that may not be Ideal for the posture you sit in on the bike ..
sitting up suggests a wider saddle than when you ride like racers ..

Transporting moisture away is another thing that a leather saddle offers ,
your backside and the saddle do have to adjust to each other , some.

trustnoone

Yup, get bibs. Yes, huge difference.

Any brand will be far better than what you are using now which appears to be nothing. Most riders seem to be happy with Pearl Izumi. I wear etxeondo, decente and Castelli.

Most manufacturers that make bibs seem to make them good quality that will remain comfortable for the distances you are riding so really it just comes down to how much you are willing to afford.

Inertianinja

first: use the search, for chrissake.

otherwise, you can't convince someone who's new to cycling to spend money on bib shorts or Castelli/Assos/etc.

Dude, go on amazon. buy Pearl Azumi Quest shorts in your size. use those for a while.
don't bother with eBay. for bike shorts, they cost what they cost.
When you get a feel for them, upgrade to Pearl Azumi Attack or Elite.
then buy one pair of Pearl Izumi Elite bib shorts.

that is a cheap way to get a frame of reference.
then you can start looking at the other brands.

nthach

Meh, the new Pearl Izumi lineup is kinda disappointing - their older stuff is way better. I prefer Voler myself...

stapfam

I used to buy Shorts or Bibs out of the Sales bin. Being small- I could always find them there. Then I moved up to the Named versions on the Racks. Better fit- better liner and more comfort. I do not know why I did it as they were far above the price I would normally pay but went for a pair out of the drawers as they are a tad more expensive. Must have been Flush that week.

The higher the quality you go for- the better the shorts. Haven't gone to Assos yet but the top end of Giordana suit me fine. But it does not matter what Shorts you buy- Try before you buy. Most shops have a changing room and it is surprising how many shorts will not fit your anatomy. I found the size and manufacturer I like and I will keep on that brand till something better comes along.

MichaelW

You are riding way to far for a newbie. Limit your rides to 1/2hr at first. then extend up to 1 hr in increments. If you ride hard and far without conditioning you can get problems in your hands/wrist/elbow/shoulder as well as a painful butt.
Padded bike shorts are worn without underwear

HandsomeRyan

The guys in the clydesdale forum turned me on to some great shorts made by Aerotech Designs.
• Affordable
• Made in USA (in PA)
• Durable
• Responsive customer service
• Wide variety of sizes from small to XXXL in most items

I started with their regular shorts and later moved up to their 'pro' shorts. I've been nothing but happy with mine and I have a few pairs that have seen a lot of saddle time that are still going strong. I also have the upmost respect for a company who makes bike clothes in all sizes because not all cyclists are 150lbs.

cyclezealot

Could be bike position. Long distance bike shorts can be vital at reducing chaffing. Isolating your vitals from hitting against the saddle. Also the sweat wicking properties of bike shorts and particular jerseys can make a ride far more comfortable. But, as much criticism as there is of bike shorts among the prudes. Don't go cheap, often lousy chamois offer little improvement. You can find decent priced shorts with effective chamois for well under 100 bucks.

pitchpole

Or you could just buy some wicking athletic shorts from a local retailer. Not everyone enjoys skin tight star trek clothes all the time. If you just started riding then your bum probably just needs to toughen up. A crappy saddle will definitely make things a whole lot worse though.

knobster

I've found this as well. I've got a couple different models of their shorts that I picked up and while the chamos is decent, the stitching is horrible. I recently had to pick up a pair of Bellwether Criterium shorts that I'm very, very impressed with. Rode a century with them and they performed perfectly.

trustnoone

And what, go for a jog? I might be wrong but if the OP started out with two to three hour rides they're not a cruiser. There is plenty of cycling clothing that is not skin tight and though not a trekkie I doubt the federation was outfitted by Pear Izumi.

Get a good pair as suggested in #4 or 8 or go ask your LB.

DataJunkie

Voler. Wonderful gear from a company in California. You can also see if hammer nutrition does their usual year end sale next month.

RonH

+1 on www.voler.com.
Get bibs for maximum comfort.

tandem130

Sorry, some more information.

I'm riding on a tandem with my boyfriend.
I have a brooks saddle, which is way better than the other two seats I had.
Brooks is very comfortable.
We ride pretty much upright, it's not a road bike.
I'm not a skinny girl, looking for a Large bike short.

Daspydyr 

I went to Performance bike, they usually have a link advertising on Bike forum. I bought a pair of their Century Bibs. They cost $70. plus shipping. It was more than I wanted to pay, but they are extremely comfortable and light. I often put a pair of something on over the shorts when it gets colder. I find if I am going to buy one pair of anything that it is better to buy light weight and add layers.

I rode 115 miles Saturday and the bum wasn't the problem, it was the feet and shoulders.

deep_sky

Most tandems are somewhat upgright in position as the stoker would have their face in the captain's butt otherwise

5'8" ~160 lbs here (started cycling at 185). Right now I wear a Large in most shorts. I started out with XL, and by the time I hit 170, I had to drop down as the shorts were too large and not holding the chamois in place, causing chafing. You want a short that will keep the chamois in place, or you might as well not bother. Contrary to what the Freds and prudes like to tell you, you do need a short that is mostly skin tight. For women there are skorts (a short legged short with a skirt over it) if you are one of those prudes . In addition, there are mountain bike shorts, which are baggy with a padded liner inside. Personally I would go with standard shorts that are skin tight (fitted, but not so tight you look like you were vacusealed into your shorts). Remember that you wear no underwear with cycling shorts. It doesn't feel right the first couple of times, but underwear will cause chafing along the seams and edges, and reduce the short's ability to wick moisure away.

Mr. Beanz

Sounds like my wife. She struggled with Pearl Izumi (IMO, even the mens suck nowadays). She tried about 5 or 6 different brands before findng "Terry" Shorts (brand made for women). She's no toothpick and has plenty back there to worry be concerned with.

The Terry shorts are nice thick material with a great chamois. Very high waisted compared to other models which worked great for my wife. She's done 85 mile rides in comfort, tandem and singles.

Check out Terry. She paid about $85 per pair but it's well worth it. One thing many new cyclists deal with till it clicks after a year of senseless suffering, spending money on good shorts. They are far better than the $20 special at the local sporting goods store. Besides, $80 for Terry shorts is good considering some shorts cost $200.

nthach

Agreed even though I don't wear bib shorts. Voler tends to fit my body best and their pads are "transparent" so to speak, unlike PI's newer offerings. I've haven't tried Castelli or others yet.

cyclezealot

I like Voler for comfort. For endurance, I'd give them a C+. They wear thin fast is my experience.

BulkyRider

You should carefully adjust your saddle height and the way you sit on it. Stand the hipbone and don't slide (or rub, whatever) your hip on the saddle, just be stable. Proper siting position is crucially important. For me 200lbs, I can go more than a hundred miles without no shorts or bibs.(Though it hurts a lil bit afterward.) If you don't sit properly, any shorts or bib can't help you. It's just cheating.

If you're light like 130-150lbs...then Pearl Izumi Quest would be enough. For more comfort, I'd recommend Assos or Etxeondo, but kinda expensive.

stapfam

I am also the stoker on a Tandem (All Male Team) and there is no difference between Road- MTB and Tandem shorts. What there is though is that Woman Specific clothing. Womans shorts are made differently to mens with a different liner.

Don't know how long you have been riding so hopefully you realise that the Butt has to get attuned to the saddle. If you just got the Brooks- then you will have to spend a bit of time wearing it in so bear that in mind.

Tight Lycra shorts work. I know they may accentuate a few bulges and some are embarrassed by the tightness but they do work. If you are embarrassed- wear a pair of unlined cycling Tights over the shorts

And- without getting personal- Go commando.

Joel S.

I wear light shorts over my cycling shorts so I have a few pockets to put stuff.

Still, they make a huge difference, but don't skimp too much. My cheapos from Sports Authority are ok, but the ones I spent a bit more on are much better.