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Probably another of my dumb questions but ...

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Probably another of my dumb questions but ...

Old 08-06-20, 12:26 PM
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Helderberg
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Probably another of my dumb questions but ...

Does anyone here wear bibs or padded shorts when they ride their Hybrid? Having an issue with longer rides on my bike and would like some feed back from people that have found a successful combination of seat and/or padded shorts. Getting very frustrated not being able to get past 20 miles without real pain. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. For what it's worth I have posted a similar thread on the fit group concerning my gravel bike so this is definitely all about me. I am hoping that if I can get one of the bikes sorted out I can apply that fix, in a dropper variation, to my other bike. If not a literal transition then possible a theoretical one. "If this solved the problem here than how would I apply that to the other bike" kind of thinking. As is obvious I am really at my wit's end. Please don't tell me I need to get a fitting as there simply isn't anyone close enough to me or that I would trust in this covid era so that is out for now.
Thanks in advance, Frank.
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Old 08-06-20, 01:26 PM
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Hi,

I'm not going to comment about seats as that seems to be a very personal thing (and measuring for one does help...you can do this yourself), but 100% you need to be wearing padded shorts of some kind.

I don't like the skin tight shorts, so I wear Fox Racing shorts with the built in liner/padding. They make a huge difference. I rode a few times in just athletic shorts, and that was a terrible mistake.

Good luck!
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Old 08-06-20, 01:44 PM
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I like dumb questions because I can sometimes answer those!

First, with respect to saddle fit, there are YouTube videos and articles explaining how to measure your sit bones using a piece of cardboard. May be worth checking it out and comparing results to your saddle size.

Second, I was always self-conscious of the tights and tight fitting shirts because I am not triangle shaped and have a bit of a waistline (although not too bad). So, I got a pair of the Club Ride Woodchuck padded underwear that I wear under athletic style shorts. They work very well, but the two layers can result in a sweaty arse in our Texas heat. Following my wife's lead (who is also self-conscious, but "[wo]manned up" and pulled them on), I bought a pair of Pearl biking shorts. I gotta say, that they are great for providing extended riding time and are more cool than the other option as the breeze from riding seems to cool the material and make riding in the heat very bearable. Knowing that and seeing people in tight riding gear that are in a whole lot worse shape than I am, I no longer care what I look like in the tight shorts.

The next thing is how long have you been riding the bikes you have? It's been a long time since I've ridden, and the people I've talked to have said it takes about 6 weeks of regular riding to get used to the saddles. Might need to give it some more time and get a pad under there.
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Old 08-06-20, 06:11 PM
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I wear padded shorts. Stayed with my FX4 seat. My rides usually 20-35 miles. Very comfortable
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Old 08-06-20, 07:28 PM
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You gotta wear padded shorts. I have padded underwear and wear cargo shorts over them .Huge difference, you’ll be very happy 😃
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Old 08-06-20, 07:37 PM
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"Padding" isn't the issue, imo. That, and the question whether to wear bike shorts -- shorts or bibs -- while riding a "hybrid" is also a non-issue.

Cycling shorts/bibs have chamois for moisture wicking/control and to minimize chafing; they are not "pads". I ride what are referred to as "hybrids" and yes, I wear cycling shorts/bibs; have done for years. They are simply more comfortable for rides of any intensity/duration. That is why they were invented. If one is routinely doing rides of 20+ miles, cycling shorts just make sense. On the other hand, some folks are quite happy to ride in jorts and cotton or wool underwear.

However, if the op is 'uncomfortable' to the point of "real pain", on the bike -- any bike -- on rides of 20+ miles, then the issue is one or both of bike fit/saddle choice and adjustment, or some sort of physiological issue. Fiddling around with cycling shorts etc. won't solve that.
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Old 08-06-20, 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted by badger1
"Padding" isn't the issue, imo. That, and the question whether to wear bike shorts -- shorts or bibs -- while riding a "hybrid" is also a non-issue.

Cycling shorts/bibs have chamois for moisture wicking/control and to minimize chafing; they are not "pads". I ride what are referred to as "hybrids" and yes, I wear cycling shorts/bibs; have done for years. They are simply more comfortable for rides of any intensity/duration. That is why they were invented. If one is routinely doing rides of 20+ miles, cycling shorts just make sense. On the other hand, some folks are quite happy to ride in jorts and cotton or wool underwear.

However, if the op is 'uncomfortable' to the point of "real pain", on the bike -- any bike -- on rides of 20+ miles, then the issue is one or both of bike fit/saddle choice and adjustment, or some sort of physiological issue. Fiddling around with cycling shorts etc. won't solve that.
These are what I have. I think they are a must for any rides over 10 or 15 miles. My bike is fit to pound away and I don’t have physical issues.

I thought everybody wears these or cycling shorts with padding.


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Old 08-06-20, 09:35 PM
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Thank you all for your responses. I will wear the bib I have when I am riding a longer ride. I thought it was just me and I was the only person that needed to wear the chamois on a hybrid.
Thanks, Frank.
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Old 08-06-20, 09:53 PM
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I really like these bib shorts made by Przewalski. Before finding them, I tried a type with a gel chamois instead of cloth. It was awful, as my sit bones just felt like they were grinding into the gel and they kept wobbling around. The cloth chamois is so much better. My typical rides are 25 to 35 miles, and between these bibs and my Fizik Argo Tempo saddle my butt stays comfortable the whole time.
My only complaint is that the mesh sticks to my back, which I guess is probably true for all bibs. It's worth the trade for me, though, to avoid having the tight waist band with shorts. But I could see how some might prefer shorts instead of bibs because of that.
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Old 08-07-20, 10:39 AM
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I, almost always, wear padded bike shorts on my hybrid. Also, my Selle AnAtomica seat is the most comfortable seat I have, and was, right out of the box! They have a good sale in the fall.

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