PeteHski

Sounds much like here. Cycling as a hobby is still a pretty niche activity. Most people just have some old bike that they might wheel out once or twice in the summer. Most kids have a bike, so not many newbies over the age of 5. Then there are a few keen cyclists who have all the gear and ride regularly. There are local cycling clubs too, but they are pretty small and niche. There is a bit of amateur racing in the background, again very niche. I would imagine bicycles are marketed and sold exactly as they are in New Hampshire. There are a few bike shops around and a few larger online retailers. There is no major bike marketing activity (like prime-time TV ads), just the odd magazine.

livedarklions

Your imagination of New Hampshire doesn't interest me. I actually live in it, and it's a relatively low biking area even for the US with an absolutely astounding amount of hostility towards cyclists. I moved here about 20 years ago, having lived in several areas in the US, and I never encountered anything like that hostility anywhere else. You become very acutely aware of the "image" of cycling here.

And if you haven't realized that most marketing these days both for online and brick and mortar commerce is through the internet, you really have no business even commenting on it. That activity is quite "major."

This conversation has absolutely no point and I'm out..

pickysoul

you need a good saddle first.

AdkMtnMonster

You really think I’m good at it? Hey guys, you hear that? He thinks I’m good at it!


Depending on how one intends to ride, entry level bikes do start at a rather high price point. Cheap, poorly equipped bikes that have marginal brakes, few gear choices that are difficult to shift, and terrible tires are not going to encourage very many people to get deep into cycling.

PeteHski

It sounds like a great place to go for a ride. I'll be careful in future to avoid internet marketing of biking specific gear too. It's a good job you are around to advise "newbies" not to buy stuff that might make their biking more comfortable.

livedarklions

/ignore bye

PeteHski

Back to cycling shorts then, lol.

I went out this morning for a quick mtb ride. Threw one of my baggy shells over some ordinary cotton boxer shorts. Not the best comfort if I’m honest, but got away with it for an hour. A proper liner short would have been much better. It also reminded me how baggies can catch a bit on the saddle. I find that quite irritating. So for me roadie bib shorts are ultimately more comfortable, but I’m a sucker for the more casual look when biking off road. Plus I think my bib shorts would probably get ripped on overhanging bushes etc while riding narrow trails.

I’m tempted to try some gravel shorts, which could be a better compromise for trail riding. Some of those look pretty sharp for casual wear too. Maybe something like this:-

https://7mesh.com/farside-shorts

tomato coupe

Either type will be better than non-cycling shorts. If you want the pockets, get the mountain biking shorts.

You should be able to get something decent in the $30-$50 range. Spend more if you want to.

livedarklions

You know you aren't really disagreeing with anything I actually said there, don't you?

Here's the problem, newbies often have very poor information about how they intend to ride because they don't have the experience to know what does and doesn't feel right for them. Marginal brakes and crappy tires are one thing--those are never good, but the right number of gear choices, and a whole bunch of factors, all of which involve different levels of spending are entirely dependent on knowing how much you're going to ride, where, and how.

And I actually disagree with you a bit--I started on bikes I wouldn't ride on a bet now, and basically realized their inadequacies as I developed my strengths. I then could make informed decisions about the kind of bikes I was buying.

I also think it's fair game when somebody posts "advice" that says "if you don't have x, this terrible thing will happen" to post that I've ridden 10s of thousands of miles without x, and this terrible thing never happens. I find a lot of that stuff on BF, and I do think a lot of those false beliefs about the dangers of not-x are marketing driven. YMMV, and I'm done arguing about this.

AdkMtnMonster

I’m aware of that, yes. You know that I was only mocking your post that I quoted, don’t you? Here- have a beer. Made it myself. It’s a Saison, perfect for quaffing after a long, hot ride wearing whatever we want to wear on the bike. (On my deck, drinking my beer, you’ll be properly dressed, though.).

livedarklions

What the fudgeyewtawkinabowt?

PeteHski

I'm more than happy to stay on his ignore list! I see he's already found someone else to argue the exact same point with. I'm not stupid and can spot a thinly veiled "nobody needs proper bike gear and it's all just marketing BS" rant a mile off. I just find it an irritating position to take on a bike forum of all places. Maybe I should do my next GF event in a pair of cargo shorts, T-shirt and some nice squidgy sneakers/trainers. It would be as uncomfortable as hell, but at least I couldn't be considered elitist, lol.

PeteHski

Where is all this stuff?

fredlord

When I seriously started cycling again six years ago I couldn't manage more than 15 minutes before arsal discomfort set in. Rather than try lots of different saddles (not practical) I let my then lbs sell me a pair of (women's!!) bibshorts. It didn't take me long to figure out that I loathed the rigmarole involved in peeing. When I cycle I drink a lot. There are few things as poetic and refreshing as quickly and efficiently jumping off the bike, drowning some ants, then mounting up again and getting on with it. Hence, normal bike shorts.

My arse is now steel-plated, but I still prefer to wear bike shorts for all but the shortest and non-sweatiest of rides. Anyways, if I ride any long distance I will usually wash and change soon after arriving. An added advantage of wearing bike shorts is the secret thrill of parading my junk in public.

I still own the women's bibshorts. I wear them as a last resort when everything else is in the wash. Strangely, riding in them is not that uncomfortable, but walking around is.

PeteHski

PeteHski

You are talking far too much common sense!

When it comes to bike gear I think contact points are the most important things to consider after your bike. I think shorts and shoes are where you see the most gains over non-cycling gear. Jerseys are less critical, but cycling jerseys are still cut better for a riding position and have pockets in the right places, etc.

terrymorse 

Assuming you are male, I can't imagine the problem you are having with performing a natural break with bib shorts. I do it on just about every ride. Easy and quick.

fredlord

That's ok.

tomato coupe

You don't even have to get off your bike for a pee break. In fact, you can pee while riding.

Chuck M 

Ironic this thread has gone to discussions of peeing on rides since it turned into a pissing contest early on.

VicBC_Biker

I think many folks may be worried (as I was) about damaging the bibs if they stretch the front down far enough...but good bibs are elastic enough to allow it and recover just fine.

livedarklions

There's gotta be a "cold dead hands" joke in there somewhere, but I probably shouldn't touch that.

livedarklions

And it deters drafting.

kahn

Oh, we talking "Golden Showers"? Wasn't there an expose about that!

gilpi

I lucked out with Sponeed cycling shorts. Perfect fit and used them quite a bit. I bought two in 2018 and still going strong. I hand wash them after every ride. At the moment they are selling for around 35 bucks in Amazon. I'm about 35" waist and wearing the US large/Chinese XL. Good luck.
(Thought I'd bring the topic back to cycling shorts)