pain in my *kitten*
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delmc1
Posts: 331 Member
hi im new to cycling ,started about a month ago on an old bike doing a few kms just to get fit .went and got myself a hybrid and increased the distance i am doing ,starting to enjoy it now doing about 30k 3/4 times a week .
my question is can someone recommend a good pair of shorts as now the more i do the more pain im in .i got a cheap pair for 10euro but not good enough .went to a bike shop and he wanted to sell me a pair for 50euro .so if someone could recommend a pair in the middle .thanks
my question is can someone recommend a good pair of shorts as now the more i do the more pain im in .i got a cheap pair for 10euro but not good enough .went to a bike shop and he wanted to sell me a pair for 50euro .so if someone could recommend a pair in the middle .thanks
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My husband and I both use Canari brand shorts. They run about $40 USD.0
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Try Amazon, read reviews. A major brand in the US is Pearl Izumi. Mostly quality stuff (not all of it). Shorts are very good, though. I usually expect to pay about $35+ USD for a good set on sale so maybe about 15 euros. No pair of shorts is worth $100 USD/50 euro. None.
Keep in mind that bike shorts aren't the only reason your backside may hurt. First, if you're not used to cycling your backside needs time to adjust. Second, bike fit is important - if you're leaning back too far/reaching too high then you shift way too much weight to your backside. Third, a good saddle is crucial for medium/long-distance ride (30 km easily qualifies for a mid-distance ride). Gel/soft saddles are OK for short rides but they'll make you regret it later on. Oddly, the best seats are usually the hard/stiff seats (Specialized BG Romin 143mm+) but they're pricey. I'd emphasize all 3 of these factors as priorities.
Good luck.0 -
No pair of shorts is worth $100 USD/50 euro. None.
Unless they caress you gently whilst you're sweating away and kiss the pain afterwards.
Then, and only then...Are they worth 50euros.0 -
search and review first.0
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I've found Gore brand shorts to be a good compromise between price and comfort.
Are you in the UK? Worth keeping an eye on Evans Cycles & Wiggle clearance deals online.0 -
Oh, yes they are. I have some $50 shorts I wouldn't want to ride 30km in.Try Amazon, read reviews. A major brand in the US is Pearl Izumi. Mostly quality stuff (not all of it). Shorts are very good, though. I usually expect to pay about $35+ USD for a good set on sale so maybe about 15 euros. No pair of shorts is worth $100 USD/50 euro. None.
But then you defined 30km as a mid-distance ride, while I define 200km as a mid-distance ride.0 -
I've tried a few different sets of Shorts.
Castelli - TIGHT!!
Altura Ergofit - pretty comfortable
Adidas Supernova - Best I've found for me
But go for BIB shorts, I find they do a better job of holding it all there than just shorts.0 -
Castelli - TIGHT!!
But go for BIB shorts, I find they do a better job of holding it all there than just shorts.
Castelli are "Italian Sizing" everything is one size smaller than it says on the label. At least. I'm a XL in typical UK fit jerseys (read Wiggle DHB stuff, but needed a XXXL for the Castelli stuff. Same with the bottom half - XL on the DHB's, XXL for Castelli, apart from the "body paint" summer shorts I tried which needed XXXL. I was so depressed, I decided not to buy 'em :laugh:
+1 on the BIB's though - just no comparison - there's a reason why the entire Peleton ride in bib's you know!0 -
Maybe I'm sick - I bought 2 pairs of FI.13 last week
My *kitten* like them though0 -
Definitely a combination of things.. seats are a very personal thing, and it isn't about the surface or construction of the seat, but the width of it vs the width of your 'sit bones' which determines comfort. That said you will get used to what ever seat you are using with time and a decent set of shorts, but it does take a couple of months for your rear to adjust. (no idea how it happens but I'm pretty sure it's a result of cells dying down there!!)0
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Oh, yes they are. I have some $50 shorts I wouldn't want to ride 30km in.
Price ≠ Quality Most people want to pay as little as possible for a quality/function - not the opposite. You can pay $100 for the same shorts you can buy on clearance for $35. I've bought awful shorts and fantastic shorts and price didn't correlate. I found the Amazon ratings a better (but not perfect) indicator. I still shop around and try different shorts near the end of the season and during spring sales.
Besides, shorts/bibs are entirely a personal thing like saddles. I find thicker shorts less desirable for any distance (diapers!) and a pair of Canari triathlon shorts too bare at 75 miles. The shape of the padding seems to make a noticeable difference too.
Maybe your *kitten* is high maintenance or mine is welfare-bound when it comes to shorts/bibsBut then you defined 30km as a mid-distance ride, while I define 200km as a mid-distance ride.
That's great. However, I'm guessing most people consider Centuries longer distances. That's easily a day of riding. Maybe regular 500km tours or Ironmans are your thing. I think it's pretty clear OP isn't riding 200km regularly, deems 30km trivial, or cares about the semantics. The response was framed in the context of the OP question.
Slightly off-topic and personally speaking, I found much better results shopping for saddles rather than shorts/bibs. I still made made some mistakes along the way. I shelled out the cash for a Selle Italia SLR and I just couldn't justify it as comfortable. I wanted to believe it was better but the butt doesn't lie. Contrastingly, a Forte (Performance Bike housebrand) triathlon saddle was more comfortable (but not great) and cost a tiny fraction of the SLR. Those weren't the only saddles, either.
With that said, I ultimately settled on a 143mm Specialized Romin for $100. Yet, I still won't argue that the Romin is a better saddle in terms of quality. Specialized has that wonderful *kitten*-o-meter to measure your sitbones - and it works like a charm. That's the value.0
