comfy cycling ?

[oneflewover]

Even though I ride a steel bike i still get vibrations through to the rear end when on cobbled tow paths and hard crushed brick paths. I cured it a couple of ways (to a certain extent) a carbon fibre seat stem and a WTB Pure V race saddle. Chaffing when no wearing proper cycling underwear is the biggest problem now.

 

[gentlegreen]

So the first thing I need to do is photocopy my arse. ?

 

[nick h.]

Tyres are Continental City Contact (Kevlar-lined) 26x1.75.

I'm looking at the Tour riders with their narrow tyres and small saddles.

Blimey, with such fat tyres you ought to be getting a cushy ride.

Another vote for the Specialized saddle - I had one of those for a while. They really make sense - a doctor helped design them. Here's a review http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/954

If you buy proper shorts and you plan on using them a lot and have some cash lying around, I recommend Assos. Very expensive, but the quality and comfort are the bees knees. They last for ever and you can send them away to be repaired for free.

Lots of reviews of shorts here: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...ts=12&orderby=highestrated&pricerange=&_brc=0 (Actually this is a good site for reviews of absolutely everything.)

 

[Geri]

the large padded/gel ones are more trouble than they are worth as they just compress and abrade soft tissue, leading to sores, circulation probs etc etc as the weight is carried through where it shouldnt be. the idea with these kinds of saddles is that they try to limit the weight bearing area to the sit bones.

Does that apply to women as well?

 

[nick h.]

Logically it should do. Another big thumbs down for thick gel padding from me. They seem comfy in the shop but after a few miles the pain can be excruciating.

 

[gentlegreen]

Maybe I'll need one saddle for my 4 mile commute wearing just my 2 pairs of cotton pants plus shorts, and a second one to wear with lycra shorts ?

And will baggy shorts worn over the lycra ones ruin the effectiveness ?

 

[cybertect]

Did you catch up again with the person who overtook you?

You know how it is when someone overtakes and you're suddenly slipstreaming...

 

[nick h.]

I'll need one saddle for my 4 mile commute wearing just my 2 pairs of cotton pants plus shorts, and a second one to wear with lycra shorts ?

If it's only 4 miles arse trouble shouldn't be an issue on a racing saddle in street clothes.

will baggy shorts worn over the lycra ones ruin the effectiveness ?

Yes.

Just noticed you're thinking about getting a tourer. Sounds like you're getting into cycling. If you end up doing touring holidays (which are so great you'll lose interest in all other forms of holiday) you'll probably build up to 70 or 80 miles a day - in which case good lycra shorts (ideally bib shorts, with shoulder straps) will serve you well.

 

[gentlegreen]

I was rooting around this morning for the daftest saddle I ever bought - the one that looked like a woman's bum, when I came across the one that actually came with my bike. I had completely forgotten about it. I probably automatically switched to the Specialized saddle (middle) because it was attached to the suspension post I had also grown used to. You can see why I finally had to get a new saddle this year

I'll be trying out the Selle Italia for a bit, before getting my arse measured. (I may avail myself of some damp beach sand rather than suffering the indignity of the local "Specialized Style Boutique" or whatever it's called - I'm fairly certain I will need the widest size.

 

[gentlegreen]

Well, that home run was a bit of a revelation - I need to make adjustments up and down at the front, and I can see why I initially wrote it off and stuck with the Specialized - I think this one's a teeny bit narrow - but I definitely now want a saddle with a great big hole in the middle.

 

[gentlegreen]

I raised the saddle a tad and lowered the front a bit this morning .. half a mile and the skinny saddle made me realise I'd probably had the previous ones too far back and I was compensating by moving forwards.

I may have to come up with some sort of portable measuring jig so I can quickly get bikes set up to suit me ...

 

[gentlegreen]

The ride home was a fair bit better with the saddle further forward, but it's a very skinny saddle indeed - would definitely be better with a decent thickness of lycra to spread the load .. and being a cheapie saddle the edges are a bit edgy ... half though it might disappear up my voluminous rear.

Even my old 10 speeds had more saddle than this.

I'll give it a few more days - and maybe stick my knackered Specialized on for a bit before I take the plunge ...

 

[nick h.]

Here's the bible of bike fitting to help with your jig: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pruitts-Com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247856678&sr=1-1

The author sets up bikes for lots of the pros.

 

[gentlegreen]

Here's the bible of bike fitting to help with your jig: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pruitts-Com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247856678&sr=1-1

The author sets up bikes for lots of the pros.

Thanks.

Can I really hope to do this by myself ?

Annoyingly I used to have a club rider as a colleague years ago who had experience helping out some pros.

 

[nick h.]

You'll probably need an assistant for some of it. Or you could throw money at the problem - go to Cyclefit in Covent Garden and sit on their rig.

 

[London_Calling]

I don't even want to ask this question . . . in relation to sore arses, why is lycra good ?