Padded cycling shorts

[Francesca]

Hi,
I wear padded cycling shorts under my 3/4 length loose cotton shorts when I cycle. Question is should you wear any underwear with padded shorts? I did a 17 mile bike ride the other week and my bum started to get numb.
Please can somebody advise?
thanks
Fran

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

Numb bum is usually caused by incorrect seat position.
I've spent hours adjusting my bikes to reduce pressure points around hands/rear/feet.

 

[derrick]

Always wear pants, unless i am wearing a kilt.

 

[cyberknight]

No !

wearing underwear under padded shorts can cause chafing and i find it uncomfortable and makes you sweat more in that region .
Numbness could be down to not having your saddle set up perfectly and not being used to riding that far.Do you have a padded /gel seat ? many people say that that although they feel comfy to start with you sink inot them and after a while they are worse to ride on than a standard saddle.

 

[oldfatfool]

Commando all the way

 

[Francesca]

thanks for replies, I have used a gel cover on my seat, and it fdoesnt make any difference still numbness happens, I think I also need to heighten my saddle as my legs are not "straight" when I cycle, then are slightly bent on full wheel ratio.

 

[PpPete]

Conventionally one "goes commando" with padded cycling shorts, as most underwear has seams in "just" the wrong places.
As FP says it's more to do with the saddle. Could be entirely the wrong sort of saddle, too padded, too wide/too narrow as well as badly adjusted.

My own pet theory is that many people with more "ample" posteriors think they therefore need a wide saddle - whereas in fact the width of saddle you need is much more to do with the distance between your "sit-bones".

Not suggesting the OP has a large behind or anything .... just a general observation.

 

[PpPete]

Gel covers? Nooooo ! No! A thousand time no !
For any distance - you need a HARD sadlde, but one which fits the shape of your a$$. it can be a matter of lengthy trial & erro before you find one that "fits".

Your knees should have a 30 deg bend at the bottom of the pedal stroke..... definitely not straight.

 

[ianrauk]

get rid of the gel saddle, ther are no good for man, woman or beast. They are far too soft for distance cycling.
Oh yes, and commando of course..

 

[Edge705]

Hi,
I wear padded cycling shorts under my 3/4 length loose cotton shorts when I cycle. Question is should you wear any underwear with padded shorts? I did a 17 mile bike ride the other week and my bum started to get numb.
Please can somebody advise?
thanks
Fran

Hi Fran you’re just up the M55 from me welcome to cyclechat. I went commando several years ago trouble is I can’t say for certain if it made any difference to when I wore boxers under my padded bib tights I’m told its more hygienic hence the reason why I did it.
What I do find is a little more freedom and less groin rub. However I did find a marked improvement when I moved to crotch less seats i.e. the ones where the middle bit is missing and also my seat is designed so that my bum cheeks are not fully on the seat.
This kind of seat might not suit you but I believe there is a couple of other things you could do buy an add-on (my dad has one) it straps on your seat and absorbs the shock from the road try and second ride out of your seat periodically to relive the pressure and numbness. Lastly my friend swear by compression pants they are not my bag but apparently they get the blood circulation going
Good Luck

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

The most comfortable seat on my three bikes was on the mountain bike!!

Well it was .... its now on my winter road bike (the coyote everglade).

 

[Francesca]

Hi Edge705, thanks nice to meet you, sorry to have a blonde moment can you explain compressio pants ? whats the diff between those and passed cycling shorts?
cheers
Fran

 

[Francesca]

guys...erm whats commando???lol

 

[vickster]

Knickerless ...

 

[Francesca]

LOL oops sorry didnt know...