Practical clothing that isnt skin tight...

[MossCommuter]

if you need padding you have the wrong saddle.

could you elaborate for a relative noob? What saddle should I have 'cos at the moment i neeeeeeeeeeed padding (and I'm a watcher on the "bum cream" thread

) My current saddle is stock, as supplied on my Scott bike.

 

[TrevorM]

could you elaborate for a relative noob? What saddle should I have 'cos at the moment i neeeeeeeeeeed padding (and I'm a watcher on the "bum cream" thread

) My current saddle is stock, as supplied on my Scott bike.

Personal opinion of course but based on my experience. Apart from the stock saddle that came on my first bike and was useless, I have always used Brooks saddles. Because they are leather they change their shape to fit your shape so I dont see what padding can add to that. I am also a great believer in natural materials. I think leather that breathes combined with cotton underwear prevent sweating and sores. Plastic saddles, padding and lyrca does exactly the opposite. I have never used padding or any sort of cream ever in all the thousands of miles cycled.

But I dont mean Brooks saddles are the answer, some folk hate them. I do think if your saddle and/or setup is wrong then no amount of padding will fix it.

 

[TRXnMe]

could you elaborate for a relative noob? What saddle should I have 'cos at the moment i neeeeeeeeeeed padding (and I'm a watcher on the "bum cream" thread

) My current saddle is stock, as supplied on my Scott bike.

Another noob here.

I bought my Ridgeback Speed (very) secondhand and soon worked out that my pampered behind was not going to like the saddle, my solution so far is an ETC saddle, it has suspension springs, mattress springs and gel pads!!

My first weekend ride out ended after about 20 miles with me doing John Wayne impressions, I just did my third weekend rideout on the new saddle, almost 30 miles (not bad after 30 years of not cycling I reckon) and my backside isn't sore at all.

I've no idea how it will fare as I start to rack up larger miles, but for what I can manage now, it's pretty good thanks.

 

[InspireTheEmpathic]

could you elaborate for a relative noob? What saddle should I have 'cos at the moment i neeeeeeeeeeed padding (and I'm a watcher on the "bum cream" thread

) My current saddle is stock, as supplied on my Scott bike.

I agree that you need the right seat to be honest, just one thats not rock hard for lightness but not absolutely huge like a small sofa on a pole etc... thing is though, if your a noob it does take a while to get your bum used to cycling... it took me about hmmm maybe 30 miles spread out over say 5 days to get my bum used to cycling again, then i could do 30-40 miles in one session.

 

[InspireTheEmpathic]

i'm with you on this one inspire - see one of my posts about starting again after injury+weight gain. Basically i've done the lycra thing...yes, its comfy, practical but i'm just not going to wear it anymore, even if MTB stuff does make me slower than i could be. I wear 3/4 length MTB shorts (they have detcahable inner shorts with a good pad), and generally gear you'd see on a mountin biker.

I do use arm and leg warmers for our awkward changeABLE WEATHER. and those long legged bibs are great in winter, whatever else you wear.

as for 'flapping in the wind', well the tops in particular are so light that i've never noticed much of an issue.

the folks on here who encourage 'the right gear' - well, they are technically right in their descriptions and hats off to them for being so dedicated, but cycling for me is about escape and relaxation and sanity away from all the drudgery and conventions and doing things 'the proper way' - its freedom. So i'm not joining the gang, i'm not conforming, and i'll never be thin again-can't be bothered to maintain that level of hard work - i'll live with the 'disadvantages' of looser clothing - its all bike specific and comfortable anyway.

I hope i dont sound confrontational - as I say I respect the 'proper', dedicated and superfit cyclists, i really do, but I didnt get into this to get into another variation on 'keeping up with the jones'.

I will agree that you should NOT be self conscious about lycra - get out there with a 'dont give a f**k' ATTITUDE, youre the one on the bike and not sitting around eating pies after all - and as i say i've done it, I have the lycra but on balance i've found my 'niche' and my level of 'pleasure/effort ratio' and i feel good in the MTB style stuff, it feels like 'me'

(i ride a hybrid BTW, never had a mountain bike)

cycling is about freedom and enjoyment - do it however it feels right for you. try both - mix it all up !

Brownie points to helmet tester! I am completely with you. I will agree theyre practical etc and its 'what everyone does' but i cycle because i love to cycle and i cycle to get to places, be it work, or somewhere to go climbing. or somewhere to stare into the distance. i dont do it to be streamlined and get the extra few miles out of my legs etc. thanks to all the people offering advice and i liked them undershort things so i'm gonna get them. but i'm gonna stick to not fitting in but feeling like myself in my unusual mtb gear on a racer besides i'm pretty fast and its hilarious overtaking a group of very professional cyclists in jeans and a hoodie
This is not directed to anyone here because they've all been very helpful but I find cycling comes with rather a lot of snobbery and thats a shame as i'd love to meet fellow bikers while i'm out but a lot of them turn their nose up because i don't wear lycra etc. their loss

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I agree with helmet tester, wear what you wand don't be concerned if its not 'cycling gear'

I wear a linen shirt from M&S as a cycling top - perfect in summer and with a Marmot Aegis waterproof/windproof jacket on top, perfect for cold and rain. Its not a cycling jacket but I got it because its hard to find a cycling jacket with a hood.
Bottoms are trickier. I wear Endura 3/4 baggy shorts and they are very comfortable. They came with padded undershorts but I threw them away - if you need padding you have the wrong saddle. Next year I'll probably get these touring shorts and longs.

I like the look of those shorts, I've book marked that page so I can find it next year when the good weather starts.

 

[MossCommuter]

maybe 30 miles spread out over say 5 days to get my bum used to cycling again,

Errrrm... 100 miles a week since end of January....

...maybe I need to change my arse

 

[InspireTheEmpathic]

Errrrm... 100 miles a week since end of January....

...maybe I need to change my arse

you could go for the arse changing option... that would solve the problem once and for all, but i'd go for finding a comfy seat... probably cheaper. figure out where it hurts and find a seat that supports there better. normally them two bones in your left and right cheeks or your tailbone dig in to a rubbish seat.

 

[MossCommuter]

you could go for the arse changing option... that would solve the problem once and for all, but i'd go for finding a comfy seat... probably cheaper. figure out where it hurts and find a seat that supports there better. normally them two bones in your left and right cheeks or your tailbone dig in to a rubbish seat.

Sorry for my sarky response but to be a bit more serious and hopefully of help to the OP I only recently started to wear padded inners/unders whatever you call um and "proper" cycling shorts - mountain bike shorts (I am not equipped for lycra) and it is a lot, lot better already.

 

[InspireTheEmpathic]

Sorry for my sarky response but to be a bit more serious and hopefully of help to the OP I only recently started to wear padded inners/unders whatever you call um and "proper" cycling shorts - mountain bike shorts (I am not equipped for lycra) and it is a lot, lot better already.

I'm gonna buy a pair or two of them padded inner thingermajigs and some mtb shorts me thinks nothing wrong with a bit of padding cycling isnt exactly the nicest sport on your bum regardless of your seat.

 

[InspireTheEmpathic]

Side note: we never really covered the top half to be honest... but i suppose thats self explanatory. I'm more likely to wear lycra bottoms than lycra tops so the other option is t-shirt... coats etc are heavy and sweaty if you ask me. i always go out in a tshirt regardless of the weather... if its tipping it down i just cycle harder so i stay warm. snow etc... is different but i dont like distance cycling on 700 x 23's on snow and ice. i dont know many that wouldnt agee

 

[MacB]

padding, no padding and saddles, you'll get all sorts of advice but it is essential, if you haven't done so already, to ensure that your position on the bike is correct. This makes a big difference to comfort, pressure points and angles, also checking the position properly. May sound stupid but I got some issues after a severe pothole had knocked my saddle out of line. Only a tiny amount but, coupled with the knock my undercarriage had taken, it was enough to induce a very nasty saddle sore, despite padding.

After that it's up to you, I find I'm generally ok without padding for my local riding but, if I'm going out to just ride I'll normally wear padded bib shorts. I have some of the padded boxer shorts and the padding is nothing like as comfy as a proper insert, feels a bit like wearing a nappy. It also depends on your body shape and the sorts of casual clothes you generally wear. If you ain't too slim, like me, and you loaf around in jeans, then there's a good chance the seam will regularly end up in a less than optimum position if you get on the bike.

There're plenty of options for looser fit clothes that have a more cycling specific cut, but look normal off the bike. Higher waisted at the back, lower at the front, longer in the leg, articulated knees, even some built in velcro tabs to act as a cycle clip. Sadly the nicest of these all seem to be designed with racing snakes in mind....why???....they've got their lycra. A quick google will turn up the likes of Rapha, and many similar, but all at pretty steep prices and with a slender 36" waist being described as XXL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can get boxers with better inserts, but a much higher price tag, you can also look at other outdoor specific clothing. Lots of stuff for other sports works for cycling and doesn't carry the price tag that the cycling stuff does. If money is no object, and you can fit it, then go for the likes of Rapha. It's nice gear, feels good and wears very well.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

dress for the destination not the journey

 

[MacB]

dress for the destination not the journey

wow, you get that from a fortune cookie or something Greg?

 

[jimboalee]

I said "I'm not wearing insert shorts" when I was twelve. Big mistake. One 25 mile trip to Evesham later and I wished I listened to my Mom.
I wore a pair of 'baggies'. Well, at the time they were elasticated waistband jungle shorts. The wind got in each leg every time my knee went up and they were a miniture parachute 140 times a minute.

You can wear 'Baggies' if you insist, but these are "impractical" clothing on a roadrace bike.