to buy or not to buy?

foo-fighter

Hi all,
i seem to suffer from my saddle being uncomfortable i have tried a few things to rectify this but it's still the same. i have heard that a decent set of padded shorts can really help, so im just wondering if it is worth spending quite a bit of money on some high end shorts. Will it really make a difference?? is the padding in a high end pair really better?
thanks
Si

Simmotino

In a word - yes.

You don't necessarily have to buy the top end offerings, especially if you are coming from nothing (ouch!), but something like the dhb shorts from Wiggle would offer more comfort to the crown jewels and 'arris.

themekon

Padded shorts certainly do make a difference. Whether the sort of money you can pay for some (well over a £100)
Makes them that much better I'm not sure. Nobody would ever spend £150.00 on a pair of shorts and then admit they weren't very good. DHB shorts from Wiggle are very good value and this morning I've just been out in a pair of Zipfit shorts which are an absolute bargain i was amazed at how good they were. Check out their website. A good cream helps as well.

Wacky Racer

Padded shorts have probably made the single most significant difference to my comfort during rides since I restarted cycling. You don't need to spend a fortune, I have Sportful Bib's which I bought two pairs in a sale, but there are plenty out there. Most of the ones on Wiggle have been reviewed, so worth reading them.

logitech208

You dont need to spend a fortune, I use these and find they are superb.

http://www.sportsdirect.com/mfx-elite-s ... ens-636012

racingcondor

Unless you've tried multiple saddles then it's pretty likely that the saddle is the problem.

I love my Fizik Anteres but a couple of years back I tried a Selle Italia SLR. Complete ass-hatchet for me (roll up, the 1,000 people who love the SLR). Good shorts are a big help (vital if you ride a lot) but the right saddle should probably be comfortable for a few miles wearing jeans.

foo-fighter

didnt explain in my original post that i do have some bib shorts, that i brought from decathlon, they were not particulrly expensive. I find that they are OK for about 3-4 miles then i start to get uncomfortable, the pad itself looks like its just a bit of foam realy. When i get back home after a ride of 30 miles or so the pad usually looks like it hasjust sort of collapsed if you see what i mean. so do you guys think i would see an improvement if i maybe spent a bit more? i have heard you can get a pad which uses gel rather than foam? would that give me more comfort on long rides??
thanks
Si

andrewjoseph

I like lusso progel pads. my wife loves the lusso progel pads, has lusso to put them into the women's shorts for her as the women's off the shelf don't have a progel pad.

Lusso, being a uk maker, are pretty approachable and can do some 'custom' clothing for good prices and quick delivery.

my wife paid £90 for her 2 pairs of 'custom' shorts plus delivery and they arrived 2 days after order.

Wacky Racer

foo-fighter wrote:

didnt explain in my original post that i do have some bib shorts, that i brought from decathlon, they were not particulrly expensive. I find that they are OK for about 3-4 miles then i start to get uncomfortable, the pad itself looks like its just a bit of foam realy. When i get back home after a ride of 30 miles or so the pad usually looks like it hasjust sort of collapsed if you see what i mean. so do you guys think i would see an improvement if i maybe spent a bit more? i have heard you can get a pad which uses gel rather than foam? would that give me more comfort on long rides??
thanks
Si

Yes, in my opinion you get what you pay for. Read the reviews on Wiggle, they are quite a useful guide, definitely some pads are better than others, some pads are thicker, some pads flatten after a bit of use, some pads cover a bigger area, I took quite a bit of time before making a purchase. You say that saddle discomfort is the issue, have you looked at your saddle? Position and the saddle itself could help too.