Man that chafes! Need shorts for big mileage.

dw300

I'm looking for some suggestions on very best shorts I can get to make long rides more bearable. I know there are a ton of threads like this, but I'm hoping for some links to products that are currently on offer, if anyone has bought recently.

Cheers!

MattC59

Craft Elite bib shorts are fantastic, they're light and the pad is second to none. You can get them here:
http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/legwear-147/cycling-bib-shorts-50/

The Endura Equipe 'Endurace' bib shorts are supposed to be on par with Assos, but at a lower price. I've got their Thermo Windshield Biblongs, which have the same pad and again it's excellent. In fact, I shall probably buy a pair of the 'Endurance' bib shorts when I need a new pair.

http://www.enduraequipe.com/products/legwear/endurance_bibshorts.aspx

Then, of course there is Assos.

dw300

Cheers Matt, I'll look into those. I've already seen a good review of those Endura shorts.

I think it's the seams that are killing me .. I'm not having a problem with aching or pressure, just loss of skin.

dw300

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

MattC59

dw300 wrote:

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

Don't bother taking a punt. Bite the bullet and buy quality. As you said in your OP, you're looking for the very best shorts.

ShutUpLegs

Castelli body paint at Wiggle for £97

dw300

MattC59 wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

Don't bother taking a punt. Bite the bullet and buy quality. As you said in your OP, you're looking for the very best shorts.

I duno if you looked at the link or not, but those are £100 bibs. I was pointing out that I found the 'shorts' version reduced to half price, so I doubt it's much of a punt. Hopefully someone's tried them ..

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Castelli body paint at Wiggle for £97

Could only find these for £108 on Wiggle, and not in my size. They do have the Free Aero Race bib at about £80, but what length of ride are a Race bib designed for? They do get great reviews though.

99thmonkey

Assos Uno or Mille (Try them on you will know which suits your gooch)

Or I like the Specialized Roubaix ones

amaferanga

Try to improve your bike fit instead of compensating for poor bike fit by buying expensive shorts. How long are these rides anyway? I rode 1200km in 3 days in £30 Nike shorts....

gezebo

I use probike kit ones
http://www.probikekit.com/uk/clothing/c ... horts.html

I paid about £30 for mine. To be honest I cant ever imagine paying £100 for lycra!

alihisgreat

dw300 wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

Don't bother taking a punt. Bite the bullet and buy quality. As you said in your OP, you're looking for the very best shorts.

I duno if you looked at the link or not, but those are £100 bibs. I was pointing out that I found the 'shorts' version reduced to half price, so I doubt it's much of a punt. Hopefully someone's tried them ..

Don't bother with non-bibs if you want comfort.. the pad can move more with non-bibs -> thats not what you want for comfort.


I've personally been impressed with endura pads -> The FS-260 Pro around £65 I think.. I'd be tempted to try and Equipe shorts.


What do you wear normally?

dw300

Lol .. these are Endura, but probably their bottom end stuff. There's no label, the pad just says 200 Series coolmax.

I have non-bib shorts for trainers sessions and short rides and have no problem with them moving. The only problem with them is the same as the Enduras, the seam is tearing my backside to shreds.

I literally have a seam shaped ring ground into me, everything else is fine. I'm not having a problem with sore muscles or 'gooch' pressure, just the friction.

MattC59

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

dw300 wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

Don't bother taking a punt. Bite the bullet and buy quality. As you said in your OP, you're looking for the very best shorts.

I duno if you looked at the link or not, but those are £100 bibs. I was pointing out that I found the 'shorts' version reduced to half price, so I doubt it's much of a punt. Hopefully someone's tried them ..

Don't bother with non-bibs if you want comfort.. the pad can move more with non-bibs -> thats not what you want for comfort.


I've personally been impressed with endura pads -> The FS-260 Pro around £65 I think.. I'd be tempted to try and Equipe shorts.


What do you wear normally?

I've got the FS260 Pro bibs, and the Craft and Endura Equipe pads that I also have are light years ahead. Definitely worth the extra ££.

Regarding non bib shorts, the pad can move around a lot. I was using my non bib leggings last year and found the pad rotated forward and became pointless.... Hence buying the Equipe bib leggings.

giant_man

Don't go too low on quality for bib shorts. Castelli, Rapha or Assos for true comfort imo.

Expensive yes but they generally last much longer and you won't get chafed from loss of skin (ouch!). You get what you pay for with shorts ...

navrig

dw300 wrote:

I literally have a seam shaped ring ground into me, everything else is fine. I'm not having a problem with sore muscles or 'gooch' pressure, just the friction.

Presumably you are cycling commando? If not take the kegs off and try a ride.

dw300

Navrig wrote:

dw300 wrote:

I literally have a seam shaped ring ground into me, everything else is fine. I'm not having a problem with sore muscles or 'gooch' pressure, just the friction.

Presumably you are cycling commando? If not take the kegs off and try a ride.

.... Yes, commando ..

.... are you telling me there are people who wear underwear under their shorts? Surely that a recipe for disaster?

This revelation has blown my mind almost as much as discovering that there are people who wipe their a$$ standing up ..

dw300

giant man wrote:

Don't go too low on quality for bib shorts. Castelli, Rapha or Assos for true comfort imo.

Expensive yes but they generally last much longer and you won't get chafed from loss of skin (ouch!). You get what you pay for with shorts ...

This is definitely the direction my thinking is taking .. or at least the top end of whatever manufacturer I end up plumping for.

It's been about 48 hours since I got off the bike. I might be able to get back on in another 24 ..

alihisgreat

dw300 wrote:

giant man wrote:

Don't go too low on quality for bib shorts. Castelli, Rapha or Assos for true comfort imo.

Expensive yes but they generally last much longer and you won't get chafed from loss of skin (ouch!). You get what you pay for with shorts ...

This is definitely the direction my thinking is taking .. or at least the top end of whatever manufacturer I end up plumping for.

It's been about 48 hours since I got off the bike. I might be able to get back on in another 24 ..

Look at chamois cream too.

I did 5 hours Yesterday in my FS-260 pro shorts with asoss chamois cream on the pad, and on my skin.. I'm 100% fine today.

diy

Did a 13 hour off road ride earlier this - I found 3 pairs of cheap shorts were perfect.

dw300

Yup, I'll give the chamois cream a go.

DIY - did you wear them all at once, or in relay?

MattC59

+1 for Assos chamois cream !

tiredofwhiners

Your original post referred to 'seams' causing the problem - there shouldn't be any seams at all in sensitive areas !

diy

dw300 wrote:

Yup, I'll give the chamois cream a go.

DIY - did you wear them all at once, or in relay?

All at once like a big nappy.
Lidl Cycling underpants (like a liner)
endura mtb liners
Lidl cycling lycra shorts.

I actually find the pads on the lidl stuff to be better than my endura stuff.

I regularly wear two pairs for 4 hour + rides

I have a Selle italia "man" saddle too, which helps.

MattC59

diy wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Yup, I'll give the chamois cream a go.

DIY - did you wear them all at once, or in relay?

All at once like a big nappy.
Lidl Cycling underpants (like a liner)
endura mtb liners
Lidl cycling lycra shorts.

I actually find the pads on the lidl stuff to be better than my endura stuff.

I regularly wear two pairs for 4 hour + rides

I have a Selle italia "man" saddle too, which helps.

Buy one decent pair of shorts and you won't need to wear three cheap pairs. :roll:

giant_man

yeah I forgot to mention try some chamois cream first. This is maybe all you need.

Assos is very good imo, but there are loads of cheaper alternatives. I find there are some shorts which I need to use chammy cream with, but others I don't need to. That is how they very amongst the different types and shapes of insert used. It's a bit like saddles, not everyone can ride every saddle out there, they vary so much, and everyone's ar$e is a different size and shape.

Nobody should suffer like the OP has, I say again, OUCH!!

diy

MattC59 wrote:

Buy one decent pair of shorts and you won't need to wear three cheap pairs. :roll:

I don't buy that - there is no one size fits all solution here, just like saddles. One thing can be perfectly good for a short 2 hour ride, but be totally impractical for an 8hr + ride.

On a sprint, I'm looking for firmness and lightness. On an endurance ride I'm looking for padding.

ctc

dw300 wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Anyone tried these? http://road.cc/content/review/59556-sugoi-rs-bib-short

I've found someone selling the regular shorts for £40 which could be worth taking a punt on.

Don't bother taking a punt. Bite the bullet and buy quality. As you said in your OP, you're looking for the very best shorts.

I duno if you looked at the link or not, but those are £100 bibs. I was pointing out that I found the 'shorts' version reduced to half price, so I doubt it's much of a punt. Hopefully someone's tried them ..

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Castelli body paint at Wiggle for £97

Could only find these for £108 on Wiggle, and not in my size. They do have the Free Aero Race bib at about £80, but what length of ride are a Race bib designed for? They do get great reviews though.

I've got a pair of the Sugoi RS bibs and they're excellent. They must have gone back up again - I managed to get some for £65. There are some dotted around t'internet cheaper than £108.
I've also got some Castelli Presto bibs and they're also very good. I slightly prefer the Sugois but they're both excellent bibs. Especially if you shop around and get them at a decent price

dw300

Thanks for all the further comments guys. I'll be sure and update when I get some bought.

Any further info still appreciated!

apreading

code 10-off at wiggle for (strangely) 10% off. Will get you the body paints for £97. Soooo tempting I am thinking about buying a pair, despite stocking up on Free Aero's when I decided to go for them instead earlier this year. Really dont need another pair of bibs but those shorts were sooo comfy...

BowtomePhil

dw300 wrote:

Navrig wrote:

dw300 wrote:

I literally have a seam shaped ring ground into me, everything else is fine. I'm not having a problem with sore muscles or 'gooch' pressure, just the friction.

Presumably you are cycling commando? If not take the kegs off and try a ride.

.... Yes, commando ..

.... are you telling me there are people who wear underwear under their shorts? Surely that a recipe for disaster?

This revelation has blown my mind almost as much as discovering that there are people who wipe their a$$ standing up ..

Is there another way to wipe your A$$?

cougie

Not that impressed by my Assos shorts - very thick pad. I can ride 100+ miles in tri shorts with a minimal pad in comfort.
My cheap chinese shorts are fine too - maybe you just need to get used to mileages a bit ?