Cycling shorts

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

I’ve been cycling for about a year now, went through the uncomfortable stage with my saddle and found some awesome Muddy Fox leggings that have been perfect for about nine months now. I cycle to work three times a week, into central London. It’s about 15 miles each way.

It’s a lot warmer and I wanted to cycle in shorter leggings because my MF ones are full length. So instead this week I wore some cycling knickers with just regular short leggings.

Oh. My. God. The pain! They were so uncomfortable and not right at all. Maybe the padding was all wrong? I have chafing in my inner thigh very high up, practically labia area

I don’t want to waste money buying other cycling shorts that may or may not be comfortable. So given how much cycling I do now, do I even need padded leggings/ shorts/ knickers?

With shorts the more expensive ones have better (thicker and chamfered) pad. I have Rapha shorts which are really comfy, but start at £60 for the cheapest and are nearly £200 for the top of the range ones.

The other thing to check is the angle of your saddle - tipping the nose down from horizontal is so much more comfy for women. Most bike shops set them up parallel to the ground which is the comfiest way for most men.

What are "cycling knickers" ?

what are "short leggings" ?

my only input is that I loathe women's cycling shorts; give me bloke shorts any time.

If you got on with the pad in the muddy fox tights, why not just buy their shorts?! You know they work for your shape and needs. Those cycling knickers do look awful, my eyes are watering at the thought of the seams. I’ve never really understood the point, especially as there’s no male equivalent and you can buy liner shorts with pads to wear under ‘normal’ clothes.

@WhiskeryWoman to buy the same make is the most obvious solution but I don’t have the money right now. So my question was more about - do I still even need padded shorts/ leggings? Would you cycle that far without if you previously used them?

I would definitely want to wear proper shorts for thirty miles in a day, but there's not much point if they don't fit right. Wiggle and sport pursuit are good places to look. You can get decent shorts for £30. But it is about personal fit and unfortunately you can't always tell until you try them out. I find most shorts are fine, although I do have a favorite pair that just fit better than others. If you can't afford just now, maybe try a ride without to see how you get on (once current chafing eases!).

It is all a bit trial and error tbh and the more expensive ones do tend to be better - quite a bit of tech goes in to these things. But I'd try some from Decathlon first (I know I always say this in posts!) because 30 miles a day is worth an investment, but they won't break the bank. Also double check your saddle is the right height, padding and angle.

Not a chance!! I wouldn’t cycle 5 miles without them... hello flap mash, hello soft tissue bruising, hello chaffing, hello miserable, uncomfortable ride. I’ve had several bike fits over the years so know my position is spot on and my saddle type suits me perfectly, so it’s literally just a combination of seams and no pad that causes the multitude of agony. I don’t think you can get cheaper than Muddy Fox? Why don’t you keep an eye out on eBay? I’ve had some absolute bargains secondhand over the years. Likewise sold kit on for a decent price. For a good quality but reasonably priced brand, you can’t go wrong with DHB.

www.sportsdirect.com/muddyfox-cycling-padded-shorts-ladies-636562#colcode=63656203

£14