To all you pretty lady cylists and triathletes,
I posted this in the general forum and was advice to post here to get more responses. After more than six years in ST I have never ever ever been to the women's forum so pardon my ignorance. I could really do a search to answer all these questions individually but that will take up too much time. So indulge me and allow me to tap your vast knowledge and experience with regard to the finer and "sensitive points" of cycling.
After over a decade of watching me compete in triathlons and bike races, my wife has finally decided to enter the world of triathlons. She is a good swimmer and was national ranked decades ago and still sometimes still competes in open water races. She is also a decent enough runner and logs about 25 miles a week. She ran her first Marathon last year in New York City and got hooked so she registered for this year too and would like to run it every year if she could. So the logical step toward achieving multisport nirvana would be to start riding bikes and complete the trifecta. However, the last time she ever rode a bike was 15 years ago in the Venice Beach Boardwalk in LA on a beach cruiser that had a gel saddle wider than my living room couch. And she complained afterwards that her (pardon the term) lips hurt. (Feel free to protest my anatomical terms and do suggest to me whatever it is you prefer I use.)
Last week, I bought a nice road frame and with my vast supply of bike parts orphaned from whimsical purchases in ebay, I was actually able to build her a bike last night. She is excited by the notion of riding but is concerned about the discomfort. Now when it comes to what men should know about cycling and triathlons, I can pretty much answer 99% of all questions but with feminine matters, I would be more clueless than a triathlete wearing his aero helmet backwards. So here goes:
- I like wearing bibs as I can't stand the shorts drawstring, but do you ladies wear bibs? I can't imagine how you would due to reasons anatomical and for immediate restroom trips but how do you stand the drawstrings on shorts? Considering all these factors, what cycling shorts would you recommend, in terms of brand, model, etc.
- Every male cyclist knows that he needs to go Commando underneath his shorts. ("Nothing comes in between me and my chamois.") So do you women go commando as well? The term seems muscular and inappropriate. Is there a feminine term?
- What are the advantages and or disadavantages of going commando with your chamois? For those that can't stand the intimacy, is there any particular lingerie brand or model you would recommend that is cycling related? For those that prefer the commando option, any particular recommendations with regard to intimate chamois creams?
- I don't think I will ever find a saddle as wide as my couch but I would like to get her a saddle that feels as wide as my couch and still look as narrow as my Selle Italia Flight. Mind you she is fairly trim. Any recommendations as to models, shapes, gels, cutouts, cut-ins?
- I would like to coach her as to the finer points of cycling comfort and eventually the question as to "where to sit" will arise. I tend to sit on the very nose of my TT saddle because the boys like to hang out in the front during time trials. They find the freedom... well liberating. However, in my road bike which has a narrower and firmer nose, they boys find the best place in the center of the saddle. Where do you women prefer the nether region to be placed: Front, Center or back? Is it pertinent to the saddle cutout? Does it make a difference if the saddle nose is point down slightly?
I appreciate your candor in answering these questions and feel free to PM me too.
.
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.....~_.o^,....(...)./.(...)......._/\...
I posted this in the general forum and was advice to post here to get more responses. After more than six years in ST I have never ever ever been to the women's forum so pardon my ignorance. I could really do a search to answer all these questions individually but that will take up too much time. So indulge me and allow me to tap your vast knowledge and experience with regard to the finer and "sensitive points" of cycling.
After over a decade of watching me compete in triathlons and bike races, my wife has finally decided to enter the world of triathlons. She is a good swimmer and was national ranked decades ago and still sometimes still competes in open water races. She is also a decent enough runner and logs about 25 miles a week. She ran her first Marathon last year in New York City and got hooked so she registered for this year too and would like to run it every year if she could. So the logical step toward achieving multisport nirvana would be to start riding bikes and complete the trifecta. However, the last time she ever rode a bike was 15 years ago in the Venice Beach Boardwalk in LA on a beach cruiser that had a gel saddle wider than my living room couch. And she complained afterwards that her (pardon the term) lips hurt. (Feel free to protest my anatomical terms and do suggest to me whatever it is you prefer I use.)
Last week, I bought a nice road frame and with my vast supply of bike parts orphaned from whimsical purchases in ebay, I was actually able to build her a bike last night. She is excited by the notion of riding but is concerned about the discomfort. Now when it comes to what men should know about cycling and triathlons, I can pretty much answer 99% of all questions but with feminine matters, I would be more clueless than a triathlete wearing his aero helmet backwards. So here goes:
- I like wearing bibs as I can't stand the shorts drawstring, but do you ladies wear bibs? I can't imagine how you would due to reasons anatomical and for immediate restroom trips but how do you stand the drawstrings on shorts? Considering all these factors, what cycling shorts would you recommend, in terms of brand, model, etc.
- Every male cyclist knows that he needs to go Commando underneath his shorts. ("Nothing comes in between me and my chamois.") So do you women go commando as well? The term seems muscular and inappropriate. Is there a feminine term?
- What are the advantages and or disadavantages of going commando with your chamois? For those that can't stand the intimacy, is there any particular lingerie brand or model you would recommend that is cycling related? For those that prefer the commando option, any particular recommendations with regard to intimate chamois creams?
- I don't think I will ever find a saddle as wide as my couch but I would like to get her a saddle that feels as wide as my couch and still look as narrow as my Selle Italia Flight. Mind you she is fairly trim. Any recommendations as to models, shapes, gels, cutouts, cut-ins?
- I would like to coach her as to the finer points of cycling comfort and eventually the question as to "where to sit" will arise. I tend to sit on the very nose of my TT saddle because the boys like to hang out in the front during time trials. They find the freedom... well liberating. However, in my road bike which has a narrower and firmer nose, they boys find the best place in the center of the saddle. Where do you women prefer the nether region to be placed: Front, Center or back? Is it pertinent to the saddle cutout? Does it make a difference if the saddle nose is point down slightly?
I appreciate your candor in answering these questions and feel free to PM me too.
.
.........................__0.............0
...................._.-\ <,_.........</\_
.....~_.o^,....(...)./.(...)......._/\...
Last edited by:
paxfobiscum: Aug 19, 11 10:41