Padding options with new trisuit

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve raced lots at all distances, just like lots of triathletes here on the forum. However, I’ve not
updated my tri clothing since 2002! So I’m trying to figure out the comfort issue when it comes
to getting a new trisuit and making it work with my Cervelo P2 with Terry Ti Tri-Fly saddle that
I’ve always liked and felt comfortable riding.

I had a one piece made by LG from my tri club, a pair of Zoot tri shorts, and a Saucony tri brief/Try Jammer
combo that I’ve used at various distances. Except - for IM, I’ve always put on Pearl Izumi bike shorts after
the swim, then changed into running gear in the changing tent after the bike.

This year, I just wear the brief/jammer combo, and it has worked just fine through 4 races.
I race without a shirt (old school, eh!). I did take notice of all the trisuits out there
now that I’m racing in Florida instead of California - I went from doing 100% of all races with
a wetsuit to doing 0% with a wetsuit. I talked with a fast dude after my last race, and now I’m
upgrading my tri clothing.

So I tried on 6 different makers today and got an Orca 226. There are 2 now - one has the minimum
fleece padding (black in color) and that’s the one I got - the other is the Orca 226 Tech or something
like that and has a more pronounced pad. Not much, but a little. Well, they didn’t have the Tech in
my size, not to mention it was all black and I wanted a light color, so I got the Orca 226.

Now at last, my question! I’m fairly sure this trisuit won’t be comfortable at Olympic or half Ironman
distance, and I have a HIM coming up soon. (I’m ok with the trisuit as is for sprint and sprint+ with
bike legs up to 16-18 miles.) I came up with 4 options for padding:

  • get a DeSoto saddle cover, which has 5mm of padding
  • get a new saddle that has more gel and is tri-specific
  • layer a tri brief underneath the trisuit for more padding (just like I do now with a jammer)
  • layer a true padded brief underneath (Andiamo or REI’s Novara thing)

So what are the pros and cons of each? Anyone have experience with this question?

I feel like getting a new saddle is a big jump when I like the one I’m on - granted,
with an LG big or Sugoi big. But maybe the Orca 226 + right saddle would work.

I’d have no problem putting on a saddle cover - seems reasonable - so long as it
stays in place. It’s 59g of weight, no biggie, worth the comfort.

I think layering may not be a great option b/c those tri briefs really don’t add a
whole lot - it’s not really a chamois in there. So layering the tri brief might work,
especially at Olympic distance, but not sure about HIM.

The padded brief thing sounds like too much material and may not perform well
in terms of drying, so I don’t give that idea too much weight.

Thoughts? Thanks!

2

For 70.3s I usually go with padded tri shorts (fleece pad) and a speedo underneath to avoid chafing. I also apply chamois creme liberally. That being said, I just tried the De Soto Forza shorts with the suspended pad and found that the suspension makes the pad slide on the shorts (more comfortable and no seed for the speedo…but still go with the creme). Riding in them is the most comfortable I’ve been on the bike in a tri.

De Soto makes a Riviera short that has their “ITU” pad which is as close to a regular cycling pad as I’ve seen in a tri short. Oomph also makes a short with a removable extra pad.

The Fly is a pretty soft saddle (esp. in the nose and with the cutout), so decent shorts and some chamois creme and you should be good to go.

PS: Don’t go with a full bike pad (too much water retention and rubbing on the run).

3

Ride a lot and make your taint tougher. I race with a padless trisuit with a regular speedo under it. Works well up to 70.3 distance.

4

i’ve raced my last few halfs on either a very thin fleece chamois or an unpadded plain suit. both worked well.

5

Hello qbike and All,

De Soto will have a new tri suit in Aug or so that is a combo of the ‘lift foil’ but legal swim material and with a pad.

I was at the shop today and looked at two different pads.

The 400 mile pad - water proof and fairly thick

The thiner one in the ITU suit - water proof and thin.

The both float and do not absorb water.

http://www.desotosport.com/home/index.asp

Cheers,

Neal

6

When you say, “fairly sure this trisuit won’t be comfortable” I am guessing you have not actually tried it?
In that case, I think you will be surprised. I did my IM in tri shorts (thin little fleece pad) with no problems and before this past year I raced in regular shorts for olympic and half-iron distance races. I never really had much of a problem (though the HIM distance in regular shorts could be a little unpleasant).
Granted, some people have different riding styles and positions. I tend to be a slower biker so I favor a position which lets me be comfortable while you may be positioned more aggressively.
Still, I think you might be surprised. Try it in a couple training rides and see if you really need anything else.

7

Tough taint.

I guess it turns out, I got it, and I didn’t know it!

I put in an up-tempo 35 miler this morning and tried out the new Orca 226 I got -
it’s the 2009 model with last year’s fleece pad, not the newer one now in the
2010 model. I went roughly race pace, both speed and HR, and the result is…

It rode fine! I’m surprised. My feedback is, yes, I for sure feel the saddle right
under me, and it took about 10 miles getting used to it, but then I really settled in.
I honestly think I’d be good to go up to 25 miles in race conditions - meaning, yes,
I did 35 today, but there was some “awareness” down there toward the end. But
Olympic distance should be fine.

Next test - my very old Saucony tri briefs + the Orca 226 on the same 35 mile route.

( Side note: does anyone know where to buy tri briefs? I tried googling and for the
life of me, I can’t find any! Just swim briefs. Any links to a site carrying anything
in size M would be appreciated. Desoto, Saucony, Adidas, Orca, Nike, Tyr, whatever! )

My notes on the Orca 226 —

  1. I’m 6’0" and 165#, 39" chest, narrow shoulders, 32-33 waist size - going by the
    Orca charts, that put me in a M - and that’s what I got - but it’s snug, and the
    guy at the store figured the L was a safer choice perhaps, but it had bunching
    in the fabric - so I reckon I’m between sizes - my rationale was, I’m getting this
    for sprints and Olympic, really, for non-wetsuit racing in FL, so the tighter (within
    reason and comfort) the better - it is snug, but not suffocating

  2. Given the first note… as soon as I put it on, I felt heat in my stomach area -
    maybe I’m just not used to a skinsuit - but it generated heat even indoors before
    I got to riding

  3. On the road, again, felt sort of warm - but I think it’s ok - I never felt overheated,
    it’s just getting used to it - instead of my usual bib + jersey over the top which lets
    lots of air through

  4. Now this was interesting (?) - when I got out of the saddle later in the ride, about
    25 miles in and 3-4 times I got up, I got dripping on my legs and shoes. The moisture
    was in the pad! It’s like it was pooling right there. So I was curious to check as soon
    as I stopped, and sure enough, it was like soaking wet in the front, but not so much
    underneath or in the back. (And no, I didn’t go!) Seems like this material holds sweat
    in or something, and then it drips and gathers right in the fleece. I looked at my saddle,
    and it was drenched. Riding conditions: Fort Lauderdale, 89 degrees, 95%+ humidity.
    Still, that doesn’t happen with my bib shorts. And in my brief + jammer combo, it doesn’t
    happen, I guess cause all the sweat sheers around me and off the back. So that was
    interesting to have so much moisture gather right there. And maybe a problem?
    I’ll find out in future tests.

  5. Will swim in it tonight to see how it does in the pool - will do 100’s by effort and HR and
    see as best I can if there is a time difference.

Yeah… tough taint. Who’d 'a thunk it? Now I know.

DA