When you don’t want to cycle in skintight spandex - 3 tips for sitting comfortably on the saddle

Cycling, it is so nice to be outdoors, you feel the breeze through your hair and you are free with endless possibilities.

But I noticed that there is one main thing holding my female friends back from cycling, and that is,THE OUTFITS! Not everyone wants to cycle around in skintight spandex printed all-over with logos like you’ve escaped the peloton from the Tour de France.

Well, you don't have to! Here I’ll share three tips with you that will keep you comfy on your set of wheels.

Padded Cycling Underwear

These days a lot of different brands offer padded cycling underwear. This means they’ve added an extra soft layer to the undies, called a chamois or shammie. This will give you extra comfort in the saddle, and the nice thing is, cycling underwear can be worn underneath your clothes!

So you can still look cute in your printed sundress, and have a pair of cycling hotpants underneath.

Women's cycling pants come in a multitude of different prints and shapes, like hipsters, hotpants or boyshorts.

The good thing about the cycling underwear is that when you get off the bike to take a rest on that sunny terrace, you’ll blend right in, nobody knows you’re secretly wearing your undies ;)

Bike Fitting

One of the reasons why you are not comfortable whilst cycling can we because your bike is’t properly set up to match your body type.

Lot’s of bike shops offer fitting these days where you can go with your bicycle and they will be able to advise you and make alterations.

Sometimes something simple like moving your saddle slightly forwards or backwards, or changing the angle of your steer, can make the difference between comfy and uncomfy.

Saddle

Obviously, if spending lots of hours on the bicycle you'll be spending  a lot of time sitting on your saddle, so it better be perfect! There are people that prefer a good saddle to cycling shorts with a chamois!

When we went on our long cycling trip I had my sit bones measured, since this is the part of your body where most of the weight will be, it is crucial that your saddle matches the shape of your sit bones.

For me my saddle is also comfortable without cycling shorts, if I don’t do long distances daily.

In the world of the saddle there are also lots of different options. You can choose a leather one, with this type you need to give your saddle some time to adjust to your body. I have heard people say that leather saddles are the most comfortable EVER, but I know this is not for me.

Another option is a saddle with an opening in the middle, so you don’t put much of your body weight on your lady-parts. Again, this is perfect for some, a nightmare for others.

What it comes down to is trying and testing what bicycle and which saddle work best for YOU! I can tell you, that wearing special cycling underwear does help a lot if you want to be comfortable on the road.