Fitting – is the pad in the right place?

[mrmacmusic]

OK, so this is potentially an embarrassing question, but I can't find the answer elsewhere, so I'm asking anyway....

Wore longs for the first time today (I know, it wasn't that cold), and although I felt they were a reasonably good fit, I did feel as though the padding was, ahem, all around the front. When riding, my contact point with the saddle was only just on the pad and no more, and the edge of the padding would barely, if at all, have been visible from the back (my, er, rear end is covered by the tail of my top anyway).

I appreciate we're all built different, and there's lots of choice when it comes to these things, but I did wonder – is there an ideal or "proper" position for the chamois/pad? Compared to my shorts, the longs seem to have their pad fitted 2-3" further round the front, and no, whilst not petite, I lost my side-board sized backside months ago At the end of the day, perhaps my longs aren't such a great fit after all?

 

[beatts]

You did have them on the right way round didn't you?

 

[Bluebell72]

Ha, read my thread on gel pads Mr Mac - I think we should be doing a swap!

 

[mrmacmusic]

Ha, read my thread on gel pads Mr Mac - I think we should be doing a swap!

LOL! I noticed we posted new threads at the same time – not so sure a swap would work though

My longs are the first pair I've ever bought – they're a fair bit thicker than my shorts, and that pad, well, it's in a completely different place... much more fore than aft so to speak, and I'm just curious if it's too far forward.

And yes beatts, I had them on the right way

 

[rockyraccoon]

.... Wore longs for the first time today .... I did feel as though the padding was, ahem, all around the front...

I've got a pair of longs and the same happens to me. Even tough they fit fine I believe they are bit tight when I'm on the back because of the padding movement to the front. I thought about going for a size larger but I never tried that.

I don't have that problem with my bib legging. They are much better without the pad annoying movement.

 

[Wobblers]

If you've got shorts that you find comfortable, it might be better to get a pair of longs without a pad and wear your shorts underneath. That way, you'll get an extra layer for warmth as well.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I've got a pair of longs and the same happens to me. Even tough they fit fine I believe they are bit tight when I'm on the back because of the padding movement to the front. I thought about going for a size larger but I never tried that.

I don't have that problem with my bib legging. They are much better without the pad annoying movement.

The larger size I found too big to be honest, and I bought one pair of trousers and one big longs (recent LIDL's deal).

I'm going back to shorts tomorrow since it's forecast to be warmer anyway, but I recall the bib longs being more confortable than the trousers when I tried them on (off bike)... I'm guessing there may be less pad movement with them, but if I try them tomorrow, I think I'll get cooked

 

[mrmacmusic]

If you've got shorts that you find comfortable, it might be better to get a pair of longs without a pad and wear your shorts underneath. That way, you'll get an extra layer for warmth as well.

Nice idea. I bought padded cycling undies along with the shorts back in the Spring, and have never used them yet! Either them or my normal shorts under a pair of un-padded tights like you suggest might just turn out to be perfect to see me through the winter

 

[cyberknight]

If you've got shorts that you find comfortable, it might be better to get a pair of longs without a pad and wear your shorts underneath. That way, you'll get an extra layer for warmth as well.

I use a pair of running leggings or when its really cold i wear ron hill bikesters

I found the running tights more comfortable than the fleecy leg warmers and if it was cold enough for the leg warmers my meat and veg needed that extra layer anyway.They also packed down smaller than the leg warmers.

 

[Fiona N]

They weren't Castelli longs by any chance were they?

I had the exact problem with a pair of women's Castelli 3/4 knicks - the pad was keeping my navel warm really rather than providing any comfort to my sit bones. I carefully unstitched it and sewed it back in where I considered the correct position was and they've been great ever since. The cut of the knicks included a strange curved panel seam about 1/2 was between crotch and waist and I think the seamstresses used this as a guide for positioning because it gave a neat result - unfortunately it was the wrong place. Furthermore, I tihnk a lot of people had similar problems as you could get these really top notch 3/4's for a real knock down price.

 

[mrmacmusic]

They weren't Castelli longs by any chance were they?

I had the exact problem with a pair of women's Castelli 3/4 knicks - the pad was keeping my navel warm really rather than providing any comfort to my sit bones. I carefully unstitched it and sewed it back in where I considered the correct position was and they've been great ever since....

No Fiona, they were LIDL's longs, but that's the exact problem.... warm navel and uncomfy bones

Knowing I wanted to start cycling this year, I'd bought their shorts back in the Spring. I thought given the good price (and reasonable quality) of their stuff, I'd try their trousers and bib longs to see which I prefer for commuting in the colder months.

Hadn't thought of unstitching and re-positioning the pad... I might just give that a bash, although I'm tempted to punt them and get a pair of un-padded leggings for over my shorts as suggested by McWobble and CyberKnight.

 

[400bhp]

No Fiona, they were LIDL's longs, but that's the exact problem....

If they are like the Aldi shorts then I would say it is the nature of them.

The Aldi shorts have too much padding up front than is necessary.