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Shorts for Bike Training
Hey Team!
I know it is a matter of personal preference but I want the team's opinion anyway...
What brand of cycling shorts do you use during your training? Do you use cycling shorts or tri shorts? Anyone used any of the sponsors (Rudy Project, Zoot, DeSoto, 110%) brands of shorts? Love 'em? Hate 'em?
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As far as the tri vs cycling short debate, I basically do all of my riding on my road bike in road shorts and all of my riding on my tri bike in tri shorts, including training. When it comes to tri shorts, I fall heavily into the DeSoto camp, which is clearly one of the most preferred brands among triathletes based on sheer numbers. My favorite shorts personally are the DeSoto Forza 4-pocket, but again that's subjective. I don't like much/any pad in my tri shorts, it annoys me on the run.
For cycling, the DeSoto 400 mile bibs are great, but there are too many brands and options for me to even count let alone tell you what I think is the best. Instead, I'll just offer the generic advice that if you haven't tried bibs, try them.
I have the Desoto 400 mile bike bibs and the forza riviera tri shorts. Both are very comfortable and seem pretty much bulletproof. Much more comfortable than any of the other shorts I' ve tried.
I believe EN still has a 25% discount with DeSoto (thanks Coach R!), but I actually get 40% off with a USAT Coaching discount - which makes it even more appealing to me!
I'm pretty much with Trevor on what he uses.
Road bike outside: 400 mile bibs
Road bike inside (stationary): forza tri shorts
Tri bike inside and outside: forza
Swimming: forza
running: forza
weights/gym: forza with regular gym shorts over
Desoto. Bibs.
400 mile for training.
Tri version for racing.
Desoto all the way. 400 Mile for road bike, Tri shorts and Tri bibs for tri bike. Always use the tri bibs for racing. I love the 4 pocket version.
250 miles? 750 miles? In how many days we talking about here?
250s are 20 hours or less; my personal best is 16:00 flat.
I had a great triumph at the 375(600k) distance in June this year: never faltering, on task, never in deep distress. I wound up setting a 1:15 PB, setting a new course record, being first finisher. Finished in 27:33. I was pumped!
I still haven't gotten a handle on the 750 mile (1200k) distance. I managed to squeak out an 89:17 last year at Paris-Brest-Paris, and that was an agony of delerium and doubt. I toed the line at the Last Chance 1200k in September, only to miss a time cut-off after 72 hours, after 600 miles. The first day ate us all up: 251 miles into driving rain, decreasing temps, and 15-20mph headwinds set the stage for deep distress. During that third night I could ride 5-6 miles then have to lay down by the side of the highway for a short, shivering nap. Lovely. Power output was down to 35-45% of FTP. That, and being in the middle of a 110 mile section where there was no support, or possibility of support, made for rough going.
Also: chamois cream needs change during long rides. Most of us have gravitated to Lantiseptic, a gift from God.
Didn't realize that you were so involved with randonneuring, a fascinating topic to me, but something that I've never attempted.
Anyway, so DeSoto is really that good huh? Looks like I will have to grab a pair of bibs and try them out!
Thanks everybody
Andy,
I like a minimalist for the amount of padding that I use even up to IM distance. I used the Desoto Forza with 4 pockets so I had placed to stuff things like salt tab, and gel bottles. They worked great for me.
I'm always in tri shorts.
Gordon
John Cobb just posted on ST that a standard pair of tri shorts works best with his saddles (for those that use a Cobb saddle). I think that applies to the Adamo saddles as well as they're similar in design.
I 100% agree that bike shorts cause more problems with the Cobb or Adamo type saddles.
Agreed, and yeah that is one of those elements that makes it difficult to take other people's advice. I do near 100% of riding on my tri bike in tri shorts, but I have a Cobb V-flow max and I don't find it really any more comfortable in bike shorts. If I had a different saddle, I may have a different opinion.
As for racing in bibs, DeSoto makes a tri bib which has becoem quite popular, however I personally do not like bibs for triathlon, at least not for racing. The entire point of a bib is to keep the pad tightly flush against your nether region to prevent extra friction. Accordingly, a design element that is purpose built to address the butt-seat interface doesn't serve any purpose on the run, and in fact for me it actually bothers me on the run because it partly feels like you have a perpetual wedgie.
+ 1 on DeSoto Forza tri bibs; when on the road bike, though, extra padding is needed as Trevor says. When in the TT Bike aero position, extra padding WILL cause chafing, while the thinner tri pads, much less so.
Ask your wife to show you how to take a bra off with removing her shirt ... the same concept works for bibs. I wore them in the last race (you remember, the one we did last week?), and stopped in the can at least 5 times, one each in transition and two on the bike. The process, taking down one shoulder strap is all that's needed, adds maybe ten seconds. Then, for the run, I drop both down and run as if they were shorts.
I have had chafing/saddle sore/general comfort problems in the past and am definitely looking at tri bibs as a solution! Thanks everyone!
@ Andy - Why do it? Multiple reasons. The DeSoto Forza tri bibs have super strong fabric which goes all the way down to the tops of my knees. They compress the thigh muscles and help retard pain in the quads. And, yes, I see little reason to waste time in T2 during an IM.
Do they straps get in the way when running? I often run with the straps up, in the usual position, when doing bricks in cooler (less than 70F) weather, or down in warmer weather. In neither oposition do I even notice them, anymore than I would notice belt I use for the race number, and less than I notice an HR strap.
Do I look foolish? In my finish line photos, you have to look very carefully to see the straps at all - they don't flop around, but can be placed under the number belt is that's a concern.
Besides, Coach R races this way was well (at least I think he did @ IM Wisconsin last year), so it has the official EN stamp of coolness.
I bought a pair last year and have never looked back. I just really like the way bibs feel while on the bike - it may be mostly mental but I feel sleeker.
I also follow Al T's process on running with them.
Yes I just drop the bib straps if too hot. Tuck them in. Yes keep them on for the time and like the thigh and lower body support. I am wearing them with the straps hanging for my profile picture.
(1) tri bibs or tri suit or tri shorts? (races for the foreseeable future are fresh-water HIM, and I'm MOP and don't need to look like Eric Heiden but I like efficiency and a good fit...)
(2) how do I get the desoto discount code, and how much is the discount?
Thanks!
1. That's personal preference. I prefer bib shorts nowadays, never shorts, for training or HIM. For Oly and maybe HIM, though, I'll use a trisuit. The trisuit also works as an additional upper layer on cooler days. Always a thin pad on TT bike. I have five DeSoto tri suits, three bibs with thin pads, and one with thick (for road biking). None have worn out yet, oldest is 9 years.
2. Discount codes are in the first (pinned) thread in the Gear Forum. The DeSoto code listed there worked for me last week when I bought a wet suit top.