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Ironman Shorts

i have signed up for my first ironman in December, and am looking for advice on what shorts to wear. I was planning to wear normal bike shorts for the ride, then change to running shorts. I find that when I am on my aerobars the padding in the shorts doesn't do me alot of good as it pads further back than where the pressure is.. I was wondering if anyone had advice for which shorts are most comfortable for long rides while on tribars, and if I should be looking at changing shorts as planned or to use tri shorts the whole way.

Comments

  • ShaggyShaggy Posts: 140
    I used 2XU endurance suit for my ironman. Was comfy enough. For me I get painfully aware of my saddle about every 2 hours for 5-10 minutes and then it goes again for the next couple of hours. The answer to your question depends more on your saddle and position, and tolerance for discomfort, as it does on your shorts.

    Have you got a tri specific saddle. I started with a Profile Stryke ('cos it was cheapest) but found the plastic cutout uncomfortable and swapped to a Fizik Arione Tri as I like the Gobi on my MTB. It is adjusted more forward and slightly lower than I would have a road saddle to give me a good postion on the aerobars.

    Other thing is Assos chomois cream or similar. Rubbed in to both you and your pad before a really long ride.

    My answer to your question directly is that I like Giodana Tenax, but they are the only really good shorts I've tried. Others will say get Assos or Gore Xenon etc, etc. Good shorts will make a difference, but correct sadddle/position is vital.

    cheers
    Ade
  • ShaggyShaggy Posts: 140
    Having said all that, if you haven't got good shorts, do buy some. And don't try and go long in a pair of tri-shorts that only have a fleece pad.

    Ade
  • For IMUK I wore my cyclng bib shorts under my wetsuit and pulled on a cycle jersey and socks in T1. In T2 I went for a complete change into running pants shorts and vest. my T1 was something like 8 minutes and T2 was about 5 both of which were slow compared to people who finished around me but I definately think comfort was one of the best decisions I made for my first IM distance (Cheers Conehead!!).

    before the big day I experimented with several other options of which the most interesting was the Jaggad iron Trisuit (from wiggle) which has a removable long distance cycling chamois. The idea is that after the bike you just reach into your shorts and pull out the chamois for the run. While the removable chamois isn't as good as the chamois in bike shorts it was still OK for long rides and served me well over half distance, but when it came to long distance I found the grip strip on the legs too tight and uncomfortable, so for me this solution didn't work.

    The real key is to experiment... and work out what suits you best.

    For next time I plan to wear seperate top and shorts (or maybe not even tri shorts... maybe compression shorts) for the whole race but will pull on a pair of (non bib) cycle shorts for the bike. I havent experimented with this combination yet but from what I have learnt so far I think it will work well... the only question will be whether I'm too hot in two pairs of shorts and whether I can pull cycle shorts onto wet legs.

    As to reccomendations for shorts I'm a cheapskate so the dhb knowle shorts are by far the most expensive shorts Ive eer bought but they are unrecognisably more comfortable... well worth the money and highly recomended!
  • If your event is in December surely this must have crossed your mind early on in your training?? Get a decent bike fitting session done, then get some tri shorts. Go for a long ride (75-100 miler) and see for yourself. Asking other people what you should wear on the bike leg of an long distance triathlon is a very loaded question, its down to you......If you do go with the trisuit option (I have for all my LD races) then make sure you slap a large dollop of Assos chamois cream round your furry pink rucksack............
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