Make Easy Rides More Comfortable - RBR

 

Huh? Aren't easy rides comfy by definition?

 

Not when it come to your posterior. Most cyclists will notice that a slow recovery ride is harder on their rear end than a hammerfest.

 

When you're forcefully pushing down on the pedals, your body is pushed up. During hard riding you actually sit lighter on the saddle, reducing pressure on your soft tissue.

 

Not so when you're spinning along at a low heart rate, checking the scenery. Now more of your weight is right where you don't want it.

 

Recovery rides are important. So are social rides where you chat with your spouse or friends. Here's the bottom line for helping your tush enjoy these easy outings.

• Use a cushier seat.  On their easy days, some roadies use a "slow ride" bike with a softer and/or wider saddle. This could be your commuting bike or winter bike.
   

• Wear softer shorts.  Or even two pairs, doubling the padding. But it's simpler to find cycling shorts with liners containing thicker padding or gel inserts. These may be unnecessary for comfort on regular training rides, but perfect for easy ones.

The Italian great Francesco Moser was at a training camp just south of Miami 25 years ago. It was midwinter, so the pace was moderate each day. There were few reasons to stand, the area not known for its climbs. For this kind of riding, Moser had special shorts with so much padding under the chamois that it looked like he was wearing a loaded diaper. But it did the trick.

• Stand frequently.  Don't let a stop sign, short hill or headwind section go by without getting out of the saddle to relieve pressure and stretch your legs. This doesn't mean to accelerate and drop slower companions. Simply shift to a bigger gear, stand and "walk" the bike for a minute or more at their speed.
   

• Ride like a jockey.  On descents, level the pedals and crouch with an inch between your seat and the bike seat. This is a good tactic on any ride when you're not pedaling down a hill.

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