Hey guys,
Got a promo to organise involving our gym's spinning class. Can any of you fine peeps tell me about how padded shorts and gel seats have changed your life/ health benefits/ etc...
Also, if anyone has any web links to resources about either of the above and their benefits, I'd be extremely grateful!
And finally, I need a picture with a snappy tagline, I'm thinking 'picture of a donkey on an exercise bike with tagline - "Spinning a pain in the ass?"'- can you think of any better ones?
Thankyou for this!
Jonny
Originally posted by YorkieRoadRunr1
Hey guys,
Got a promo to organise involving our gym's spinning class. Can any of you fine peeps tell me about how padded shorts and gel seats have changed your life/ health benefits/ etc...
Also, if anyone has any web links to resources about either of the above and their benefits, I'd be extremely grateful!
And finally, I need a picture with a snappy tagline, I'm thinking 'picture of a donkey on an exercise bike with tagline - "Spinning a pain in the ass?"'- can you think of any better ones?
Thankyou for this!
Jonny
Alright, here's the gospel according to Lokstah. Every butt is different, of course, but here are a few strong generalizations to start with.
1) No matter how magnificent your shorts or saddle, soreness is inevitable when you start up. It takes time for the muscles and soft tissues in your saddle-zone to condition themselves -- expect all kinds of nagging aches and pains on and off the saddle when you're getting up to speed.
2) For 95% of riders, a good -- no, an excellent set of padded shorts is a good investment. Made with space-age, moisture-wicking, smooth, slightly-spongy chamois material, the internal padding (meant to be worn without undies) prevents chafing, manages moisture, and distributes pressure. A good thing. Get a feel for cycling shorts, and when you're ready, lay down $50 to $100 for a pair from Castelli, Pearl Izumi, Assos, or one of the other dozen or so makers of good shorts. You'll likely be glad you did.
3) Saddles, on the other hand, are much more personal. There's no single feature, be it gel, cutouts, flex, rigidity, padding, no padding, leather, plethor, titanium, carbon, plastic or anything else that equals "helpful" for even most riders. Some swear by gel, and many swear by cutouts (gaping slits down the centers of many saddles, designed to relieve pressure where blood and nerves run to your junk). Others, like me, hate both.
One school of conventional thought (which my butt agrees with) states that a flatter, harder saddle provides the most comfort in the long run. Why? Gel and other cushy features feel nice when you first plop down, but after 20, 30, or 240 minutes, all you've really done is spread the compressing force of your pelvis right into your soft tissues. That gel is displaced by your bones, and jammed right into your ass's central nervous system. Cutouts, similarly, create more edges to pinch sensitive tissues and nerves off -- and on softer saddles, simply close up under your weight.
Though they take a bit of getting used to, harder, flatter jobs are generally less likely to cause numbness and burning over time. They might be a bit excessive for spinning, but some of the more popular seats in the cycling world -- the Selle Italia SLK and SLR, the Selle San Marco Aspide, the Fizik Aliante, and the Fizik Arione -- are indicative of the success of smooth, firm designs.
I wouldn't invest in one of those for a spin class, but if seat selection is an option, try conditioning yourself to something on the harder side. Together with a nice pair of shorts, you could be spinning until the sun goes down.
Good luck.
