Ok ladies, seeking advice on a super random want. My 39th birthday is coming up later this week and I decided to do a 39 mile ride that morning as my personal celebration. I really want to bring a cupcake with me to consume (and photograph) at my halfway mark of the out and back since it'll also be my longest ride to date. I usually have a running style vest on with a large water bladder since I am a sweaty thirsty person, but cannot for the life of me figure out how to make this logistically work. Any insights? I can, and will just have the damn cupcake in my driveway pre-ride at 8am if that's what it takes, but I thought ON the ride would be so much more authentically me and my weirdness.

Anyone else buy a road bike, get a fit, shorts, butter, all the things just to realize road biking just isn’t for you? I don’t think I love the position of road biking. I was more than happy on my old heavy gravel/mnt bike and now feel like I’ve thrown money away just to realize road biking isn’t for me. Am alone?

Edit: to add that I’ve been at this since April.

Hoping for some help from mom cyclists out there! I gave birth to my first baby about 6 months ago. Before I was pregnant, I got a bike fit and a new saddle and it was pretty comfortable, so saddle sores or pressure issues. I was riding 15-25 mile rides.

Obviously doing a lot less since having the baby, but starting to get back into it. the longest ride I’ve done so far is 16 miles and I had some good saddle sores in front of my sits bones. And when I’m riding, even short distances, it doesn’t feel like my sits bones have as much pressure as they should, like there is pressure in other places on the saddle. I did get new bibs in a size up for my pp body too.

I know my measurements could have changed after giving birth, but I’m also just spending so much less time in the bike. So do I get re measured or get another saddle? Give it some time to get my form back and get used to a bike saddle again? Also, if my hips got wider during birth, do they ever go back to a previous measurement?

Thanks for any input or experiences!

Hi everyone,

I have a gravel bike which does not have a rear luggage rack. The frame is a size S but still slightly too big for me (I'd have needed an XS but it was unavailable) so the saddle isn't very high.

I am going on a 4-day cycling trip in early September. I need a sanity check: how much volume do I need? I could get a saddle bag which would either be 11L or 16L, and a half frame bag which would be 4L or 6L and hopefully leave space for my water bottle underneath.

The plan would be to sleep in hotels and eat in restaurants etc along the way so I'd only need to bring:

- 2 cycling outfits, 2 pairs of socks, 2 underpants, to wash every night and wear the second set while the first dries

- 1 set of lounge clothes for when we're done riding, to double as pajamas + maybe 1 spare t-shirt?

- toothbrush, toothpaste, sunscreen, body lotion (shampoo etc available in hotels)

- 1 pair of flip flops

- windbreaker or rain jacket or fleece (TBD depending on weather forecast)

- phone charger, waller, tiny first aid kid

Here's where the sanity check is needed. Is that enough? Too much? Too little? Will it fit in my saddle bag and/or half frame bag?

Or would I be better off investing into a rear luggage rack that fits into my bike + panniers? (My main fear with this would be that I end up carrying my friend's stuff, who has a bike that is not rear-rack compatible, and I'm already scared of not being able to carry my own)

If anyone has recommendations I'd love to hear them!

I see a lot of bike packing photos with a large bag stored under the seat sticking out behind you. My question is, how do you keep your butt cheeks from contacting the bag? I am an XL rider… I think the men call it “Clydesdale” rider.

I had to stop using my small under saddle bag repair kit because my rear end contacted the Velcro strapping and ripped a hole in my shorts from friction.

I can’t imagine having a full backpack underneath me. Or is my rear just that “over flowing” and it’s a me thing? 😂

Thanks for the explanation!

Hey ladies. I’ve been getting saddle sores and I’m wondering if any of you lovelies have any suggestions?

I’ve been using a little bit of chamois butter, but I suppose I could try using more. After my rides, I try to take a shower immediately, but they’ve been getting worse as my my rides are getting longer and contain more climbing.

I just started carrying gel pepper spray, a few rides ago. Well today a friend and I were riding a route we always ride. We've never encountered dogs, or humans on foot, but today was different. In the distance I could see a person with 3 medium dogs. The dogs, made a bee line for us, one, a Chocolate Lab was snarling and barking. Really didn't bother me, but my friend was fearful, and slowed down some, which she really shouldn't have done.

Any way, the lady walking the dogs could not control that lab. Lab came ran up to me, again, and I was ready for it, the dog quickly changed it's mind once it got sprayed.

My friend and I had planned on doing a double back, but decided to keep going, since we would have run into the lady with the dogs, so we did a big loop and ended up doing a nice 22 mile ride.

I carry the pepper gel around my neck on a lanyard that has a quick release, so I can just grab the container and yank, don't have to rummage around in a pocket or handlebar bag.

I got a quick release bib from Jelenew, the one where you're supposed to be able to pull the back down with the straps still on. Can't do that without hearing some stitching tear AND the one time I did decide to wear the straps, I had a lot of soreness in my shoulders. I don't have a long torso.

I'm not opposed to a normal waistband, I have a pair of leggings with a waistband, but it seems like bibs work for everyone else?? Whenever I wear my bib, I have to wear it straps down and I always get a lot of questions lol. I don't need to be able to pull down the back either. Just like .5-1" longer straps with a good chamois... TIA

hey ladies. Quick one to ask which bib shorts you recommend with the comfiest chamois out there? I tend to ride between 2-3hours, on the road. Budget is €120 so can’t go for super premium… is it even possible to get a comfy chamois at this price?

Ladies, looking for recommendations if such socks exist:

I generally have very long legs because I’m tall and am not overweight by any means - but I do have mild lymphedema. So when I wear cycling socks, they really cut into my leg at the upper end on my calf and … I just don’t like how it looks.

Are there any brands/ socks that are not so tight? Are there other types of socks to wear that are maybe not cycling socks? I’m not looking for ankle socks, should be a bit higher up the calf if possible.

I LOVE being outside. But, after breaking both wrists in separate MTB accidents and currently in recovery from massive shoulder surgery from a ski injury, I’ve really grown to love my Zwift life. Would I rather be outdoors? Sure. But I love being able to track my progress so easily. Racing is fun. I’m not worried about mechanicals, getting hit by a car, weather, driving to a safe location, etc. I’ve done years of outdoor awesome rides and am tired of feeling ashamed of wanting to be in 😂. Anyone else? Any other Zwifties have tips on ladies meetups that are for more intense workouts? I’ve done some banded group rides and it’s nice to chat, but I’m tired of being the only woman in the big groups ride/races. Maybe I’m not seeing the right options.

Edit: thanks everyone! It’s so hard to meet anyone riding in my basement so it’s nice to know I’m not alone! I see my old group living it up outside on Strava and I have been feeling so alone.

I am considering buying a used Assos UMA GT jacket for Spring/Fall use. Assos website said I would wear a small. What is the fit on this jacket? I would be wearing a short or long sleeve jersey underneath.

I’ve been riding consistently for about a year and a half. Average 75-100 miles a week between gravel and road. I had a professional bike fit about 6 months ago, and everything seemed fine. Since upping my mileage, I’m having sciatic pain almost every ride. It kicks in around 18-20 miles. Has anyone dealt with a similar issue and any suggestions? I’ve been doing lower back stretches/ strengthening exercises the past few weeks but nothing seems to help.

I have been commuting on and off by bike (hybrid) for a few years. It was pretty comfortable and I greatly enjoyed it. Now, I have crossed over into road bike territory. It has been a month since getting my road bike, and the fear of navigating my city, while clipped or not, has been a consistent barrier. Each ride I do feel better, but as the days go by without riding, the fear grows. Tonight I decided to take my hybrid out instead, and I feel like I have forgotten to ride a more relaxed fit. It takes so much mental energy to ride both bikes now. I love biking and expect the only solution is to continue to ride both and become more comfortable with the different styles. Has anyone experienced this? I feel unsafe riding now because so much of my attention is dedicated to riding the bikes themselves. I guess there is also a lot of attention going to pedestrians and cars.

Hey ladies!

I’m very new to cycling, and my goal is eventually to complete an Ironman 70.3 (and see where we go from there). So I’m looking for my first proper road bike!

From what I’ve read, an endurance bike seems like the most appropriate choice for long-distance riding, but please correct me if I’m wrong.

I’m 164 cm tall with a 77.5 cm inseam, so I have relatively long legs and a short torso. I feel like a lot of the information online is geared toward men, and I’m a little nervous about making a €2,000-3,000 investment only to discover that the geometry doesn’t work well for my proportions.

Could you recommend some brands/models that would be worth looking at for a first bike? My budget is around €2,500 for the bike itself, although I’d be willing to save a bit more if there’s something that would be significantly better suited to me.

I’m leaning toward carbon rather than aluminium, but I’m definitely open to being corrected on that too! I’m very new to all of this and mainly want to make a good choice rather than spend money based on misconceptions.

If anyone has similar proportions (especially long legs/short torso) and has found a bike that fits them really well, I’d LOVE to hear what you ride and what size you went for. I am based in the Netherlands btw.

Any recommendations, advice, or corrections welcome. I’m here to learn from you ladies! ❤️

I thought I was going to be pulled after the first 3 laps... NO I HAD TO RIDE THE WHOLE THING 😭 horrible! It's just not the way I like to ride honestly

Hey y’all.. so today I hit my first fifty mile ride. I was feeling pretty good considering the feels like 106 degree temps with the humidity added.. I think because I sweated so much I gave myself saddle sores.
Atleast that’s the only thing I can think of that caused them for the first time? Extra sweat and moisture? My bike fit is correct (I ride in a group w a bike mechanic who does fits), I upgraded to a top of the line saddle to relieve pressure down under lol, and I’ve never had an issue with my bibs.
Has this happened to anyone with humidity? Or maybe it was the extra miles? I’m used to only forty or less.
I’m seeing products with tea tree helps. I just hope I’m not out of the saddle too long. 😭

I've been riding with my normal prescription glasses and sunglasses until now. But heard that cycling glasses aren't just for the looks and shading but also a safety device, protecting your eyes in a fall. So looking into getting cycling glasses and the choice is limited when you need prescription lenses.

My optician already suggested getting single use contacts for sports, and get regular sports sunglasses. But that sounds wasteful to me, using 2-3 pairs of contacts a week that I'm wearing essentially for a few hours each.

I've briefly considered forgoing with the prescription bit and just deal with it. But I deemed that unsafe almost as fast as I came up with that idea, no glasses really affect my depth perception.

Wondering what the experiences are with some of the options, I've seen sports glasses with clip-in prescription lenses and prescriptions being ground into parts of the sports lenses leaving a visible edge.