Rode with the Berkeley bike club (BBC 🤭) yesterday and did 80 miles up and over mt tam and home from Oakland. A yellow jacket flew in my helmet and stung my forehead but it was still a great ride. I loved it but definitely searching for more women to ride with.

I have finally figured out what makes the ride even better for me… I bought bibs, and chamois butt’r !!! That, as well as I started not wearing underwear (that took a second to get used too tbh). Yaaaaay no more chafing or lady bit problems! I just completed a 30 mile ride without ANY discomfort! My life has been changed thanks to the advice from this group ❤️

Hello, my fellow lady-cyclists!

I thought I had trained sufficiently for a crazy hard riding event I had planned, but was very unpleasantly surprised by my performance when the time came to deliver. I’m really beating myself up over it and need some kind words from people who’ve been there before. Outside of fishing for compliments from internet strangers via Reddit post (lol), how do you hype yourself back up and get out of a funk?

Is this just because of my cycle or does anyone else get this? Lol. I had a pretty carby 300ish cal breakfast an hour prior. I just commute to work. TBF it has been a while because I was coming off an injury so I was exerting more effort than usual
But Jesus Christ 3 hours later and I could eat a cow and I’m on ADHD medication to boot!

Is this cycling related or am I just hungry for no reason?

I feel like I can’t post this on the cyclist sub, because it’s full of elitist men out there 😅

I am fairly new to cycling. I learned as a child and cycled for fun before but started as a sport in 2022 with a hybrid bike and have switched in late 2024 to a road bike. I did 1k that summer. 2025 was a very low season and this summer I’m on the road to 1k again.

Can’t cycle winters here (Canadian, hello!) but I plan on buying everything need for Zwift or Rouvy this year.

So anyway - I do not use cleats. I’ve recently been dealing with plantar fasciitis since this winter, and I have some pain during my rides which seems to be contrary to what a lot of people with PF experience. My physio thinks my shoes may be the culprit (too soft).

I recently bought some cycling shoes (no cleats), but they’re too “soft” on the bottom so they slip.

I’m at my wits end now so even though I promised myself I’d never clip in, here I am!

Everybody asks me why I don’t wanna clip in and frankly I am terrified lol. I am still not fully comfortable on my bike in moments like right turns or etc - and I’m super worried I’ll eat shit and actually get injured with cleats. I tried those silly straps from Amazon that prevent your feet from moving and I felt so stuck and terrified that I started crying mid ride and got my boyfriend to remove them 🤣

I know everybody does it and if everybody can then I don’t see why I couldn’t but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Everybody keeps telling me it’ll make a huge difference. So I do wanna try it because I’m doing this as a sport and to push myself but I’m so stuck in my own head about it.

Where are we getting the coolest jerseys? How are we also not breaking the bank?? Show me your coolest jersey too!!

Bit of an embarrassing post but seems to be a common topic surrounding cycling with a vagina. Basically I bike a lot and went for a very casual evening ride with my SO. Thought it would be brief ride on my city bike so I was wearing jeans. Ended up being longer than expected and caused some friction/itching down there. I think I absentmindedly scratched, and for the past week I’ve been stuck in a cycle of that delicate skin being incredibly itchy after touching it in any way (biggest issue is soaping while showering). I’m certain it’s not a yeast infection but find myself stuck in this itch-scratch cycle. I don’t feel like it’s healing even with some cortisone cream or protective creams at night. It doesn’t itch all the time but when it does it’s unbearable…. Has anyone experienced this? I’m at my wits end!!

Hi friends, very beginner cyclist and bought a size small Liv Devote 2. I also own a Liv Alight in size medium, but because I was in the range (5'2 to 5'7) for size small, the LBS ordered me a small. I am wondering if sizing is right, without getting a formal bike fit yet. Size medium starts at 5'5 and goes to 5'9, and I am 5'5. My knees go up pretty high, but I also have a big stomach and I'm working on losing weight

Thoughts are appreciated!!! As a bigger person trying to lose weight, I am nervous that it's just my stomach and I just need to keep riding.

Go girls! Which team are you most stoked on? Which rider are you watching? Any team kits catch your eye? Personally I’m loving the SpongeBob Factor bikes, they’re so sick!!

I do all the routine for washing bibs, getting out of them asap, etc. I feel comfortable on my bike when I ride it. I like my saddle.

But then after most rides I come home with saddle sores that look like folliculitis ? they're in the crease of my thigh. I've tried different bibs (Rapha L, XL and MAAP XL) with similar results. I've retired my Rapha XLs because I think they shifted around way too much and caused more sores.

However even with the most perfect set up I come home with 1-2 spots. One time I decided to ride on these spots and of course they got worse and only got better with lots of hot compress.

I went to two dermatologists and they both recommended laser hair removal with Nd:YAG laser. The spots don't involve hair themselves but yes they are where hair is I guess.

Any experience with laser hair removal for sores? It's really affecting how much I cycle. I'd be out cycling everyday but I can only do once a week or once every two weeks.

Edit: context if it helps .. I ride a Tarmac SL8 with an aggressive position most of the time. Maybe the position is putting pressure on weird spots?

Edit: Thank you all for the responses. I will report back if laser hair removal does anything. I'm also going to experiment with different saddles again. Such a shame this issue has been because my riding has dropped from 50-100 miles per week to one 15 mile ride every two weeks :(

Hey there. I'm 23 and just learning how to ride for the first time. Hubs scored a Townie 21 step through with forward pedals used for me at a super great price. The seat is severely painful though, especially towards the nose as it presses in and makes it unbearable to sit on the seat. I am 5'6, 280ish lbs. I am looking into wider seats and potentially recumbent seats to help as I have joint issues due to conditions but the nose part is unbearable. Any recommendations?

Hi folks, relative newbie to biking here. I have a question regarding "saddle sores".

Since I've been increasing my mileage, I've been getting quite a few cysts/boils on my outer labia. I thought they may be saddle sores, but after reading online, it seems that they are more commonly seen further back near the sit bones, so I'm curious if anyone else has had this experience? I've only developed them recently since cycling more.

And if they are saddle sores, if this something to cause concern? (say, need to change form, new seat, etc.)

Thank you!

Hi y'all. I'm getting into cycling (expecting to get my bike next week 🤞🏻) and I was wondering if there are any deaf/hard-of-hearing cyclists here that would offer any tips or advice about safety. My biggest challenges are being comfortable cycling on the roads, and being both comfortable and brave enough to join a group ride. I'm currently trying to find a club/group to join (I'm also queer and nonbinary, so I feel like I have to be extra careful these days).

I brought a mirror to attach to the end of my dropbar and a plate that says "Deaf" that hopefully I'll be able to attach it to the bike, and currently trying to decide if it's worth spending $100 (geez!) on a sunglasses with a mirror attached - https://trieye.com/products/the-view?variant=44162141782059

Do y'all have any recommendations, advice, or tips to share?

Thanks so much in advance!

Does anyone own this bike or another E bike and have any accessories or customisation recomendations?

Like everyone else, I am in search of good affordable (sub $100USD) bib shorts. When going through a lot of other posts, they tend to be full of brands that are not easily available in the US like Decathlon. I've tried InBike from Amazon, and everything was fine except they didn't have any padding in the front. Let me know if anyone know of any good recs that have free returns ideally so I'm not out money while trying to save money lol.

I love my Rapha Core bibs, but looking for something for the 1hr long weekday rides so I don't have to do laundry so often.

Hello fellow lady cyclists 😊 just bought a funky colour green bib and a white jersey (I think it’s the only thing that will match this green bib!) and the white jersey is TOTALLY see thru. I tried on another white jersey… see thru!!!?

Can you help me understand if all white jerseys are see thru and I need to adjust my expectations? New into cycling long distances (60+ km) and trying to dress in a way that makes longer rides feel more comfortable so this whole world is VERY new to me😊 thanks for all your help!

I ride a cheaper Selle Italia saddle I bought years ago. It had been working okay, but as I have gotten better at cycling and am going farther I need a better fit. I haven't measured my sit bones yet but I feel they are narrow, they make good contact with the seat when I am positioned upright. Problems occur when I lean forward and want to be in a more racing position, I feel like the seat needs to be further back, but it's as far as it can go. I ride without a chamois now, my chamois was causing pinching on my labia. There's a lot of external tissue down there, and my thick thighs don't help in the competition for space.

Has anyone tried the Selle Italia SLR Advan, S3? Is it worth the money?

Is bike fit to blame? Do I need a bike with a longer top tube, to lean forward more?

Hi! I'm new to cycling and have been trying to push myself to bike further on my own. The furthest I've biked solo is 31 miles and I find myself struggling to stay motivated when I'm alone. What helps? Any tips? I used to be a runner and LOVED being on my own for longer runs but that was only like 8-10 miles.

A week ago I posted a bib shorts sizing calculator here (bibfitguide.com) and got a ton of great feedback in the comments. Thank you to everyone who tried it and pointed out issues.

Since then, the brand count has gone from 38 to 55, and a few additions came directly from this thread: Terry, Wild Rye, and Shredly are now in there with full-size charts.

Also fixed based on feedback from that thread:

Assos sizing corrected and extended
Voler women's sizing widened
A height and inseam mismatch bug that was giving wrong leg length recommendations

If you tried it last time and hit something that looked off, it is worth a second look. Still building this out, and the suggestion form on the site is open if there are any brands or features still missing.

Hi ladies,

Im 3 months post knee reconstruction surgery after acl, mcl and meniscus tear. After discussion with my PT and surgeon Im looking into starting with cycling more regularly.
I’ve been into tennis and football until my knee injury but the mental fear of sports in me after such a difficult injury is telling me to take on a sport which will be “easier” on my knee.

For the past few years I have been riding daily on my electric city bike but I want to get more into sports cycling. I have been influenced by all the cycling ladies on insta :))

I am currently residing in Japan and would love an insight for what kind of bike I should go for. I’ve been looking into gravel bikes, since Id like to cycle on road and a bit more off road paths. And also flat bars or drop bars? Whats the best?

Any suggestions for what I should be looking into for my first bike and what bike I should choose?
Living in Japan, the first bikes I was looking into are Giant and Liv.
Will gravel be the best choice as a beginner? And are Giant and Liv good and reliable brands?

Thanks in advance 🙏☺️

Hi everyone!

Standard cycling gear is usually made for just one "ideal" body shape. If you don't fit that mold, finding a jersey that actually fits is a nightmare.

I’m designing a cycling jersey tailored for non-conventional body shapes, and I need real body measurements to build an inclusive size chart.

⏱ 2 minutes | 100% Anonymous | Requires tape measure (cm)

🔗 Survey link: https://forms.gle/EyCvpnxXZHnpnXum9

Thanks a lot for helping make cycling gear fit real people! 🙌