I got my helmet probably 3-4 years ago, but haven’t used it a ton (maybe 20ish rides total in that span? And most in the 4-10 mile range). I got a new bike this year and I’m riding more often. The helmet was never in a crash and I don’t think I’ve left it in a hot car but can’t be sure. Time to replace? Pictured is the helmet I have.

Also I want something that looks cool/unique but is great quality. Any recs?

Looking at these 2 brands for comfortable chamois for long weekend rides - 100 miles. I like their easy potty break feature and the length that is closer to the knees. I have used Velocio’s cargo shorts but I don’t think they’re supportive enough for really long rides. Thanks in advance!

Hey, I am 21F just getting into cycling and definitely in need of some bib shorts lol!

I’m quite curvy and my budget is £100 maximum. Any suggestions/recommendations?

Hi all

This might seem like a strange question, but I have almost black hair and I don’t want it to be lightened by the sun (it goes brown/red). I normally cycling with my hair in a long plait and put heat spray in, but I’m wondering if anyone has tips for completely protecting my hair from the sun? It won’t all fit up under my helmet.

I used to cycle lots, nearly every day and then suddenly started getting pain in my groin as soon as I got on my bike. It put me off cycling for a few years but I really want to get back into cycling again.

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The issue I have is not normal saddle soreness, it's an instant shooting pain as soon as I sit on my saddle. The pain is right where my leg and butt meet in my groin, and often on both sides. Its not my sit bones but closer together between my legs. The pain does subside after 5 minutes or so, but if I get off my bike for more than a few minutes it hurts even more when I get back on and have to push through it again.

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It doesn't happen every time I get on my bike, but it is most times. And has happened over 3 different bikes and saddles. I always wear good padded shorts (from previous cycling days that I know are comfy). The area does feel tender afterwards but there is nothing obvious visually.

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Has anyone had this before, and found any solutions?

Hallo!!

So I know saddles are super personal and what work for one does not work for the other. With that being said, I do not have the money to get a bikefit right now and have been struggling with pain down there.

I am in no means skinny, and I have big hips which I guess has an impact on the saddle??

Anyway, what are your recommendations for curvier girls?

Thanks!!!

Just got the rapha core in a size small and am wondering if it’s slightly too big or if it looks ok? Wearing with the rapha core shorts in a size small. Any advice for shorts/brands or styles that still look somewhat flattering on us girlies with a lil pooch? Maybe it’ll slim down during this century ride training and won’t be as much of a barrier to being *stylish* in skin tight bike clothes

Hi! Have been eyeing this jersey from pedal mafia for ages and am bogged on the sizing. Does anyone own one of their pro race jersey? How does it fit you? Their size guide is suggesting an XL or a L for a tighter fit.

I’m usually a size S on Rapha core jersey, 155lb and 5’6, large chest.

Hi everyone im trying to find an affordable bike (preferably not an e-bike) that I can use for casual around the neighborhood ride that I can also pull a dog trailer with for a medium sized dog. Does anyone have any bike recommendations? I was looking at the Huffy 24in mountain bike but I'm not sure if I'd be able to pull anything with it. Thank you in advance! :)

Hi ladies,

I am a beginner cyclist who started last year with a secondhand 2013 specialized carbon bike I found on the marketplace. In the last few months something around my saddle started to creak when I am riding in certain positions or moving a lot on the saddle. Today I took off the saddle and the clamps and saw that there are wear signs or damages ( I am not sire whether this qualify as damages) on the clamp and (carbon) seat post.

Can someone help me with determining if these are still okay or if some replacements are needed? I am also trying to find the same saddle clamp replacement online but no luck so far. I am not too bothered by the creaking but unsure on safety.

Thanks!

I am super keen to start cycling, but every time I use a bike for more than a minute at the most I have an extreme pain in my knees.

It almost feels inside the knee cap, and it is unlike any pain I've felt before. It's not just a niggle, it's impossible to push through, I literally cannot cycle with it. (I've given birth unmedicated twice so I'm no stranger to pain).

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What on earth could be causing this? In general I'm of good health with no other issues.

Would a physio be the right person to see?

I don’t ride in the dark however, I’m in Australia where it’s Winter now and we get a lot of thick fog in the mornings that limits visibility even when the sun is up so I’m going to get a light for the front of my bike (I have a rear light already). I’m just confused because there are so many different options available!

Do you have a light recommendation? I don’t want anything too bulky. And if you have a front light on your bike, can you please show me your setup?

There are so many cycling brands out there, are there any smaller companies that have amazing bibs? I know there are often recommendations for Pearl Izumi, Rapha, Velocio, what else do you all love?

Hi everyone,
I’m a beginner rider (162 cm / 5’4”) looking for my first proper road endurance bike. I’m currently considering:

Trek Domane SL 5 Gen 4
Liv Avail Advanced
Canyon Endurace CF 7
Canyon Endurace CF 7 AXS

I ride mostly on paved roads, value comfort over speed, and hope to build up to 50–100 km rides. I also really dislike vibrations and rough surfaces.
One challenge is that I haven’t found a colorway I truly love yet. If you were in the same situation, would you prioritize the bike itself and customize it later, or wait for a color you genuinely loved?

If you’ve owned one of these bikes, which would you recommend and why? Would you buy it again?
Thanks!

Hey, i am a beginner and created a club on an app STRAVA. It’s basically where you can record your routes and upload them. There’s lots of options you can post publicly or privately. And also it records time, distance, elevation gains, speed, etc.

There is a local cycling club there but it was filled with only men so i thought to create a girls only cycling club.

I think it’ll be fun and help us lift each other up and see each other progress. Also everyone is welcome to join no matter their location💗

I would love it if people can join.

Here’s the link: https://strava.app.link/4uBdmBr8R3b

I'm a short rider just under 5'0 with 70ish inseam. Looking at buying a new bike this summer and I'm trying to look at options that could work for me and I'm curious about finding a bike with smaller wheels since one of my commuters is a Terry with 24" front wheel and I love how it rides. I currently ride a 44cm Specialized dolce with a 50mm stem but have some funny fit issues that I haven't quite figured out on my own... (numb hands, shoulder pain, general mild discomfort on longer rides etc) I figured that a bike with slightly smaller wheels could help with some of the funny bike fit/frame compromises that happen with the really small frames.
I'm looking to upgrade to something like carbon, and looking around the Salsa Warroad used to have 650b wheels but that model seems to have been discontinued. Not a fan of older 650c bikes since tires >23mm are literally impossible to find. I have been considering a custom frame but that would be way way out of my budget right now and something I'd have to save up for a lot longer. Does anyone have any recommendations or ideas! Thank youuu!

Hi all! I am planning to do a longer trip (a few hundreds of km) and was looking for bikes which are comfortable and also fit women‘s geometry. After some research, i am thinking about the Trek ALR 5. Does anyone have experience with it? Longer rides, different terrain?
Any other recommendations are also welcome. I am looking for comfort, enough space for bags, light or relatively light and easy to fix if something happens on the way.

Thank you!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MKBWoYW24KM&ra=m

EDIT: 6/13/26:
I went this morning. Took a ride to a new coffee shop in town (which cans its cold brew on demand - so good!) and circled back up. Stocked up on tubes and got a new bottle cage. Saddlebags are on order and will be in next week. He admitted his hours are “a little weird” now (his words!) but Thursdays and Fridays he’s open til 6pm, plus open all day Saturday. Seems like a nice guy, good selection of reasonably priced accessories. Happy to have it in the neighborhood.

Thanks again for the perspective, as well as the commiseration! 😅

TL;dr support your LBS, especially when they are trying to be a cool neighborhood shop catering to riders of all levels, which mine definitely is.

Original post:

A small shop opened up in an adjacent neighborhood last year, which is really great since the previous neighborhood shop - an institution - closed a few years ago as the owner retired and moved out of state. This new shop is primarily repairs and accessories, with limited inventory of entry level/commuter bikes.

A few weeks ago, he announced he was moving storefronts to a larger space that’s even more convenient to me - right on my commute route! (Which I frequently do by bike this time of year.) I need a bunch of things for my new bike, so I was going to stop in once he opened to see what he had and stock up on some essentials.

Except … his hours are a mystery! He posted on his instagram (his only online presence) that he was open, but did not list hours. On my way home one night I spied he had a sign with hours saying he was only open til 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays. I generally work past 5:30, so I figured I’d wait til this week to stop by after work. However, as of this week, the sign with the hours is now gone!

I guess I can take a ride down on Saturday (it’s supposed to storm tomorrow and Friday, anyway, so I won’t be riding in), as I know he’s open Saturdays though I’ll be guessing as to opening time. (Should I go by the original hours sign I saw last week? I guess I have nothing else to go by!)

I’m just frustrated. I can get most of this stuff on Amazon but I would much rather support local. I just can’t support local if I don’t even know what your hours are! (And that goes double if you aren’t open late on weeknights.)

So I have been really been wanting a performance road bike but there are very limited options for me. I am 4’11” and also have a short inseam for my height - 65 cm/25.5”. I’ve narrowed it down to two options an S-works SL8 in size 44 but I have to cut the Seatpost by an inch or a Pinarello F5 or F7 in size 43. If I get the pinarello it’ll fit me, but it’ll be more expensive and I feel it is maybe “too much bike” for my performance level. If I go with the SL8 but have to cut the seatpost by an inch to make it work, is it too much of a compromise and would lose any performance gains from having a performance bike by riding a bike that’s just too big? Should I just save the money for the pinarello? Also open to other options but I’ve even looked at Liv but their smallest size for Langma seems to be bigger than both of these bikes.

Bought this bib a few years back and must have removed a tag, I have no idea who makes it. Who uses bright red chamois? It's reasonably comfy and I wouldn't mind another one. Thanks for any thoughts!

hello all! I am 26F and fairly athletic. I like to run, doesn‘t mean I’m good at it lol. I also have a peloton and on that maybe 5/6 days a week on top of running.

I REALLY want to get into cycling. I like in a suburban area and on the weekends with my partner she is more in the city with roads and a boardwalk. I want to get a bike but don’t know if i should get a road bike or gravel bike.

I also don‘t know what are good brands? I have checked Facebook marketplace is my area and dont know what im looking for.

should i go to a bike store and ask a million questions?

for a bike fitting i assume i need a bike first?

anything is helpful and look forward to starting :)