I Hate This Change

[Crankin]

So, my go-to shorts used to be the Terry Bellas, until I went on my trip to Spain and they were excruciatingly hot in the desert climate. I love them because they are compressive, flat waisted, and I can wear my leg warmers without horrible sausage legs. After my trip to Spain, I bought additional pairs of Sugoi RS shorts, which I also love and they are cooler. However, they are not compressive, and I ended up only wearing the Terrys in the cooler months.
Fast forward to now. I started noticing pain in my older Terry shorts, so I threw most them out, leaving me with one pair. While going through my stuff, in preparation for my tour in Portugal, I wanted more, because it's going to be cooler in the AM and i will be wearing leg warmers. I also needed more of the Sugois, as I do not want to do laundry. So, I ordered 2 pair of the Bellas and one of the Sugoi from TE.
Wore the Bellas today on a 17 mile hilly ride and I am pissed! The didn't change anything about the short or the actual chamois; what they did is add like 3 inches of the material that covers the chamois, so it goes into the crease of your leg, and then stiched it. So, instead of the chamois padding actually meeting the lycra, there's like this weird flared area of a different material in the crease of my leg, and the stitches are hitting me right in the crease, especially on the right side.
This s*cks. I've tried on shorts where the actual padding did this and it caused such horrific pain, I threw them out. I need a narrow chamois, and while the actual pad hasn't changed, the place where the stiching is, has.
I think adding this material is actually folding in on my leg and bunching up. The problem is, I can't see when I'm riding! It doesn't look baggy from the outside. My thighs are not skinny! Maybe this is the same phenomena that makes me not able to wear boy shorts. All I know, is that I can't send them back, I need the other aspects of the shorts. Perhaps washing will soften the stitching.
ETA: So, I closely inspected the difference between the new ones and the old. It's not the material placement that's changed, it's the style of the stitching. The old ones have stitching that is just a line and the news have stitches in an X. I guess my delicate body knows the difference.

[emily_in_nc]

That totally stinks, Crankin! I hate it when stuff like that happens.

Have you tried the Sugoi Evolution shorts? I bought a pair from TE earlier this summer and liked them so much, I bought two more. They were on a good sale. They are quite compressive and long enough that I don't get sausage leg with leg warmers. I know b/c I've been having to wear leg warmers for the past week or so. The chamois (for me) is comfortable. Of course, everyone is different, and one woman's heavenly short may be another's hellish ones.

I wish you luck and hope you have a wonderful time in Portugal!

[Crankin]

I might try a pair. I love the RS shorts, but they are not compressive.

[Becky]

Crankin, do you have pictures of the new shorts? I'm just about to order some more Bellas, and now I'm thinking that I shouldn't

[Crankin]

I am at work, so no pics. I can try, but there's a bit of technology that I need to figure out on my end, not TE's.
There's no way I am going to a seamstress. I think, hopefully, washing may help.
I just had to bring a pair of petite pants to be hemmed. J. Crew is paying for that one!

[ny biker]

Is it possible that the new stitching is a defect?

[emily_in_nc]

I might try a pair. I love the RS shorts, but they are not compressive.

I checked my Evolution shorts, and they also have the zig-zag stitch to attach the chamois. It is really far to the outside, and I don't notice it a bit, but YMMV, especially if it happened to hit in a similar place to the Bellas.

[Crankin]

I am going to wash both pairs next wash.
Think I am going to skip the picture taking, as I have a headache.

[Owlie]

I might try a pair. I love the RS shorts, but they are not compressive.

If you don't find the RS compressive, I'm not sure the Evolutions are the answer, since I found them much less compressive than the RS. Unless, of course, they've changed them again...

[emily_in_nc]

If you don't find the RS compressive, I'm not sure the Evolutions are the answer, since I found them much less compressive than the RS. Unless, of course, they've changed them again...

Interesting... I guess I don't know what "compressive" means, then. They seem very much that way to me. But I really have no idea. I feel like I'm wearing a girdle in them, took some getting used to, but I love them now!

[Owlie]

Interesting... I guess I don't know what "compressive" means, then. They seem very much that way to me. But I really have no idea. I feel like I'm wearing a girdle in them, took some getting used to, but I love them now!

It may depend on how old yours are. They keep changing them.

[Crankin]

So, I wore the second pair today, for a short, 17 mile ride. I was going to wash them first, but I wanted my knee warmers on for the beginning of the ride. This pair doesn't feel as bad. I didn't feel the stitching immediately, and it's more subtle, and on both sides. I am hoping that washing will help. The other pair have been washed and I will test them out on Friday, but it will be on my short commute.