It must be the chamois that makes the $30.00 difference. I am not certain what is meant by 6 panel or 8 panel. I only have one pair of cycling bottoms which I won on ebay~Castelli Elena Knickers. Since I have nothing at all to compare them to I can only say that they make it possible for me to bike 24+ miles without too much shifting from discomfort.

Frankly I'm overwhelmed with the equipment/accessories that I want/need. I'm quite limited budget wise, however I know that riding my bike has already brought on a tremendous improvement in my overall outlook & sense of self esteem. I have been through a lot emotionally within the recent past & my family sees the difference and they are all very proud of me & full of encouragement. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I truly can't afford to purchase something that is uncomfortable or unwearable. My birthday is a little over a week away & my kids are willing to chip in on some knickers for me and I didn't want to ask them to spend the extra $30 if it isn't worth it~but my only jersey is a Shebeest and I am very pleased with it in every way. Fit, comfort, washability & function~ranks 5 stars from me! However it's sleeveless so I'm gonna be pretty cold soon!

My next dream item is shoes as the balls of my feet get hot & my toes go numb at about the 5 mile mark. I'm currently wearing Ryka running shoes

At any rate, thank you both for taking the time to share your experience & knowledge regarding these knickers~truly appreciated here.

~doorah~