how do you fit cycling shorts?

[KnottedYet]

Shorts without any chamois at all.

The leather was originally to cover the 4-way crotch seam in wool knit shorts. It was only there because the fabric was so irritating and so bulky with all the seams meeting.

Folks rode bikes for hundreds and thousands of miles without padded chamois shorts for nearly 100 years. Padding came about as plastic and foam saddles came on the scene.

Try triathlon shorts or compression shorts or spandex running shorts/capris if you are finding the padded chamois to be irritating.

[Catrin]

I am looking at these shorts with a chamois insert:

http://www.louisgarneau.com/us-en/pr..._SHORTS#second

My LBS has these in stock and they look comfy. I am still getting regular bike shorts, but I do not always want to wear spandex I guess that I need to break down and start thinking about bike clothes that fit for the spring! I know these probably won't work for really long rides - but they all won't be long!

[OakLeaf]

Speaking as one who started riding in the days when natural leather chamois was all there was... don't. Really. I didn't think they were still available, and there's a reason for that.

They take a lot of care. They're easily ruined. And even with the best of care, they will quickly stretch out and/or harden to the consistency of sandpaper.

It's true that shorts with a good thin chamois aren't that easy find. But like I said, I didn't even know that natural leather chamois were still available, so they're obviously even harder to find. Get synthetic.

[schnitzle]

Thanks for posting this question NewToBikesMama! I was wondering about these padded bike shorts and such. What a knowledgeable bunch of member there are here