bike shorts with best chamois?

[ayermail2]

ElizabethS -
Try other things, but keep using the butt'r!! My first bike tour was this past October, and I found that the chamois butt'r was really COLD first thing in the morning....I was so sore the end of the day I hadn't used it that I kept the bottle in my sleeping bag! Depending on when your tour is, you may also want to consider that!
Good luck finding some shorts that are a better fit for you!

[Trixiee]

Hi There!

Any one have a website where I can get the stuff? I'm a bit shy, and would turn soSO RED , if I had to ask the guy at the store for the stuff! Besides our store is so small, that I don't think they would carry it. (They had to order in a pair of padded shorts for me, they had 1 pair there - size small)

Thanks a lot!

Trixiee

[kircass]

I just purchased a pair of Nike dri fit shorts that I really like. I have only been on one over 20 mile ride with them but so far so good. They were actually about 10 bucks cheaper than the Terry ones I tried on as well.

[Dogmama]

What are Brikos? I've never heard of them. Why do you like them? Where do you get them? I'm always looking for good shorts. I've done my share of suffering, so I'll pay $$$ for comfort. After all, I'm not out there to suffer - I have a job!

Kim

[tinkerbell]

I found my Brikos at World Cycling Productions, their website is at www.worldcycling.com. I enjoy the soft material they are made out of, as well as the comfortable pad which is not too bulky. The brand I own is called- Katana shorts with the viper pad. They also have a slightly cheaper pair, but I have never tried them out. I also enjoy that they have a little bit of style to them (i get tired of the plain black that looks like every other pair of cycling shorts These have some stitching that makes them a little more interesting, without being crazy. I've never seen this brand carried anywhere else here in the states...I think the line comes from Italy. Good luck...

[ayermail2]

www.terrybicycles.com

www.rei.com (will ship to Canada)

www.bravesoldier.com

it's about 12$ (US) a tube....


Don't know of any Canadian sites (couldn't find it a Velotique.com)


I've also heard some say that they like Bag Balm, which is in a square green metal can, and is found in a lot of drugstores like CVS etc...

[Trixiee]

Will vaseline work just as well? Is the whole idea just to prevent chafing? Or does it help reduce butt soreness?

Trixiee

[Dogmama]

When I went on my 9 day, 550 mile ride across AZ, I used Desitin (sp? the stuff for baby diaper rash). It numbed the area a bit - which was nice during the last three days! - and helped prevent infections from the heat, moisture, etc. Even if you use something else, you might consider a topical antiseptic (especially one with a bit of numbing properties - did I mention that?) so that any potential infections can be headed off.

Another important thing - the minute I got into camp, hotel, where ever, I took the shorts off, washed well, put on a little more desitin & put on some loose pants. ahhh, heaven!

[KleinGal]

Sorry about this really late posting, but I just discovered this site today Anyway, I never see any mention of Voler shorts, maybe not that many women know about them since Voler is most well known for race team logo clothing. But these are by far the most comfortable shorts my husband and I have found (we used to be die-hard Pearl Izumi Ultrasensor fans). And guess what..Voler shorts are only $44.95! They are totally amazing. Check them out at www.velowear.com. And for the fashion queens, they come in 8 colors!

[talouse]

I am very disappointed in a recently purchased pair of Castelli shorts. The Vario Thick chamois lacks support and bunches up in front which gets painful after a long time in the saddle. Oh, if only the chamois could live up to that luxurious silky lycra Castelli uses!!

I commute to work by bike (100-200 miles a week). I need a well made short. Far and away the best chamois for me is the PRT by Pearl Izumi. I have 2 shorts that have this chamois - the Ultrasensor and Microsensor. They now include this chamois in their Attack shorts which are less expensive then the Micro or Ultra Sensor. It has lots of support, it can really cushion an urban commute. It has held up to over a year of washings (2x a week) and I can't see any wear and tear. I use it for mountain biking as well. It's shaped perfectly, narrower up front but large enough to protect the sit bones. The short itself fits well with no saggy diaper feeling...obviously someone at Pearl consulted WOMEN before actually constructing a woman's short!

As for Micro vs. Ultra Sensor - the micro is silkier and lighter and a bit cooler. But the ultra wicks just as well and gives your muscles a little more support.

My next choices far down the list would be the Multi L Elite by Performance. (But to be honest, although the chamois is good, the short itself is not that good) and the REI Pro Air.

[elizabeth]

Ladies,

I have to say I've read your stories with horror!

Since I bought two pairs of "Jitterbugs" Ladies nicks over a year ago, I haven't had a problem. I never hop on bike without them. No chaffing, just comfort. And they're almost as good as new!

I bought them from a New Zealand company called Ground Effect. Their stuff is great quality and with the exchange rate - excellent value. check out their website, it's really good. www.groundeffect.co.nz

[ElizabethS]

Thank you to everyone that replied. Armed with everyone's suggestions, I spent a few hours at my local bike stores trying the recommended shorts on. On many of the shorts the chamois felt nice and soft, but often the shorts didn't fit properly. As someone mentioned on this board, a lot depends on your shape & size. I'm almost 6 feet tall with a small waist but larger rear and muscular legs. I found that many of the women's shorts weren't really cut for a taller woman. The Pearl Izumi Microsensors in XL seemed to fit best, which, unfortunately, were the most expensive of all the ones I tried on.

After my first 5 hour ride up some monster Italian passes I knew the Pearls were the right choice even if they were expensive. The shorts, combined with rubbing the Butt'r on before each ride, did the trick. I spent more time on my bike during my few weeks in Italy than I have in the last 6 months and had no problems other than slightly sore muscles because I wasn't in good enough shape! The chamois & stitching stayed soft, even in the heat and humidity. Thanks again for all your help. By the way, I highly recommend a bike trip to northern Italy. It was amazing!

[lb satterly]

I like the women's pearl izumi shorts. Just did a 44 mile ride with no irritation at all. The seams are soft and the fit is great for me

[Veronica]

I too am in search of great fitting shorts. I have a couple pair of Sugois, a pair of In Sport and a pair of She Beest ( that I just bought). We typically do 70 - 100 mile rides. The In Sports are the best for really long rides. I wore the SheBeests today and I'm really thinking hard about just throwing them in the garbage. Ten miles into the ride I was ready to be riding in the nude. Well not really - but they were hugely uncomfortable.
I'm not sure they would last through an hour of Spin or a 45 minute video - that's how unbearable they were.

[snapdragen]

I have to agree - stay away from Shebeest. I did a metric century yesterday -- today I am nursing some nasty and painful sores on my hind-end! You can see where the edge of the so called "she sensitive" chamois cut into me!