Padded Bottoms - Necessary?

[KnottedYet]

Oh, yeah, I'm definitely in the minority!
(and you're not insecure for pointing that out... if you ripped into me over it, that would be a red flag. I've had someone do the apoplexy thing at me over riding without a chamois. It was funny. Later.)

The take-away message here is don't be afraid of trying riding without a chamois if you just can't seem to love chamois.

At least it will give you another data point!

[Pedal Wench]

I'm a very long-distance rider - 200-miles a week kinda gal. I need to adjust something on my bike and thought I could just hop on and try it on the trainer for a few minutes without bike shorts. Even that was just amazingly uncomfortable. I'm addicted to chamois.

[oz rider]

For most people it's more a case of what you'd wear instead, cos sweat + seams = chafing. The chamois doesn't have seams (and the better shorts have flat seams elsewhere for the same reason) and lets the sweat get away so it doesn't rub you raw, as well as providing some padding that doesn't bounce you around like a fat heavy saddle. Yes, it feels like a maternity pad initially but you get used to it. Try both and see what you think. But all chamois are not created equal!

[OakLeaf]

I'd venture to say at least a plurality need (or at least strongly prefer) a seamless, soft chamois to prevent chafing, but do NOT want any padding. For me, padding = chafing. The longer the ride, the more important it is for me to have a very minimal chamois.

[Kiwi Stoker]

Chafing is SOOO bad! I can get chafing when I am in SIngapore when it's hot and sweaty and I walk. Once it was so bad I had abraded the skin right off and it was bleeding, hot and swollen in two patches between my legs.

You find it hard to walk, sit, go to the toilet and it really hurts.

I think the main thing is to wear something that allows dampness to dry or wicks it away. Therefore cotton, demin etc are NOT great things to do exercise it.

Cycling shorts fabric allows the dampness to evaporate and the pad wicks away as well as padding.

Bruised sit bones I can live with, but chafing, it's no fun!

[indysteel]

I'd venture to say at least a plurality need (or at least strongly prefer) a seamless, soft chamois to prevent chafing, but do NOT want any padding. For me, padding = chafing. The longer the ride, the more important it is for me to have a very minimal chamois.

Perhaps I'm having an issue with semantics. To me, a chamois of any density provides some degree of padding, but perhaps not. My favorite shorts--Sugoi RS--does not have what I would call a minimal chamois, but in answering the OP's question, I had in mind any of the various types of cycling shorts, from those with a minimal chamois to those with a thick one, which is why I suggested it was a matter of finding the right short for her. I still think the vast majority of us wear some type of cycling short, i.e., with a chamois.

[malkin]

...The take-away message here is don't be afraid of trying riding without a chamois if you just can't seem to love chamois.

At least it will give you another data point!

Or two data points!

[Susan]

Interesting discussion - I just asked this myself too. DH has gotten me an Assos Cycling Bib for a present but I just don't seem to like it enough for the price. They feel bulky at the front. He loves his Assos Cycling shorts and thinks they are well worth the money...

From my understanding, if you have a fitting saddle - so you are sitting on your sitbones - the padding in the front doesn't make much sense, does it? The chamois in the front does makes me feel hot and uncomfortable.

Maybe the chamois-design comes from a wrong understanding where women ought to sit on a saddle?

[Crankin]

I wouldn't ride without a chamois, but I cannot wear any chamois that is thick, wide, or feels like a diaper. I bought a pair of cycling tights with a chamois from someone on TE last year. They were either Assos or Exte Ondo, so originally very expensive. The chamois was *horrible.* Wide, thick, with seams and so big in the front that it caught on the nose of my saddle. I truly could not believe any woman wore these, because I was in pain, chafed, and got abraded from them. Into the garbage they went, Thankfully, I only paid 30.00.
It's a personal decision, like anything else, but there is a huge range of chamois in different shorts, just like a huge range of saddles. I have found 2 I like, and I don't plan on changing.

[roadie gal]

I also prefer tri shorts to heavily padded shorts. The Zoot Endurance shorts are stretchier and fit my curves better than the Ultras (which fit like a sausage casing for me). My favorites are the DeSoto shorts, but they are an acquired taste. They're cut pretty low on top.

If you want more padding than just a tri chamois then look at DeSoto's 400 mile shorts. The padding actually has a channel in the middle, like a saddle cut out.

[Catrin]

I think that chamois preference is just as relative as saddle preference. It depends on how we are made, our riding position and length of rides... It is good that we have a choice

Thankfully I have finally found a chamois other than PI 3-D chamois that also works for me - and that is Terry (Liberty shorts). The PI elite chamois certainly isn't very comfortable off the bike, but it works well for my on the bike - and it feels better on rides >4 hours than on small hour long rides. I have tried a couple of other brands but they just don't work for me - either they chafe or they don't seem to provide what I need in the right location.

I suspect that my PI Elite bibs will always be my short/chamois of preference for long rides - as much as I like the Terry Liberty shorts - I don't think they would work for my longer rides.

[audreytatou]

I am new to riding and do probally 40k's every other day(more soon) I have just been wearing my ordinary leggins/tights and ..really they have been fine...no padding at all. I was thinking propper padded tights might help me go further?? now i'm confused lol

[OakLeaf]

If it's not the shorts you have that keep you from going farther now, why do you think that different shorts would let you go farther? Wear what's comfortable...

[audreytatou]

If it's not the shorts you have that keep you from going farther now, why do you think that different shorts would let you go farther? Wear what's comfortable...

yes of course i start to get a little sore after about 40k's so thought that padding might stop that and allow me to go further...although I havnt been further yet...if that makes sense

[cervelogirl]

Interesting discussion - I just asked this myself too. DH has gotten me an Assos Cycling Bib for a present but I just don't seem to like it enough for the price. They feel bulky at the front. He loves his Assos Cycling shorts and thinks they are well worth the money...

From my understanding, if you have a fitting saddle - so you are sitting on your sitbones - the padding in the front doesn't make much sense, does it? The chamois in the front does makes me feel hot and uncomfortable.

Maybe the chamois-design comes from a wrong understanding where women ought to sit on a saddle?

I find the in most cycling shorts the padding in the front doesn't come up far enough and there's too much in the back. I've been considering Assos so maybe they will work for me. Thank you for providing your feedback! Not many reviews out there (outside of this site) on women's shorts and Assos in particular.
...I also ride in a rather 'aggressive' set-up, nearly parallel with the road! but is very comfortable for me - everyone is different