Destroyer of Inner-Thigh Threads/Seams - am I the only one?

[tulip]

Hmmmm, that stinks that you go through shorts so quickly. I have the opposite problem--I wear my shorts longer than I should (5 years or so) and probably show way too much of myself before someone let's me know that it's time to retire them to "strictly under tights" use. I'm not sure that's an entirely positive way to go about it!

Given that it happens with your jeans and running tights, your saddle is not likely the cause, although it could be making it worse. Could you try something like a compression tube and see if that helps? Or compression shorts under your shorts?

I have no idea about other shorts, as PI works for me. Have you tried Terry shorts?

[pll]

Have you tried Assos shorts? They are so terribly expensive, but I like the fabric and fit a lot (I feel skinny when I wear the one pair I have). And they do not have any reverse seams.

[zoom-zoom]

Have you tried Assos shorts? They are so terribly expensive, but I like the fabric and fit a lot (I feel skinny when I wear the one pair I have). And they do not have any reverse seams.

Darn, I just looked...they still have the zig-zag seams, which hold up no better than the flatlock. The issue is the amount of thread that is on top of the fabric. The more thread (in the case of flatlock and zig-zag), the more it's going to get destroyed by rubbing against the edges of the saddle.

[pll]

My don't have the seams outside (I can post pictures, if need be), unlike the other shorts I have: Pearl Izumi, Louis Garneau and Sugoi. Do you mean inside seams? I've managed to make the fabric in the Sugoi shorts (RSE) pile in the thigh area, as well as the Pearl Izumi; the Garneau I don't use enough because they are too long. No issues thus far with the Assos, although it might be too early to know. However, I have had their knickers for 3 years and those have not piled.

[zoom-zoom]

I'm talking about the stitching that attaches the chamois to the shorts. That stuff always comes in contact with the edges of my saddle nose in the inner-thigh region. My newest pair of shorts (Shebeest) are only a month old and the flatlock stitching for the chamois has been disintegrated on both sides. I've run into this with every brand, aside from PI. Because they don't use flatlock or zig-zag stitching to attach the chamois to the short.

[pll]

I see now. I wear the shorts off about 1.5 to 2 inches away from the chamois edge.

ETA: Have you tried a lycra cover on your saddle? Perhaps eliminating the saddle friction points might work, at $4, might be worth trying.

[zoom-zoom]

ETA: Have you tried a lycra cover on your saddle? Perhaps eliminating the saddle friction points might work, at $4, might be worth trying.

For some reason I'm thinking lycra would create more friction than the smooth vinyl, but maybe I'm wrong on this...? Or I'd end up wearing my shorts and the lycra cover.

[zoom-zoom]

Have you tried Terry shorts?

The one pair of Terry shorts I owned also used flatlock seams...from the photos I've looked at they all seem to do this. I did find photos of one model of Hincapie shorts that appear to have the same sort of double row of seams that PI uses, but the shorts themselves look like they have a 5-6" inseam...I don't like anything shorter than 7".

pll, I may have to suck it up and try Assos, at some point. At the rate I'm going I'm dumping $75-100 into shorts that don't last more than a couple of weeks before falling apart. Assos could actually be the cheaper option.