How Many Chamois? Let me count...

[Velocivixen]

Hello. I mostly cycle around town averaging about 7-15 miles or so. I have a hybrid Trek FX 7.3 and I actually like the seat that came on it. I've put maybe 200 miles or so on it since the end of October. I plan to ride a 30 mile event in June, so my goal now is to steadily increase my distances.

I'm in the market for britches with a chamois. I've tried on about 20 or so different brands, and styles from shorts (lycra type), to mountain biking shorts (loose shorts with a removable tight pair of shorts underneath), knickers, etc.

I am quickly concluding that I will likely have various pairs of bottoms, depending on the occasion. Perhaps a more casual pair (knickers or MTB shorts) for when I may end up at the library, grocery store or wherever and I want to look more "civilian" and be more covered up. Maybe a shorter pair of shorts for when I'm out doing long rides and don't plan on lingering around town so much.

I really like the Sugoi RS shorts the best and can snag a '10 model on sale at LBS for about $63. I also like the Sugoi Lucky Knicker which will be on sale starting tomorrow for $42.50. I still have 2 LBS I want to go to and try on more bottoms because they carry different brands that I haven't tried yet.

So, do you all have various bottoms and/or chamois that you wear depending on things like: length of ride, bike you're riding, where you might be stopping? Is it typical to have an "arsenal" of cycling bottoms for different uses?
Thanks

[Catrin]

I have different shorts that I use for longer or shorter rides, but the chamois is the same as I've only found one that my girly bits fully approve of.... I have bib shorts for longer rides, and regular shorts for shorter. I hated the liner that came with my mtn bike baggy shorts, but I just wear them over my regular shorts

[redrhodie]

I have 3 pairs of Shebeest knickers, and 4 pairs of Shebeest shorts, all with the same chamois. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out the one that works for me. I also have the same saddles on all my bikes. I dread the day Shebeest changes their Shelastic chamois.

[OakLeaf]

I have a lot, but chalk it up to trial and error. There are only a couple of pairs that I wear ONLY when everything else is dirty. Mostly they're "okay" and stay in the rotation. The "really good" ones I save for the long rides, but as the others wear out, they'll get replaced with more copies of my favorites. Unfortunately I don't have a "perfect," so my favorites include "great chamois but too stretchy fabric" (EO Very Short), "great chamois but too short legs" (Castelli Provocante) and "really good chamois with just-right shorts" (LG Neo Power). I could choose any of those three for a long ride, but I'd tend to gravitate away from the Castellis because of the legs being too short.

[Velocivixen]

Do any of you ever just ride around town (5-7 miles maybe) without any chamois? How will I know if a chamois is working well, given that my current seat at the distances I've gone so far, doesn't bother me?
This particular LBS allows returns for 30 days, so if I don't like them I can return them. REI allows returns without a time limit.
Thanks for your quick responses.

[Crankin]

I have several different shorts/knickers/liners for different purposes.
For my roadie riding, which is mostly what I do, I have Terry Bellas or Shebeest S Pros. I have a pair of Terry knickers (lycra, just long shorts), too, and also chamois-less tights to wear over my shorts.
But, I also do the kind of 6-20 mile rides around town to do errands, just like you describe, on a flat bar road bike, similar to a hybrid. I wear skorts, baggies, or urban style cycling capris with liners underneath. The only place I ride to without at least a liner, is my neighborhood pond, which is .99 miles away! It just hurts me too much to go without a chamois, although I have ridden the 4 miles to the center of town chamois-less. Maybe I am overly sensitive, but I can use the liner with my regular shorts or capris, too and no one knows. I see all of my different things as a way to express my different cycling styles.

[Kitsune06]

If I'm doing ten miles or less, I don't chamois. If I'm on the trainer for an hour or two, I usually don't chamois unless (like now) my sitbones are unhappy with the saddle they're on, or I angered them on a previous day and I know they won't tolerate further abuse without reciprocation. I might end up being like Xrayted and gravitating toward tri shorts with super thin chamois because I find the more comfortable my saddle is all by itself, the more a chamois becomes an annoyance, or even a vehicle for discomfort.

[OakLeaf]

I need a seamless chamois on the roadie. In an upright riding position with a cut-out saddle, I can go 20 miles in jeans.

[Velocivixen]

@Crankin - so it sounds like a "liner" is a thin pair of shorts/underwear with a chamois? Thanks. I'll do some investigating.
I imagine, like you all I'll have a few things. I personally don't mind the Sugoi RS, however, given that I have lost over 100 lbs. and I'm in my 40's, my mid thighs look somewhat "deflated" and I'm self conscious about that.
Ultimately I want to be able to embrace the "I don't care what anyone thinks about how I look" attitude, but I'm a work in progress.
Thanks a bunch everyone!

[Velocivixen]

Forgot to mention that I tried on some Sheebeest Breezy Boardshorts and they fit/looked just fine. That could be a starting point.

[badgercat]

Do any of you ever just ride around town (5-7 miles maybe) without any chamois? How will I know if a chamois is working well, given that my current seat at the distances I've gone so far, doesn't bother me?
This particular LBS allows returns for 30 days, so if I don't like them I can return them. REI allows returns without a time limit.
Thanks for your quick responses.

10 miles is basically my threshold for wanting/needing to wear bike shorts. I rarely use chamois for "around town"--I'm usually in some lightweight, loose-fitting cargo type capris or shorts. My limit for jeans is 4-5 miles, depending on the weather, mostly because I just don't like how denim sticks to you when you get a little sweaty.

But as far as my shorts that have chamois, I have 4 pairs and they're all different. My least favorite of them (incidentally the thickest pad) was fine on my hybrid but gave me girly-bit discomfort after about 10 miles on my road bike, so they're probably coming out of rotation. The rest of them are fine, but none make my rear end sing with such glee that I've stopped experimenting.

Happy shopping!

[Crankin]

I love the Shebeest Board shorts; but I bought my first pair in brown and they were comfortable, a bit big. The next year, I bought black ones and they are tight, in the same size! I've had them for 5-6 years.
The "liners" are shorts that come under the board shorts, baggies, various knickers. Sometimes they are attached with loops, but you can cut them off. The actual shorts part is not as compressive as regular shorts.
You can also buys liners separately. I have a great pair from Sugoi. The shorts part is mesh, but the chamois is like other Sugoi shorts. I've ridden 50 miles wearing them.
You can also buy underwear with a thin chamois here on TE. Unfortunately, the smallest size was like a diaper on me, so I ditched them. But DH wears his for casual rides, under his regular clothes.

[Velocivixen]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Now I don't feel such an urgent need to go out and find that perfect "one" pair. I think I'll start with the Sugoi Lucky Knickers which will be on sale beginning tomorrow. They slightly flare out below the knee (unlike some knickers). They have the S.100 chamois in them, and it's hard to figure out on the Sugoi website what level of "quality" that is. It is a different chamois from the RS shorts.
I'm going "trying" tomorrow, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

[hebe]

Most of my riding is short distances around town at the moment and I always use a liner with a chamois - either Sheila Moon lingerie liner or a Gore shorty that I've just bought, and just put normal clothes on top. In winter I wear a winter weight tight and layer over that. I don't ride without a chamois.

[bellissima]

I never ride without a good pair of shorts (chamois), and anti-chafe cream, even if it is only for few miles. I guess I am just spoiled and don't like to feel any extra discomfort.