Recommendations on Cycling Shorts for long distances

[mcook]

Simply put... my butt hurts after long rides (40+). I know I need to upgrade my shorts. I would appreciate any advice as I realize the best chamois are pricey.
Also, do most use Chamois Butter or do you have others you would recommend? I have not been wearing any creams but last week I rode two back to back 50 mile rides and decided as a preventative measure to give Paceline Chamois Butter a try. I ended up with a rash (first one ever). This coming Friday I am leaving for a cross country bike ride, with numerous 70 mile days. Need advice now! Thanks!

[Rubylvr]

Hey there-
I use "Chamois Butt'r" and have never gotten a rash from it. As for shorts, the closest I have found for long distance is the Terry Long short with the pink pad.
They are $100.00, but mine have lasted three years with regular washing and drying. Check ebay, if you don't mind used shorts. Sometimes there are new ones
also. I have a pair of wool Large and a Specialized pair large, if you want to buy them for $25.00 each. (They were over 100 new, and been worn once). Let me know.
Good luck. Oh, also, lube up about every 30-50 miles with the packets of Chamois butt'r you can get in bike stores.

[Helene2013]

I too felt soreness after riding on trainer (I tend to push much harder on trainer), no matter which shorts I had on. It was worst in the clitoris area (and NO fun. haha). I had purchased different shorts thinking it was my shorts the problem. The daughter of store owner (big family business) told me to splatter a lot of chamois cream in that sore area. I've been doing this for the past 2 weeks and yesterday I did a 100km ride and no soreness during riding. I did go pee during the ride and I should have bought a tube in the toilet to reapply. At home, when I underdressed, I was just a tiny bit annoyed. But it did not last. So it may be worth trying as well. It felt weird applying so much cream in the private part but it is worth it for a painless ride. So note to myself: put spare cream in a tiny pill bottle for on-the-road leak stops.

[rebeccaC]

Shorts and chamois creams are mostly personal preferences. Sugoi RS Shorts and Endur-it chamois cream works well for me on long rides. Lantiseptic skin protectant (not their daily skin protectant which has less lanolin) also works well for chafing problems. Endur-it smells better ..but both last for a long ride. I also always keep cream in my bag though.

[marni]

on the crosscountry rides I have done the following has worked well for me.

Base layer of lube Everything Balm ( goodies unlimited.com which is a beeswax based natural lube with lavendar, tea tree oil and other good stuff- thick and petroleum like followed by a thick layer of Butt Bttr or Assos european style chamois butter(minty cool, thick like desitin baby ointment, which incidentally also works very well). I carry small packets of the butt btr with me so that I can reapply as needed but the important layer is a base layer which does not absorb/melt/soak into the chamois as fast. Also, a clean dry pair of bike shorts every day. Although I sometime squish when I first get on the bike the double combination seems to work well and last longer.

My other go to is Aerotech (!Aerotechdesigns.com) long distance gel shorts with pockets. The aerotech chamois is very good and the pockets are great for carrying stuff ( gel blocks, shots, gu, hanky etc.) and their prices are reasonable.

I'll bet Aubrie at Goodies Unlimited would express you an order of Everything Balm as she is online. Call her and order one of her 4 oz jars which will last you a couple of months and won't take up much room in your luggage or pocket. Small packets of chamois butter and/or Assos you should be able to find at your local bike shop.

Enjoy the ride!

[ny biker]

I used to use Chamois Butt'r, but it sometimes caused a rash so I switched to Hoo Ha Ride Glide. For any product that goes on my skin, I start by putting a small amount on a somewhat sensitive patch of skin (like my inner arm or my stomach) as an allergy test, then wait 24 hours to see if a rash develops.

For shorts, I used to like the LG Neo Power shorts, but recently have had chafing problems with them. I bought some Gore Oxygen shorts last year; its chamois doesn't cause chafing but it's too thick to be comfortable for me over long distances. I noticed that Gore has changed the chamois in the Oxygen shorts for this year, but I haven't had a chance to check it out up close yet.

The best chamois for me has been the one in Shebeest Century shorts. Unfortunately either their sizing has changed or my size has changed, because I used to fit nicely into a size medium but now I am between sizes.

There are also some folks here who like the Terry Bella shorts for long rides. For chamois cream, I've seen recommendations for Lanosept, though I don't know where you can buy it. Also A&D Ointment works for some people.

[tcdc135]

mcook-Could we on the same ride? I am starting week long ride on Fri?? BAK maybe?? If so maybe we will meet ea other! I like the "Eurostyle Chamois Butt'r" and faav shorts are Canari. The shorts were not super expensive but have just the right amount of padding. Sometimes too much padding can be uncomfortable too! Good luck and have fun wherever you are riding!! Tami

[Boudicca]

I have had success with Sugoi Evolution shorts. Don't use any buttr/lube/glide, but I do wash down carefully after a long ride, and I treat a hot spot as soon as it starts to emerge with a zinc-based diaper rash. It's usually gone by morning.

[eofelis]

I have found that I like shorts with a very thin chamois. I tried shorts with the thick molded chamois like Pearl Izumi and I found that the thick chamois was stiff and uncomfortable. I have some older Blackbottoms shorts with a thin chamois. I also found a pair of older style Pearl Izumi shorts with a thin chamois.

Aerotech, as someone mentioned above, has some shorts with a very thin chamois that I will try someday.

I've never used chamois butter or any type of cream.

Are you sure your sore butt is due to the shorts? Changing the position or tilt of your saddle even a tiny bit could help a lot. And check your riding position to balance yourself better between your hands and your seat. I ride in a slightly "aggressive" type of position that I tend to lift my butt off the saddle just a tiny bit much of the time.