Padded shorts?
#1
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Padded shorts?
I am talking about the undergarment shorts, I have a long ride so Im going to try wearing a pair especially since the bike im choosing has a very hard saddle. Does anyone here swear by them or are they something that doesnt help or hinders you in any way?
#2
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You could buy a pair of regular cycling shorts and cover up your modesty with some other shorts. Look at Pearl Izumi's website and others. They make loose fitting shorts with a chamois that you might feel less MAMIL'ly in.
However if you are new to the saddle, then you'll have some pains while your butt adjusts whether you use a pad or not. I use to do 100 mile rides comfortably in unpadded shorts on hard saddles. However I've since embraced the MAMIL look.
However if you are new to the saddle, then you'll have some pains while your butt adjusts whether you use a pad or not. I use to do 100 mile rides comfortably in unpadded shorts on hard saddles. However I've since embraced the MAMIL look.
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I tried a pair of padded cycling underwear, after reading a good review of them on this site. I have not been disappointed. And they are not expensive. Link: Amazon.com: Przewalski Mens Cycling Underwear Shorts 3D Padded Bike Undershorts Bicycle MTB Liner Shorts with Non-Slip Leg Grip : Sports & Outdoors
#4
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I have tried them today I've had a few but never used them, and it was a long ride. No pain! Even on a hard seat.
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It's a myth that there are seats that are comfortable. And some seats are harder than others and that's for sure. Chimouse padded bike shorts rule. They may not help allot but they do in fact help and any little bit can be allot after a long ride...
I wear mine under long leg swim trunks after removing the inner swim trunk lining. Swim trunk material is very sturdy and the crotch holds up to seat stress...
I wear mine under long leg swim trunks after removing the inner swim trunk lining. Swim trunk material is very sturdy and the crotch holds up to seat stress...
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#6
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As I ride more each season, I notice less of a need to wear them even on longer rides. But, it is all about what makes you comfortable on your bike
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It's a myth that there are seats that are comfortable. And some seats are harder than others and that's for sure. Chimouse padded bike shorts rule. They may not help allot but they do in fact help and any little bit can be allot after a long ride...
I wear mine under long leg swim trunks after removing the inner swim trunk lining. Swim trunk material is very sturdy and the crotch holds up to seat stress...
I wear mine under long leg swim trunks after removing the inner swim trunk lining. Swim trunk material is very sturdy and the crotch holds up to seat stress...
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#8
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Man... That is wonderful... Often I wonder if its the seat or my Ass that's getting broken in... Of course if you are using a Brooks Saddle then its another matter altogether... Ha
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#9
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It's the ass that gets broken in. When one sits on a saddle, flesh is compressed. This results in low oxygenation in said tissue, which results in pain and can eventually result in cell death. Fortunately, we have a built-in mechanism to cope with that and which responds to training, i.e. temporary reduction in tissue oxygen content. Thus as we train our butts, we can gradually ride for longer periods Too high a pressure in a small area or too much friction can prevent this adaptation. Thus individual saddle fit makes a difference.
Padded shorts spread out the pressure. As above, some adapted individuals can dispense with the padding and do fine.
Padded shorts spread out the pressure. As above, some adapted individuals can dispense with the padding and do fine.
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#11
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Yes, it's the same thing. Brooks riders think they are breaking the saddle in, which is a fine way to look at it, as the result is the same. Well, not exactly. If you don't ride your Brooks all winter, isn't it a minor issue in the spring? That's what I notice in my group. The really good thing about a Brooks is that they are so slick that they prevent the friction which negates the body's ability to respond to that oxygen deprivation. So there is something to it. That said, if you have no upper body motion when you ride, you don't need special friction prevention and can probably ride without chamois cream on any well-fitting saddle. I ride with a dedicated Brooks rider who really can't ride other saddles. On his tandem, he rocks the bike so much that he gives his stoker saddle sores. He's a really strong downstroke pedal pounder. We call him the "pedal bot." I dunno, I just enjoy digressions.
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Yes, it's the same thing. Brooks riders think they are breaking the saddle in, which is a fine way to look at it, as the result is the same. Well, not exactly. If you don't ride your Brooks all winter, isn't it a minor issue in the spring? That's what I notice in my group. The really good thing about a Brooks is that they are so slick that they prevent the friction which negates the body's ability to respond to that oxygen deprivation. So there is something to it. That said, if you have no upper body motion when you ride, you don't need special friction prevention and can probably ride without chamois cream on any well-fitting saddle. I ride with a dedicated Brooks rider who really can't ride other saddles. On his tandem, he rocks the bike so much that he gives his stoker saddle sores. He's a really strong downstroke pedal pounder. We call him the "pedal bot." I dunno, I just enjoy digressions.
As for breaking in one's butt, yes, if you are new to riding, or haven't ridden in a long while, you will need some time to get your rear in shape. That being said, I don't have an issue with the Brooks after a Winter of not riding.
I will say again here, as I do on most threads concerning seats, and the B17 especially, the majority of "seat" issues is due to a too high seat height, two much reach, or a combination of both.
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Re: trying padded shorts - I say go for it. Get a good quality pair. I have 3x pairs of Canari padded shorts and they work well for me. I had 1 pair for a few years and washed them between rides. Then I was prepping for a multi-day trip and got 2 more pairs. They changed the model, but they are nearly identical. They work well for me.
The saddle on my big touring bike (Surly Disk Trucker with 700c wheels/56cm frame) is a Brooks Flyer Special. I tried riding the saddle for a few months without padded shorts and tried to let my butt get used to it (braking both the saddle and my butt in). On longer day rides (above about 40mi or so) saddle soreness became a big issue. When I went to padded cycling shorts I tried a few pairs on at a shop that had a good selection and settled on the Canari's. I felt they were on the expensive side, but what was important to me was fit, performance, and quality and I am real happy with how they have turned out - which is why I got 2 more pairs of pretty much the same thing instead of looking elsewhere.
When my butt is in shape I can do day rides as far as I want to go with the shots and saddle alone. Recently I've been doing a few over-night runs 20mi back to back and the first time I did that my butt wasn't in shape so I used chamois cream on day 2. Since then I've been fine without. On multi-day tours I would be applying chamois cream daily.
Everyone is different. Everyone's fitment to any particular saddle is different. And everyone's ability to have their butt get used to any particular saddle is different. So there is no blanket 1 size fits all answer to this. The best thing is to take suggestions and try them yourself.
I agree, in part, with the post earlier that mentioned there is no such thing as a comfortable saddle. Why only "in part" is that doesn't apply to everyone. Some people will fit that category of not finding a "comfortable saddle", others are able to. In my case, the saddle alone on my bike isn't "comfortable" for long. I have only rarely rode it without bike shorts since I started wearing bike shorts. The combination of bike shorts and the saddle, for me, is much more comfortable, but I still get saddle soreness, I assume from abrasion. That is where the chamois cream comes in - it takes that last "edge" off to allow back-to-back days riding.
Padded saddles are good for not needing bike shorts with them. However, where you loose the advantage is if you spend a lot of time in the saddle riding - like if you are doing 40+ miles a day. The reason is, although the padding might seem "more comfortable", it is giving your rear end too much cushion to abrade against. For a short commute in your work clothes that might not matter, but try to do that all day long and you'll hit a wall. That is where harder saddles and good padded bike shorts come in - the abrasion is kept way down as the bike shorts slide pretty easy against the hard saddle, at the same time providing more cushion.
The saddle on my big touring bike (Surly Disk Trucker with 700c wheels/56cm frame) is a Brooks Flyer Special. I tried riding the saddle for a few months without padded shorts and tried to let my butt get used to it (braking both the saddle and my butt in). On longer day rides (above about 40mi or so) saddle soreness became a big issue. When I went to padded cycling shorts I tried a few pairs on at a shop that had a good selection and settled on the Canari's. I felt they were on the expensive side, but what was important to me was fit, performance, and quality and I am real happy with how they have turned out - which is why I got 2 more pairs of pretty much the same thing instead of looking elsewhere.
When my butt is in shape I can do day rides as far as I want to go with the shots and saddle alone. Recently I've been doing a few over-night runs 20mi back to back and the first time I did that my butt wasn't in shape so I used chamois cream on day 2. Since then I've been fine without. On multi-day tours I would be applying chamois cream daily.
Everyone is different. Everyone's fitment to any particular saddle is different. And everyone's ability to have their butt get used to any particular saddle is different. So there is no blanket 1 size fits all answer to this. The best thing is to take suggestions and try them yourself.
I agree, in part, with the post earlier that mentioned there is no such thing as a comfortable saddle. Why only "in part" is that doesn't apply to everyone. Some people will fit that category of not finding a "comfortable saddle", others are able to. In my case, the saddle alone on my bike isn't "comfortable" for long. I have only rarely rode it without bike shorts since I started wearing bike shorts. The combination of bike shorts and the saddle, for me, is much more comfortable, but I still get saddle soreness, I assume from abrasion. That is where the chamois cream comes in - it takes that last "edge" off to allow back-to-back days riding.
Padded saddles are good for not needing bike shorts with them. However, where you loose the advantage is if you spend a lot of time in the saddle riding - like if you are doing 40+ miles a day. The reason is, although the padding might seem "more comfortable", it is giving your rear end too much cushion to abrade against. For a short commute in your work clothes that might not matter, but try to do that all day long and you'll hit a wall. That is where harder saddles and good padded bike shorts come in - the abrasion is kept way down as the bike shorts slide pretty easy against the hard saddle, at the same time providing more cushion.