Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
Reload this Page >

Seat versus chamois. Why is pad location important?

Notices
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Looking to lose that spare tire? Ideal weight 200+? Frustrated being a large cyclist in a sport geared for the ultra-light? Learn about the bikes and parts that can take the abuse of a heavier cyclist, how to keep your body going while losing the weight, and get support from others who've been successful.

Seat versus chamois. Why is pad location important?

Old 08-08-15, 07:47 PM
  #1  
Haff
Runaway Breadtruck
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Merrimack, nh
Posts: 279

Bikes: Trek Fuel EX 8, Giant Defy Advanced 2, TT Cruiser, GT Zaskar, Diggler scooter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Seat versus chamois. Why is pad location important?

I've seen it stated time and again here. A soft seat is bad, but a soft chamois is good. In both cases its a pad between my crotch and the hard part of the seat, so why does it matter where the pad lives?

sorry if this is answered somewhere already. I did some searching, but did not find the answer.
Haff is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 07:53 PM
  #2  
jtaylor996
INSERT_TITLE_HERE
 
jtaylor996's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 5,203

Bikes: 2016 Cannondale Synapse 105, 2016 Salsa Pony Rustler X01

Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3053 Post(s)
Liked 66 Times in 38 Posts
I keep asking the same damn question and have yet to be an answer...
jtaylor996 is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 08:03 PM
  #3  
Dave Cutter
Senior Member
 
Dave Cutter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: D'uh... I am a Cutter
Posts: 6,159

Bikes: '17 Access Old Turnpike Gravel bike, '14 Trek 1.1, '13 Cannondale CAAD 10, '98 CAD 2, R300

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1571 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 9 Posts
People forget the real purpose of the chamois. It isn't for "padding" it's to absorb movement. Back in the day.... wool or cotton shorts and/or underwear would create friction between the cyclist and the saddle. Of course the result was blisters.

So layers of soft chamois goat skins were loosely stitched together and worn next to the skin of the cyclist. The cyclists moist sweaty skin would cause the soft leather to more-or-less adhere to the skin and any movement would be isolated in the loose layers of the chamois... preventing blisters.

Of course the new cushy stuff works great too!
Dave Cutter is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 08:08 PM
  #4  
Haff
Runaway Breadtruck
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Merrimack, nh
Posts: 279

Bikes: Trek Fuel EX 8, Giant Defy Advanced 2, TT Cruiser, GT Zaskar, Diggler scooter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
so..... if I put kinesio tape on my crotch i wonder if that would work as well.
Haff is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 08:19 PM
  #5  
Dave Cutter
Senior Member
 
Dave Cutter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: D'uh... I am a Cutter
Posts: 6,159

Bikes: '17 Access Old Turnpike Gravel bike, '14 Trek 1.1, '13 Cannondale CAAD 10, '98 CAD 2, R300

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1571 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 9 Posts
Originally Posted by Haff
so..... if I put kinesio tape on my crotch i wonder if that would work as well.
Can't hurt to try! OR... you could put a few layers of super soft goat skin on one hand and tape your other hand and see if they feel the same.
Dave Cutter is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 08:39 PM
  #6  
mkadam68
Senior Member
 
mkadam68's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Eastern Tennessee.
Posts: 3,694

Bikes: 2012 MotorHouse road bike. No. You can't get one.

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 9 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by Dave Cutter
People forget the real purpose of the chamois. It isn't for "padding" it's to absorb movement. Back in the day.... wool or cotton shorts and/or underwear would create friction between the cyclist and the saddle. Of course the result was blisters.

So layers of soft chamois goat skins were loosely stitched together and worn next to the skin of the cyclist. The cyclists moist sweaty skin would cause the soft leather to more-or-less adhere to the skin and any movement would be isolated in the loose layers of the chamois... preventing blisters.

Of course the new cushy stuff works great too!
There ya go.

You're not looking for a "soft chamois" whatever that even is. You're looking for a friction barrier.
mkadam68 is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 09:01 PM
  #7  
jsigone
got the climbing bug
 
jsigone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,204

Bikes: one for everything

Mentioned: 81 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 632 Post(s)
Liked 908 Times in 273 Posts
better padded bibs over padded saddle. Pads shouldn't be really soft, but more for wicking away sweat so there isn't a friction problem. So many man made fabrics out there that bib pads change year after year.

Hell my saddle doesn't even have padding Fizik Kurve...
__________________
Rule #10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
jsigone is offline  
Old 08-08-15, 09:30 PM
  #8  
Dave Cutter
Senior Member
 
Dave Cutter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: D'uh... I am a Cutter
Posts: 6,159

Bikes: '17 Access Old Turnpike Gravel bike, '14 Trek 1.1, '13 Cannondale CAAD 10, '98 CAD 2, R300

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1571 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 9 Posts
Originally Posted by jsigone
...... my saddle doesn't even have padding Fizik Kurve...
Yeah.... my favorite saddle a Stella is pretty firm as well.

I ride a road bike.... so a lot of padding isn't really needed (or desirable) if the cyclists distributes their weight between the three contact points... hands-handlebar, feet-pedals, seat-saddle. Although this distribution might be more difficult with some other bicycle set-ups.

But big cushy padded saddles or shorts isn't really a fix no matter what your ride.

The saddle should be sized for the cyclists sit bones. The area will toughen over time... but there is a break-in (sore behind) period for new cyclists. Remember the soreness is just a natural part of the learning curve. Give yourself time to heal and adjust.

Some of the sore-behind is caused by blood pooling in the large muscles. Stand-up frequently when cycling and allow the blood to circulate.
Dave Cutter is offline  
Old 08-09-15, 08:16 AM
  #9  
Drew Eckhardt 
Senior Member
 
Drew Eckhardt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mountain View, CA USA and Golden, CO USA
Posts: 6,341

Bikes: 97 Litespeed, 50-39-30x13-26 10 cogs, Campagnolo Ultrashift, retroreflective rims on SON28/PowerTap hubs

Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 550 Post(s)
Liked 325 Times in 226 Posts
Originally Posted by Haff
I've seen it stated time and again here. A soft seat is bad, but a soft chamois is good.
A soft chamois is bad for the same reasons - it puts pressure on soft tissues like your pudendal nerve leading to pain and other discomfort.

Chamois are to prevent chafing - they wick sweat and move with you while the short stays with the seat - not provide padding.

My worn out shorts from 1997 with flat synthetic leather chamois are more comfortable than all the modern diaper shorts I've tried (Louis Garneau, Pearl Izumi, Performance) except maybe my Voler shorts with the Elastic Interface Technology Comp HP pad using 120 kg/m^3 foam under the sit bones.

The Boure PRO short and bib are still made like that. Great chamois, although I can feel the thicker material wrinkling pedaling and they're short in front so they don't mate to all jerseys.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg
menschms2.JPG (68.4 KB, 6 views)

Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 08-11-15 at 02:46 PM.
Drew Eckhardt is offline  
Old 08-09-15, 08:38 AM
  #10  
baron von trail 
Senior Member
 
baron von trail's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 3,509

Bikes: 3 good used ones

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
It's not about padding. It's about moisture wicking and heat absorption. Hard seats are fine. Pants that allow sweat to stay against the skin are not. Bike pants are designed to shed heat and pull moisture away from the skin.
baron von trail is offline  
Old 08-09-15, 05:16 PM
  #11  
brawlo
Senior Member
 
brawlo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,210
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 288 Post(s)
Liked 76 Times in 57 Posts
One lesson I've learned since changing saddles, is that bibs and their chamois can be just as personal as saddles. Since changing saddles, bibs that were not comfortable on the old saddle are better with the new one and vice versa. Adding chamois cream adds a whole new dimension too
brawlo is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bikehoco
General Cycling Discussion
26
07-20-17 02:47 AM
Indrid_Cold
Road Cycling
12
07-02-14 05:13 PM
volrus
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
6
09-20-12 02:47 PM
newfhntr
Recreational & Family
6
05-25-11 05:05 PM
cvcman
General Cycling Discussion
17
04-25-11 05:16 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.