rbrides

What style chamois do most bike packers and touring folks use?

Bibs road bike?
MTB shorts?
something else?

6 to 8 hours in the saddle for 4 or 5 days might call for something special.

Tourist in MSN

For touring, I usually use shorts that have pockets installed. I am not sure what pockets have to do with mountain biking, but I find the ones I usually want for touring were marketed for mountain biking. I usually have a small wallet, maybe a small multi-tool and a bandana in my pocket when touring. I wanted a zippered pocket for the wallet.

If pockets are unimportant to you, road bike shorts would work too. I have done lots of 10 to 12 hour rides with road bike shorts.

From what I hear, I am quite unusual as I use underwear with my bike shorts. Synthetic fast drying type that is sold for travel use. I do not find it necessary to change bike shorts daily when the underwear get changed regularly.

dvdwmth

High quality bibs and take anti chaffing cream.

I've a had a couple of terrible chaffing problems on long rides in my life and they were bad enough that I don't chance it. The last time was a hubris distance day, and the only pain I have experienced on a bike as bad as that was, maybe, back pain in the days before I learned I'd been riding with my seat too high my whole life (i was fooled by the ridiculous racer mindset of the 80s/90s bike industry). It was such a bad day that for a month I actually considered giving up cycling, Thankfully I came to my senses.

The first time was when i just started biking and didn't realize you shouldn't wear underwear with bike shorts. I hadn't discovered boxer briefs yet and the edge of my underwear chaffed the inside of my leg.

If you can make it work so nothing is rubbing, you might be able to get by without chamois. I find the padding secondary to the lack of abrasion, but I've never gone all day without padding. I doubt it would be enjoyable so I wont be finding out.

cyccommute 

Regular bicycle shorts. Plain old black lycra ones with a pad. I gave up on hiking style shorts…even ones designed for bicycling…long ago. Very uncomfortable.

indyfabz

Bibs. They’re not just for road biking anymore.

veganbikes

Bibs all day. Also Bike Glide or Chamois Glide from Body Glide, easy to put on and works really well I have used it for years and years and years and years.

Bibs are great because they keep in place where shorts can move around more.

However you need to wear what is most comfortable for you. Also keep things nice and clean down there which you should do in general daily life but when out touring and bike packing it is extremely helpful to prevent sores and issues down there. Take some baby wipes or if you have access to bathing facilities use them. You will thank you

Tourist in MSN

Nine days ago shortly before 7am there were several of us in a waiting line outside a porta potty for a last minute waste extraction before starting a 200k brevet. Temp was in the 40s (F) with what would soon be a headwind in the teens (MPH), thus we were all wearing lots of layers. I had two jackets over my short sleeve jersey and long pants over my cycling shorts. And I was contemplating adding a polartec vest. A guy with bibs comes out of the porta potty having trouble holding all of his various layers that he had to put back on. It reminded me of why I have never had bibs instead of shorts.

indyfabz

I think you mean “expulsion” or “excretion”, not “extraction.” At least I hope you did.

Tourist in MSN

Yup.

Steve0000

Mountain bike shorts with separate inners,
You can wear them off the bike as normal shorts without the inners. I take two inners and alternate them wearing one and washing/drying the other.
Would not wear bib shorts on tour as problems with toileting and cannot double as streetwear. I used to use cycling shorts for many tours but have now changed to mtn bike shorts.

Tourist in MSN

One other option is to wear normal camping shorts or pants and bicycling undies for the padding. If you do an internet search for cycling underwear you find lots of options.

I have not done this myself for bike touring, but I have used bike undies under gym shorts in the winter when I use an exercise bike at the gym.

timdow

Regular bike shorts. I use lube otherwise I will get saddle sores! When touring, I lube up 2X time a day, and no issues.

What type of short of bib used is very individualistic. I personally tried many before finding the right short. YMMV

rbrides

Thanks all for sharing your practical advice. Tried and true.

djb

Ive always used regular padded bike shorts, but you just gotta listen to your own body. There are a million different brands of bike shorts out there, different styles and a wide range of prices. Unfortunately you really have to figure out on your own what type and brands/models works best for you.