Can we talk about shorts pads?

[Globalti]

The pad on the left is in my dhb 3/4 bibs, it is thin and covered in brushed fabric. It is superbly comfortable.

The pad on the right is in my dhb shorts, it is thick and squidgy and covered in a coarse material. The padding makes my bum hot and sweaty and the bones sink in and then the coarse material irritates my botty. They are comfortable at first but not after an hour, especially in warm weather.

I think the thinner pad is more like what you'd find in older shorts before pad makers got all clever with polymers and so on.

I want a decent quality pair of summer shorts with the thinner brushed pad. I've already had some useful info from Castelli but need to inspect their pads myself.

Any recommendations, suggestions?

 

[Bazzer]

Curiously I seem to sweat more and feel more uncomfortable, or at least am far more aware of it, in less padded shorts.
I have a pair of Ronhill shorts, I will only use for max 15 miles rides. Beyond that they feel horrible. Even today for a quick 10 miler into town, I was glad to get them off, when I was home. They have a soft feel padding.
My Funkier shorts on the other hand, which have thicker but more coarse padding, I can wear all day.
Arses for coarses?.

Edit for spelling.

 

[Roadrider48]

All of the Rapha shorts I have are by far the most comfy compared to others I have.
NOTE: Not looking for a conversation about Rapha prices, just the quality.

 

[ayceejay]

Somewhere around 1990 it was decided to change the purpose of the insert in cycling shorts, wool as the material for the shorts had been replaced by synthetic materials and now the 'pad' was to be a cushion rather than a sweat absorber. It is the moisture (sweat) that causes sores and companies like Assos work hard to find a way to wick this away from friction areas between bum and saddle. If the padding beneath the surface is there to aid in keeping this area dry it works but if it is a lump of sponge it doesn't.

 

[Globalti]

Spot on my friend! The second purpose of the pad was to prevent the material from folding and creasing between the legs.

So how to find a pair with less squidgy, sweaty padding, short of trudging round the shops?

 

[Eribiste]

I suspect that like saddles, what suits one may not suit another. I recently bought a pair of Boardman shorts, with what feels like localised additional support for the sit bones area in the pad. Anyway, I wore them to do a first imperial century ride, getting on for seven hours in the saddle with no problems. Whatever the technicalities of the pad construction are, they work for me.

 

[coffeejo]

The pad on the left is in my dhb 3/4 bibs, it is thin and covered in brushed fabric. It is superbly comfortable.

The pad on the right is in my dhb shorts, it is thick and squidgy and ciovered in a coarse material. The padding makes my bum hot and sweaty and the bones sink in and then the coarse material irritates my botty. They are comfortable at first but not after an hour, especially in warm weather.

I think the thinner pad is more like what you'd find in older shorts before pad makers got all clever with polymers and so on.

I want a decent quality pair of summer shorts with the thinner brushed pad. I've already had some useful info from Castelli but need to inspect their pads myself.

Any recommendations, suggestions?

I have the same issue with my dhb 3/4 bibs vs bibs shorts. The explanation about sweat never occurred to me but it makes sense since I only wear the 3/4s in late autumn, winter and early spring.

I suspect that like saddles, what suits one may not suit another. I recently bought a pair of Boardman shorts, with what feels like localised additional support for the sit bones area in the pad. Anyway, I wore them to do a first imperial century ride, getting on for seven hours in the saddle with no problems. Whatever the technicalities of the pad construction are, they work for me.

I've just bought some new Altura bibs as they're comfier than my dhbs over long distances but might give the Boardman a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that. Also going to give Endura a whirl, but not until I can get up to the Bristol Evans store to try them on. In the meantime, I'll keep saving for the top end shorts!

 

[downfader]

The stolen goat ones work well imo. It has the modern padding materials but deals with the sweat issues by having small holes punched into the sponge. Its about the same thickness as the Castelli pad but completely different in construction.

 

[Apollonius]

The point about sweat is spot on. I like to "talc-up" rather than chamois cream before a ride to stay drier longer. The fit is also vital. And bib shorts stay in place better and longer than waisted shorts. I would say it is more about the fit than the pad, and most of all about the pad staying put and not slipping or gripping!

 

[Globalti]

My problem is that, comparatively late in life, I've got a few very small haemorrhoids, which are easily irritated by sweat and friction. But even in my thirties, on seven-hour Polaris events when the pad was almost always wet with gritty muddy water I used to find that a smear of Vaseline on the area solved the problem.

 

[downfader]

My problem is that, comparatively late in life, I've got a few very small haemorrhoids, which are easily irritated by sweat and friction. But even in my thirties, on seven-hour Polaris events when the pad was almost always wet with gritty muddy water I used to find that a smear of Vaseline on the area solved the problem.

As an aside I've got to say.. often wonder why many riders spend £12 on a small tub of chamois butter when a 99p petroleum jelly tub of the same size will often suffice in my experience..

 

[youngoldbloke]

The shorts I wore in the 60s actually had a chamois leather insert - not really a pad - hence 'chamois' cream, 'chamois' butter, and shorts I bought in the early 90s had a very thin fake chamois insert. Not padding but an intermediate layer that moved with your body, so avoiding chafing.

 

[Globalti]

As an aside I've got to say.. often wonder why many riders spend £12 on a small tub of chamois butter when a 99p petroleum jelly tub of the same size will often suffice in my experience..

Chamois cream, like facial cream or lotion is nothing more than an emulsion of oil, possibly some wax and probably petroleum jelly with water, so yes, a waste of money.

 

[zacklaws]

The logic behind chamois cream is not just to reduce friction etc to reduce sores but it is its antibacterial ingredients which benefit a rider to prevent saddle sores and infections which can put you out of action. I make my own chamois cream, all antibacterial products and for what you pay for a small tub, I can make a kilo at a time. Sadly Boots have doubled the price on one of the ingredients, and just because they put it into a tub with a dispenser and put £4 on the price. Robbing sods.

As for having a chamois pad in your shorts, I found out last year, you do not need one. On a 240 mile Audax, realised after 13 miles, I only had my unpadded bib tights on and forgot to put my padded shorts on, as it would waste to much time turning back, I carried on and it never crossed my mind till I finished and never suffered in any way.

 

[Mo1959]

As for having a chamois pad in your shorts, I found out last year, you do not need one. On a 240 mile Audax, realised after 13 miles, I only had my unpadded bib tights on and forgot to put my padded shorts on, as it would waste to much time turning back, I carried on and it never crossed my mind till I finished and never suffered in any way.

Interesting someone else finds the same. I have done the odd ride just with Ronhill Tracksters and have been perfectly comfortable too.