# Where is padding on cycle shorts supposed to fit?



## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

After riding 6-7 days a week when I got my new bike in August, yesterday was my first day on the trails again after 10 days of raining/me having a cold. I thought I would be tired and rusty, but in fact I rode about 18 miles, which is around twice as long as I usually ride. 

My ass is pretty sore today. Towards the end of the ride, I knew it would be.... i messed around with the padding in my shorts to try and get them over my seat-bones but they wouldn't stay. They padding bunches up forward/down of my seatbones. 

Is the padding supposed to be under the seatbones? Seems like an obvious questions, but everyone advises against padded seats for sore glutes... is the padding on lined shorts any different? Is the lining more for the crotch area and chafing protection? 

I'm hoping the soreness goes away... I haven't been sore very often on the shorter rides so hopefully it's not purely a seat fit issue. Maybe those lined shorts don't fit me as well as I thought?


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

The pad isn't supposed to protect your ass bones, it's to absorb moisture and prevent chafing. It sounds like it is in the right place.


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## GDubT (Apr 13, 2010)

The pad covers you're taint area. Keeps the rubbing motion to a minimun. No one likes their taint rubbed the wrong way.


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## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

All of my chamois most definitely cover the sit bones and do a good job of it. The more fancy chamois will actually have the sit bone areas built up w/ more substantial padding. In the end it's going to depend on the design of your individual shorts. 

If your chamois is sliding around a lot, it sounds like maybe they are to big for you.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Sid Nitzerglobin said:


> All of my chamois most definitely cover the sit bones and do a good job of it. The more fancy chamois will actually have the sit bone areas built up w/ more substantial padding. In the end it's going to depend on the design of your individual shorts.
> 
> If your chamois is sliding around a lot, it sounds like maybe they are to big for you.


+1......I have also found that the liner shorts I have tried don't keep the padding in place as well as regular cycling shorts.


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## TwoHeadsBrewing (Aug 28, 2009)

Personally, I hate padded bike shorts. They do a great job of absorbing moisture and holding it in the taint area, and alternately jamming it up my crack like an adult diaper. No more for me, I ride with just "liner" or lycra compression shorts under baggies now. Much better, more breathable, lighter, and still prevents chafing. YMMV.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

If a word like "bunching" can apply to your chamois, it doesn't fit right.

A lot of shorts come with way too much. I think there should be some in between the saddle and anywhere my butt presses on it, but just enough to keep things dry and unchafed.

You might be more comfortable in cycling shorts with a thinner chamois with more of a shape to it. It should be kind of like a potato chip, not like a tortilla, in terms of being more than just a flat piece of something.


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## LaLD (May 18, 2007)

GDubT said:


> No one likes their taint rubbed the wrong way.


That taint no joke :thumbsup:


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## HamfisT (Mar 31, 2010)

If your lycra sags like a wet diaper, they're too big... or you wet your diaper!

All my shorts, lined baggies, bibs, or regular lycra shorts, have a chamois that covers my sit bones.


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## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

Sid Nitzerglobin said:


> If your chamois is sliding around a lot, it sounds like maybe they are to big for you.


Well, it has been sliding around, but I've been wearing (cotton) boxer briefs under. That could be part of it. I did some searches and apparently chamois shorts are designed to be worn commando. Just need to make sure I shower before and after, so I don't have to do laundry every other day for my 2 pairs of shorts. I'll probably just get some liners, so I can wear boardshorts or whatever I want.

Thanks for the info.


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## gabe23 (Aug 28, 2010)

Yeah, cotton under the lycra is definitely the problem. The fit should be skin tight and they shouldn't move at all during the ride. I've got a couple pairs of baggy MTB shorts with a chamois liner, but I really prefer the tights that I can wear under cargo shorts. When I find them on sale I buy a pair or two, and I've got about a week's worth now. Performance Bike often marks theirs down and you can get them for under $20 a pair.



GotoDengo said:


> Well, it has been sliding around, but I've been wearing (cotton) boxer briefs under. That could be part of it. I did some searches and apparently chamois shorts are designed to be worn commando. Just need to make sure I shower before and after, so I don't have to do laundry every other day for my 2 pairs of shorts. I'll probably just get some liners, so I can wear boardshorts or whatever I want.
> 
> Thanks for the info.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I rinse my cycling shorts in the shower, and rotate a few pairs.


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## WR304 (Jul 9, 2004)

The pad really depends on the design of the shorts. If you feel that one brand isn't working for you then try a different one because there can be large differences between how the shorts padding is designed. There should definitely be padding where your sit bones are in touch with the saddle. 

If you're wearing cycling shorts then they should be tight enough that they don't slip around whilst riding. If you're wearing shorts that are slipping down either get a smaller size or use some elastic braces to hold them up. The big danger with slipping shorts is that they can get caught on the saddle at unfortunate moments.


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## jyellard (Sep 20, 2009)

I wear lycra padded shorts with a pair of basketball type shorts over them and it works great. You need to go commando.


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## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

Yeah, generally speaking you need to go commando.

You probably want to get at least 2-3 decent pair of liners/shorts/bibs (dependent on how often you ride, at one point I was going road training 6-7 days a week so I have 'em coming out of my ears).

I had some success w/ the UnderArmour 9" inseam boxer briefs under my chamois starting out, but once I started piling on the miles they started to get annoying. I have been wearing the UA briefs under my 661 Elite Bomber shorts since they seem kinda rough, but the chamois on those doesn't seem substantial enough for me to have an issue with it bunching up so far. 

Another thing to consider is getting bibs instead of shorts for any future cycling bottom purchase. They keep the chamois (and the rest of the shorts) in place way better for me that the liners that came w/ my baggies. They generally run ~$10 more than the equivalent shorts, but it's seemed worth it for me.


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