What's the point of a chamois?
SimonAH
Posts: 3,730
I spent half an hour very carefully removing the chamois from my first set of tights ( bought 'cos trousers will not fit under my DHB trousers without Michelin comparisons). Now OK I don't ride audaxes but fairly regular 50 plus rides are in my repertoire. My sweet cheeks are glowing with health. I ran two rides with the 'chammy in place and felt like I was in a Pampers ad.
Just me?
Surely it would be nicer all round to just get a well fitting saddle than to stuff your pants with foam and the skin of fake baby deer?
Just me?
Surely it would be nicer all round to just get a well fitting saddle than to stuff your pants with foam and the skin of fake baby deer?
FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
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Comments
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I find it very comfortable and wouldn't like to ride much more than 20 miles without chamois. I commute without and it feels great getting on the bike at the weekend in proper shorts.
Horses for courses etc., or whatever the cervine equivalent is.0 -
One question, were you wearing underwear when you tried the tights with the chamois in place or did you go commando? If you had pants on that would account for the nappy in your pants feeling.0
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How did you unpick the chamois without ripping the lycra?!Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...0
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Baby dear? What got the goat?
It does seem 'counter intuitaive' to save 30g off a saddle and then sew 100g of 'shammy' (real or fake or more commonly these days 'Alcantara' which is fake suede) to your clothing to make up for it!
On my commute I wear just normal underwear, nothing special needed for 6.5 miles!
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
The Beginner wrote:Baby dear? What got the goat?
It does seem 'counter intuitaive' to save 30g off a saddle and then sew 100g of 'shammy' (real or fake or more commonly these days 'Alcantara' which is fake suede) to your clothing to make up for it!
On my commute I wear just normal underwear, nothing special needed for 6.5 miles!
Simon
I don't know about you mate, but my chamois has nothing to do with weight saving and everything to do with avoiding any number of painful chafing related injuries!Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...0 -
The Beginner wrote:Baby dear? What got the goat?
It does seem 'counter intuitaive' to save 30g off a saddle and then sew 100g of 'shammy' (real or fake or more commonly these days 'Alcantara' which is fake suede) to your clothing to make up for it!
On my commute I wear just normal underwear, nothing special needed for 6.5 miles!
Simon
Hear hear! Our arses are just too soft and pathetic these days. When I finished Uni, I cycled home from Leicester to Essex with no real training and wearing jeans and a t shirt.
However, 6.5 miles isn't very far. Once I started riding further, the joys of padded shorts became apparent but I still scoffed at those using chamois cream. Then I increased the mileage still further and found the saddle sores a convincing reason to get a pot of the gloopy stuff.Faster than a tent.......0 -
Aha! Now I know the real reason for the chamois and it has nothing to do with comfort, at least for gentlemen.........looking in the mirror as I got changed on arriving at the office this morning I realised that it was quite chilly out there this morning, something that I wouldn't have noticed prior to my chamois-ectomy. :shock: :oops:FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.0 -
Nope, you're not alone. I can't stand the padded things. I usually just wear baggies and boxers, although I've got a pair of unpadded fleeced (Roubaix I think) tights in case it turns *really* cold (with a pair of baggies over the top to avoid embarrassment/arrest). Not needed them yet though.Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.0
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Cycle to work in jeans - no padding. I did get a pair of padded tights last year when I began doing sportives but only wore them a couple of time as I found them hot and not that comfortable. Haven't worn them since even on 30+ mile rides.0
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I didn't used to wear padded shorts when my commute was shorter and on an MTB with a softer saddle. I do now I'm doing 30+ miles on a road bike day-in day-out. I'm sure my butt would toughen up until I had a week off for Xmas or a fortnight away in the summer. The thing is, I don't really see the downside of the chamois.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0
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But the chamois is not always effective in that department, as is all too apparent in that picture CJCP posted today in the SCR thread, or that old picture of the Polish cycling team :shock:SimonAH wrote:Aha! Now I know the real reason for the chamois and it has nothing to do with comfort, at least for gentlemen.........looking in the mirror as I got changed on arriving at the office this morning I realised that it was quite chilly out there this morning, something that I wouldn't have noticed prior to my chamois-ectomy. :shock: :oops:0
