What is the point of padded shorts?

Mr Will · February 2012

Okay, bear with me on this one, I know the vast majority use them and preach them as the solution to sore backsides, but I'm not sure it's true...

I ride at least 20 miles per day on a road bike with a fairly typical road saddle (Fizik Pave CX) and I just wear normal clothes without any issues. I do own a couple of pairs which I use for longer rides when I am lycra'd up, but even comparing the 50+ mile rides I've done with and without them, I don't notice any significant difference. If anything, the rides in the shorts are slightly worse.

Am I just lucky? Are my shorts particularly bad? Or is your behind toughening up far more of an issue than the clothing you wear and it is just being attributed to shorts as beginners tend to buy them at about the same time as they start doing longer rides?

wishitwasallflat · February 2012

I rode without pads for over a year and then got padded bib tights to see if it was confier and it was and now would never ride without padded - so it wasn't a new to it thing for me - I reckon you are just lucky not to need (or want) them as it will save you money

Muffintop · February 2012

I never wear padded shorts now. I do own a couple of pairs but wouldn't wear them by choice. I tend to wear running tights/shorts because they come seamless. I think if you get used to wearing them they become a necessity.

rhext · February 2012

I use both padded and unpadded, and I must confess I struggle to tell the difference. It might depend on your riding pattern though: I use the bike for commuting, so I've got 10*12 mile rides a week. It might be a different story if I went on a single 100-mile ride every Saturday.

MattC59 · February 2012

I'd suggest that you've got an ar*e made of cast iron and if your shorts make things worse in the saddle, then your shorts are sh!t.

LangerDan · February 2012

Mr Will · February 2012

MattC59 wrote:

I'd suggest that you've got an ar*e made of cast iron and if your shorts make things worse in the saddle, then your shorts are sh!t.

My hypothesis is that the saddle fits me, but the extra width created by the padding stops it fitting quite as well - hence the difference

cougie · February 2012

Interesting.

I wear padded bibs when I'm out on my Sunday rides - so for anything from 50 to 100 miles or so.

I dont bother with padded shorts for spin classes of up to an hour.

When I race Ironman distance (112 miles) the trisuit has a minimal pad in as you need to run as well, and I find its just as comfortable as normal shorts.

It may be a different case if I was to get long rides in day after day though.

kingrollo · February 2012

I can't beleive people do serious cycling without them. Theres all sorts of nerves and stuff around there - that can be easily damaged - and if youre really unlucky it can lead to some permanent and horrible injuries.
Anything other than a quick ride to the shops its padded for me.

fossyant · February 2012

You don't want chaffed skin down there. Padded shorts, and half decent ones, all the time. You'll be telling us you ride in jeans next.

Bordersroadie · February 2012

Assuming you're not just riding to the pub or nipping to the shop, so. . .

. . .assuming you're going to get changed into some "cycling gear", the more revealing question is

"What is the point of NOT wearing padded shorts?"

k3vinjam3s · February 2012

im new to road cycling (in fact my road bike hasnt arrived yet but nearly here). which padded shorts do people recommend? im a big size though and they all look small fitting.

wishitwasallflat · February 2012

k3vinjam3s wrote:

im new to road cycling (in fact my road bike hasnt arrived yet but nearly here). which padded shorts do people recommend? im a big size though and they all look small fitting.

You won't go far wrong with anything from dhb (Wiggle in house brand) for quality cost and sizing - I have a lot of things from them and their sizing is both accurate and normal (in my experience cycling clothing is not made for normal UK physiques

).

eede · February 2012

I find the pad give me something nice to rub Assos chamois cream into. I find the cream does more than the pad, especially after a few days of long rides back to back.

Rich Hcp · February 2012

wishitwasallflat wrote:

k3vinjam3s wrote:

im new to road cycling (in fact my road bike hasnt arrived yet but nearly here). which padded shorts do people recommend? im a big size though and they all look small fitting.

You won't go far wrong with anything from dhb (Wiggle in house brand) for quality cost and sizing - I have a lot of things from them and their sizing is both accurate and normal (in my experience cycling clothing is not made for normal UK physiques ).

dhb or Shutt VR.

The rest seem ok, but after a bit of use and washes they go a bit flat, dhb & SVR don't seem to do this.

essjaydee · February 2012

Another thumbs up for DHB clothing

Good price for great quality gear 8)

I've found on most cycling clothing, if you order one size up from normal, then it fits pretty good. I'm usually an XL on tops, so went XXL with DHB jersey and fit is spot on.

godders1 · February 2012

I have a few pairs of Santini shorts from Prendas and like them alot. They go up to 5XL and if you email them your measurements they'll recommend the right size for you. Excellent service.

http://www.prendas.co.uk/list.asp?typ=typ&ID=5

rake · February 2012

the idea is to pad your behind while bicycling.

daysofspeed · February 2012

k3vinjam3s wrote:

im new to road cycling (in fact my road bike hasnt arrived yet but nearly here). which padded shorts do people recommend? im a big size though and they all look small fitting.

Also a newbie - I got Altura bib shorts from Evans in the sale. Brilliant. Can't fault them (I look like the crazy frog in them but that's not Altura's fault).

Rouge Penguin · February 2012

The Zipvit bibs were excellent value, i paid £26 for a pair.

The difference between a decent set and the cheaper shorts is huge. Ive worn the DHB stuff for a couple of years, and they have been fine. The bibs on the other hand are 4 or 5 times the padding, and make the longer rides much nicer for the old boy and barse.

I'd guess they're more like the pro sets that cost 3x the amount.

Mr Will · February 2012

fossyant wrote:

You don't want chaffed skin down there. Padded shorts, and half decent ones, all the time. You'll be telling us you ride in jeans next.

Yep, ride in jeans pretty regularly, sometimes 50 miles in a day (10 miles to work, 20 to where my daughter lives, 20 home again) and never had any problems. I am getting a bit close to "KOM build" for my liking though, which probably has a bearing on this.

Bordersroadie wrote:

Assuming you're not just riding to the pub or nipping to the shop, so. . .
. . .assuming you're going to get changed into some "cycling gear", the more revealing question is
"What is the point of NOT wearing padded shorts?"

When I change in to cycling gear then yes, I do wear them, but the majority of my cycling is A-B rather than A-A so most of the time I just wear whatever I want to be wearing at the other end. The one exception to that is cycling shoes (I much prefer being clipped in). Never noticed a significant comfort difference either way.

Glad to hear that though I'm unusual, I'm not the only one! Wish I knew the reason rather than having to attribute it to luck though - it can't just be my arse!

andy_wrx · February 2012

More important is the saddle.

I'm with Sheldon Brown on this
http://sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html

cryocon · February 2012

Pads are not just to keep your bum comfy, but a decent pad is antibacterial and will soak up the sweat and stop you getting a rash. Combined with a good chamois creame you won't get a sore @rse. Those who don't use padded shorts must either have the perfect saddle, plenty of fat on the @rse or not sweat at all. I guess everyone is different, so there's no right or wrong answer. Padded shorts with creame works for me.

What is the point of padded shorts?

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