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Why bike shorts?

5K views 73 replies 43 participants last post by  vertex112 
#1 ·
I've ridden regularly for about 20 months and don't understand why so many posts recommend getting padded bike shorts. It makes more sense to me just to get a larger padded seat. Why should I purchase special purpose clothing in order to ride? I'm very comfortable without bike shorts thanks to the bigger saddle I purchased. Anyone else feel this way? Are the shorts mostly for aesthetics? I admit big seats do look sillier, but I don't really care. I want comfort and I found it.
 
#2 ·
It's not so much the padding that makes cycling shorts useful; it's the lack of seams. Wearing regular underwear can result in chaffing after a long ride due to all the seams in the crotch area of the underwear. Wearing cycling shorts (without underwear) diminishes the chances of getting this chaffing.

This mainly applies to road riding since you're on your saddle so much. For off-road, you can typically get away without cycling shorts since you're out of your saddle so much.
 
#3 ·
Depends on how and why you cycle. If you just doing a couple of miles here and there a padded seat may be fine, but as mileage and speed increases an overly padded seat becomes more and more intolerable, to the point where, for me, it's painful to ride on.

For me bike shorts and skinny saddles are the only way to ride comfortably.

Here's a good piece on bike saddles and it's the bike saddle you choose that could decide whether you need padded shorts or not.

http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bicycleseats.html
 
#6 ·
I wear jeans and usual boxers, (or my special racing thong if im feeling sassy :thumbsup: ) never even thought of that as being a problem. But I don't sit down for a whole lot of my riding.
I figured padded shorts would be for downhill racing, and obviously theres an advantage to the ripstop material. I have some azonic rhythms which are awesome, but i don't usually wear em.
 
#7 ·
jeffgothro said:
IMO its just a bunch of hype, I've had the shorts with no noticable benifits, I wear jeans and freeball so I aint to worried about chaffing, in fact I never have...there it is there.
The above quote mirrors my opinion.

I live in Florida and ride in 90 degree + temps. I even wear "sport" boxers under my shorts with no chaffing problem. I know some ride a lot longer and more frequently than I do so maybe for them it's a necessity but some posts make it seem like you're crazy if you don't wear biking shorts.
 
#8 ·
Apparently, lots of people find padded shorts necessary for riding any significant time/distance. I've never tried them so I don't know what I am missing.

The longest ride I've done so far was a bit over 70km + about 20km to get to the starting point and back. That makes ... around 60 miles total. No discomfort "down there" and I used a pretty skinny seat: Fizik Nisene HP. I cannot stand wide or soft seats. I rode a singlespeed bike, so I probably did not spend as much time sitting down as some others.

One thing is that cotton is the enemy in any bike clothing, whether it is shirts, shorts, pants or socks. When cotton gets wet it stays that way and feels really nasty.
 
#12 ·
chas_martel said:
I just miss the skills needed to ride in baggies.

How do you guys keep from catching your crotch on the rear of your seat
after finishing a steep down section of trail that required you to get over the
rear wheel?
Bingo.............

Plus the chaffing.
 
#15 ·
Bike shorts padding is in key spots for comfort and they wick away the sweat that cotton shorts hold in and gain weight , stretch and start to come down. I like nature but don't want to see that. Big padded seats push up between your legs and restrict blood flow along with some of the skinny seats. A fitted seat is the best thing because you don't feel blood flow restriction it just happens with out warning over a period of time. Have seen the test on blood flow performed does not take long.
 
#18 ·
chas_martel said:
I just miss the skills needed to ride in baggies.

How do you guys keep from catching your crotch on the rear of your seat
after finishing a steep down section of trail that required you to get over the
rear wheel?
I dont catch my pants...mabie because I keep my seat a little lower then whats recommended.
 
#19 ·
I chafe if I don't wear them. Some people do, some don't. I wear baggies with a padded liner and can't definitely tell the difference in comfort. Also, you don't snag mtb baggies by wearing them high like you're supposed to, those guys getting snagged are the ones sagging.
 
#21 ·
sxr-racer said:
your knees will love you later....
I only ride about an inch mabie inch and a half at most below recommened. I know all about the knee stuff and my knees are fine, but thaks for your concern. :) :thumbsup:

Oh yeah, like the other guy said, I dont sag my baggys, I'm not a pretend gangster.
 
#22 ·
I have been through many padded saddles, and finally learned that a minimalist, lightweight, flexy saddle offers the best comfort for my buns. It's true- a thin, flexible saddle is far more comfortable, than a bulky, gel-padded monstrosity. Try them both for a few rides, and see what I mean. Padded shorts is a personal preference thing, just like saddles. I wear them myself, to offer some comfort, on epic rides. However, this is optional.
 
#25 ·
Stelth said:
I've ridden regularly for about 20 months and don't understand why so many posts recommend getting padded bike shorts. It makes more sense to me just to get a larger padded seat. Why should I purchase special purpose clothing in order to ride? I'm very comfortable without bike shorts thanks to the bigger saddle I purchased. Anyone else feel this way? Are the shorts mostly for aesthetics? I admit big seats do look sillier, but I don't really care. I want comfort and I found it.
I was in your camp of thought for a few years, then I bought my first pair of real biking shorts. I was convinced pretty quickly of the benefit. It just works better for me. I should say that I don't believe in a super soft seat OR thickly padded shorts. However having some minimal padding in just the right spots and a firm seat that fits just right is the way to go.
 
#26 ·
I started off riding without padded shorts but after I got some chafing and tried them I never could go back and it was not for lack of trying. Granted I wear them under light weight shorts and I know that diminishes their effectiveness somewhat but still my butt loves them and I can ride much more aggressively too.
 
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