# Sit bones never line up with short pads



## AeroJunky

Is it just me (I doubt it), or has anyone else ever noticed that their sit bones never line up anywhere close to the actual padding in shorts? Why would I want extra padding in the center of the short anyway, where it could just add to the material that pushes into the nerves and arteries?

I've been biking for about thirty years now and I have never had a pair of shorts with good padding that is actually located under the sit bones. I always wear out, and sit hardest, on the edge of the pads. As far as I know, manufacturers use one pad size for all their short sizes, so I don't know how most people could possibly get a good pad placement. 

Does anyone have a pair of shorts with an amazing pad that fits any better?

Here's a pic of the spot where my sit bones always hit on the shorts. (where my thumb is)


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## JCavilia

Maybe try some different brands/models of shorts? I don't that problem. Different shorts have different shapes of chamois.


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## Migen21

I have experienced this. For me, unfortunately, it's particularly challenging with some of the the higher end brands. I shredded two Assos Cento chamois' because they just hit me in the wrong place (fit was fine). 

The older Assos Mille fits me fine, as does the pair of Rapha I have. Oddly, I have a few pairs of less expensive bibs of various brands (performance, nashbar, novara, etc...) and the chamois pad is fine. The problem I usually have with these cheaper brands is the chamois doesn't work well in the thigh crease area and I end up chaffing with them.

The lesson I learned is, to try them on (if at all possible), or buy them from a retailer with a generous return policy.


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## Lombard

Migen21 said:


> ......the chamois doesn't work well in the thigh crease area and I end up chaffing with them.


This is the problem I am having right now. Strangely, I have been riding over 20K miles without ever having this problem which just cropped up last month. I lost a little weight which may have something to do with it.......maybe.


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## AeroJunky

Ya, I've always mail-ordered my shorts, which is probably not the nest way to buy shorts.


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## Migen21

Lombard said:


> This is the problem I am having right now. Strangely, I have been riding over 20K miles without ever having this problem which just cropped up last month. I lost a little weight which may have something to do with it.......maybe.


Weight loss, or muscle loss in the thighs could cause the shorts to ride up into your thigh crease. This definitely happened in my case. It's was drove me to looking at higher quality bibs. They (generally) seem to have better quality grips in the thighs, and seems to have a more snug fit.


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## Lombard

Migen21 said:


> Weight loss, or muscle loss in the thighs could cause the shorts to ride up into your thigh crease. This definitely happened in my case. It's was drove me to looking at higher quality bibs. They (generally) seem to have better quality grips in the thighs, and seems to have a more snug fit.



I've been doing a ton of riding, so while I lost a little weight recently, I doubt I lost any muscle mass in my thighs. 

I've been using Pearl Isumi Elite and Elite Inner-Cool shorts for quite some time without problems. A medium on my still feels quite snug with no bunching, and I really have to do the shake and dance after putting them on to get everything in the right place.


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## Migen21

Lombard said:


> I've been doing a ton of riding, so while I lost a little weight recently, I doubt I lost any muscle mass in my thighs.
> 
> I've been using Pearl Isumi Elite and Elite Inner-Cool shorts for quite some time without problems. A medium on my still feels quite snug with no bunching, and I really have to do the shake and dance after putting them on to get everything in the right place.


I've ridden 7500 miles this year so far. My most ever. I've lost about 5lbs on the scale, but I'm definitely leaner, and my legs are a little thinner than at the start of the year. It's definitely noticeable on some of my bibs.


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## duriel

U have the widest seat bones I have ever seen~


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## Peter P.

I would trying women's shorts. Due to their wider pelvic width, they may position the chamois differently or use a wider shaped pad than men's shorts.

I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference if you were wearing them.


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## tlg

It's brand/body shape specific. I've had some where my sit bones were all the way on the very back end of the pad. And others where they're right where they're supposed to be. Sometimes even the same brand but different models.


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## AeroJunky

Too bad there's not some calculation to be able to order shorts with a correctly located pad the first time.


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## tlg

AeroJunky said:


> Too bad there's not some calculation to be able to order shorts with a correctly located pad the first time.


Like with ALL clothing. You're taking a big risk if you don't try it on before you buy.

Even ignoring the pad issue, the fit among different brands is reason enough to try them on first.


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## JCavilia

AeroJunky said:


> Ya, I've always mail-ordered my shorts, which is probably not the nest way to buy shorts.


well, I guess it depends. I've never had any trouble with it; maybe I've just been lucky. I've used Performance house-brand shorts for the last 25 years without any issues.

What brand/model are those shorts? That looks like a weirdly-shaped pad IME. Here's a shot of a pair of Performance Elite shorts from a similar angle.


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## Lombard

tlg said:


> Like with ALL clothing. You're taking a big risk if you don't try it on before you buy.



Do you know of a store that lets you try on bike shorts? This would be like allowing people to try on underwear which I doubt any stores will allow.


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## tlg

Lombard said:


> Do you know of a store that lets you try on bike shorts? This would be like allowing people to try on underwear which I doubt any stores will allow.


Any/all of them. 
Leave your undies on. Really no different than trying on a swimsuit. 
How do you know that the shorts you bought online weren't returned by someone else because they didn't fit?

The Gross Truth About Trying On A New Swimsuit | Huffington Post
Even though the risk is remote, there are some simple ways to minimize the risk of contact during a swimsuit shopping spree. 
1.*Wear protection. Because swimsuit liners can be easily removed and are often worn by more than one person, Tierno recommends keeping your underwear on when trying them on. Then, be sure to wash that pair of undies when you get home.
*2.Wash your suit. Buying a new swimsuit that’s been tried on by others is very much like buying used clothing from a thrift store in terms of germs, says Tierno. Pop your new suit in the washing machine before heading to the beach. Soapy water will dislodge the germs that may otherwise make you sick. Even for men, who may be less likely to try on trunks in the dressing room, washing is still key. The articles often come from foreign countries and have been contaminated, not only by dirty hands, but by germ-ridden machinery.
3.Hit the sink. It’s not only about cleaning the swimsuit — cleaning yourself is just as vital when it comes to trying on swimwear. “Hand washing is the single most important thing to do to protect yourself after handling dirty items,” Tierno tells The Huffington Post. “So don’t go to eat directly after buying your swimsuit.”


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## Jay Strongbow

yes, I've had that issue.
When I first started riding I bought shorts a bit to big not realizing they work better when really really tight.
Not always perfect center not that I get them super tight but good enough.
I don't know if the pad is different size in the smaller shorts or not but it's definitely better positioned for me. yes, I'm talking about a compare of same brand same model in different sizes.


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## Lombard

tlg said:


> Any/all of them.
> Leave your undies on. Really no different than trying on a swimsuit.
> How do you know that the shorts you bought online weren't returned by someone else because they didn't fit?
> 
> The Gross Truth About Trying On A New Swimsuit | Huffington Post
> Even though the risk is remote, there are some simple ways to minimize the risk of contact during a swimsuit shopping spree.
> 1.*Wear protection. Because swimsuit liners can be easily removed and are often worn by more than one person, Tierno recommends keeping your underwear on when trying them on. Then, be sure to wash that pair of undies when you get home.
> *2.Wash your suit. Buying a new swimsuit that’s been tried on by others is very much like buying used clothing from a thrift store in terms of germs, says Tierno. Pop your new suit in the washing machine before heading to the beach. Soapy water will dislodge the germs that may otherwise make you sick. Even for men, who may be less likely to try on trunks in the dressing room, washing is still key. The articles often come from foreign countries and have been contaminated, not only by dirty hands, but by germ-ridden machinery.
> 3.Hit the sink. It’s not only about cleaning the swimsuit — cleaning yourself is just as vital when it comes to trying on swimwear. “Hand washing is the single most important thing to do to protect yourself after handling dirty items,” Tierno tells The Huffington Post. “So don’t go to eat directly after buying your swimsuit.”




Hmmm. Wearing liners before trying on bike shorts, swim suits, etc., has one minor flaw - the garment will appear to fit tighter! Remember the infamous OJ Simpson glove scene and the satirical Seinfeld episode with the woman trying on her bra over her clothing?

And I wash ALL clothing before I wear it. Not because I'm afraid of germs, but because new clothing is treated with all kinds of chemicals including formaldehyde.


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## tlg

Lombard said:


> Hmmm. Wearing liners before trying on bike shorts, swim suits, etc., has one minor flaw - the garment will appear to fit tighter!


I'm not sure what underwear you use. But mine isn't that thick. Lycra is stretchy. 
It's not going to affect where the chamois sits. Or how the straps fit. Or how tight it is on the thighs.


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## Peter P.

Another alternative is to buy the shorts of your choosing and remove the chamois and reposition it. I've replaced chamois before; it's doable if you know the secrets ;-) .


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## dcorn

My main problem with chamois pads is that they seem to sit way too far back. My junk is basically sitting right on the top seam in the front and in the back, the pad goes way past where the seat stops. So due to the contoured chamois, my sit bones are in front of where they should be and not on the thickest pad material, which is pretty painful after 25 or so miles. It's also painful for my junk to be chaffing on a seam, and in the winter, freezing cold because it's not protected from the wind by the pad. I have many Castelli bibs, a pair of Crafts, and now my current team bibs that are like this and I'd love to move the pad forward if possible. 

The only shorts I've used so far that fit correctly are Assos, both the S7 and S5. My first ride on the S7 shorts was the 108 mile NY Gran Fondo and they were perfect. 



Peter P. said:


> Another alternative is to buy the shorts of your choosing and remove the chamois and reposition it. I've replaced chamois before; it's doable if you know the secrets ;-) .


Seriously, how? Can a decent tailor/dry cleaner place do it? I'm not handy with sewing and I'd be afraid that removing the chamois would leave holes where the stitching was.


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## Lombard

dcorn said:


> My main problem with chamois pads is that they seem to sit way too far back. My junk is basically sitting right on the top seam in the front and in the back, the pad goes way past where the seat stops. So due to the contoured chamois, my sit bones are in front of where they should be and not on the thickest pad material, which is pretty painful after 25 or so miles. It's also painful for my junk to be chaffing on a seam......



And speaking of which, for the life of me, why does there always have to be a seam right in the front where my junk rests? I don't find it painful, but it can certainly be irritating. Not to mention if the seam splits, can you say wardrobe malfunction?? :blush2: I once had this happen on a pair on tights and luckily, I was wearing bike shorts under them! Why can't they put a seam on each side instead of one in the middle? Inquiring minds want to know!!


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## Tjaard

*Pad placement*

Yes, I have had the same issue. On many shorts the pad was too far back.

in m case it was partially caused by the fact that I am tall and skinny. I would buy size L bibs, even though my waist, thighs and glutes are M at the biggest.

Going down to size M shorts has helped a bit.
if this is you, Endura and Specialized offer tall sizes in their bibs. Endura also offers different widths of chamois. Those options might allow you to fine tune the fit.


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## duriel

Tjaard said:


> Yes, I have had the same issue. On many shorts the pad was too far back.


Well then, just put them on backwards. Fixed it!


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