# When did you make the transition to padded cycling shorts?



## jason124 (Jul 25, 2006)

I have been riding a road bike off and on for the past 10 years and really got into riding in the last 6 months. I have never worn cycling-specific shorts and have not felt any discomfort. This was the case when I trained for and rode a double century. 

Lately my rides are a 10 mile round trip daily commute with some longer rides on the weekends (30-60 miles, aiming for longer). I am curious when you made the jump.


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## Got Time (Jan 23, 2009)

It's about chafing, not padding (well, at least it used to be, now it seems most people need at least 10-15mm "cushions"...)


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

Back in the 70s, when chamois was really chamois. 

I made the switch after my first century and have never looked back.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

+1 on chafing, not padding. I chose other because it was long ago and I don't really remember.


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## Terrasmak (Jan 8, 2015)

Pretty much ordered them with my mountain bike when I got back into cycling 4 years ago.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I spent the first five or six years of my "I got a good bicycle" bicycle riding wearing a pair of jeans and a cycling jersey. This was in the early 1970's. The reason for the cycling jersey was the pockets in the back. They made the experience ever so much more pleasant. It was a true pleasure not to have my wallet, keys and coins crunch my thighs every revolution. Every once in a while I'd try a pair of chamois shorts that had been cast off by my genuine cycling buddies (suitably washed, of course) but I honestly didn't find them all that much more comfortable. I kept trying shorts, though, and by the 1980's I found they had evolved to the point (or was it me that evolved?) where they did finally make a significant comfort difference. Was it the advent of artificial padding? Probably. It also didn't hurt that the short material no longer got all baggy and droopy. This was before bibs, BTW. In any case, I haven't looked back since.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

jason124 said:


> I have been riding a road bike off and on for the past 10 years and really got into riding in the last 6 months. I have never worn cycling-specific shorts and have not felt any discomfort. This was the case when I trained for and rode a double century.
> 
> Lately my rides are a 10 mile round trip daily commute with some longer rides on the weekends (30-60 miles, aiming for longer). I am curious when you made the jump.


A long time ago, even on short commutes after I finished a ride with a bleeding ass (from my pants, not crashing).


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

familiar '70s story...

got a decent bike after college, rode with cut-off Levi shorts and Adidas running shoes.

the Levis ground my taint into hamburger on a 60-miler.

bought cycling shorts to avoid a repeat experience.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Oxtox said:


> familiar '70s story...
> 
> got a decent bike after college, rode with cut-off Levi shorts and Adidas running shoes.
> 
> ...


Yeah. I now remember that I got more serious about cycling shorts after I did my first century -- in my jeans, of course.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

When they stopped using a real leather chamois in the late 80's to early 90's. I don't miss the leather chamois and subsequent saddle sores but I don't like the soft diaper feel some modern shorts have. If you sit properly on your bike, you don't need a thick pad.


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## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

I spent my first season riding in my regular gym clothes, which were apparently satisfactory. My vague recollection is I got a pair of PIs and a couple of jerseys at an LBS sale and never looked back.


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## cnardone (Jun 28, 2014)

when i first started riding, I was expecting to ride about an hour 3 or 4 times a week. I did not think I needed shorts. Within the first week or 10 days my ass was killing me. I know now it was just getting used to riding. My wife bought me a pair of mountain biking shorts. She did not think I needed to be out in public in Lycra. I did my first long ride 2 hours, 20 miles and 1800 feet of climbing. 

They chaffed something awful. I then bought a real pair of shorts. I never looked back.


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## jason124 (Jul 25, 2006)

I guess I will keep an eye out for any on sale. In the mean time, polyester cargos or basketball shorts it remains. 

I do have my fair share of cycling jerseys though, the rear pockets and the zippered front did it for me with those.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

jason124 said:


> I guess I will keep an eye out for any on sale.


just go here...

Men's Pro Bike Shorts for cycling comfort and bicycle riding

spend $40, they're excellent shorts, made in US, etc etc...


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

I see very little reason to wear the actual road-cycling shorts (lookin like tights, compared to the shorts that almost look like causal shorts but have the tights inside them (lookin like shorts).

But then again, I am a Fred.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

Jumped right into them when chamois was really chamois, now everything is form of synthetic / microfiber / wicking material but I still wear them.

The only time I don't wear cycling short is when I'm out riding casually with the family on my mountain bike


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

*in 1974, when I was 7*

my first padded shorts: around 1974, when I was about 7 years old. wool with leather chamois

seriously. I probably have pictures to prove it too!


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## claudio_vernight (Mar 3, 2010)

bradkay said:


> Back in the 70s, when chamois was really chamois.
> 
> I made the switch after my first century and have never looked back.


Yeah. 1974.


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## bmach (Apr 13, 2011)

Same here back, in the 70's would ride for hours in jeans, including centuries. When I started back up a few years ago I went with cycling shorts. I still will ride in cargo shorts if I ride with my family.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

From the start, I wore a cheap pair of Nishiki baggy shorts with chamois. I still wear better quality "mountain" baggy shorts for road bike rides (with chamois) because I'm not a fan of the traditional tight bike shorts look.

When I ride mountain bikes... it's regular cotton cargo shorts (no chamois). If it's really hot, I'll wear polyester cargo shorts.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

If you ride with 'padded' shorts on the road, please explain to me why you would not ride 'padded' shorts on the MBike. What is the difference?


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## bmach (Apr 13, 2011)

Mtb riding you are out of the saddle a lot of the time?


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

duriel said:


> If you ride with 'padded' shorts on the road, please explain to me why you would not ride 'padded' shorts on the MBike. What is the difference?


The saddles on mountain bikes are more comfortable and have more padding than road bike saddles in my experience. Mountain bike saddles also weigh a lot more. The saddles I've used on my road bikes are like sitting on concrete... so padded shorts are needed. I wear thick cotton cargo shorts when riding mountain bikes.. so there's no need for a chamois.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

duriel said:


> If you ride with 'padded' shorts on the road, please explain to me why you would not ride 'padded' shorts on the MBike. What is the difference?


It's mostly a culture thing. MTB'ers don't want to be roadies. Don't like the "tight" look.




HyperCycle said:


> The saddles on mountain bikes are more comfortable and have more padding than road bike saddles in my experience. Mountain bike saddles also weigh a lot more.


Saddles are a matter of preference. While there are "MTB" saddles, that doesn't mean you have to use one. Often those thick padded heavy saddles aren't comfortable. Too much squish causes pressure where you don't want it.

I use the same saddle and shorts for road and MTB. Watch any XC MTB race and you won't see baggy shorts or MTB saddles anywhere.

Doesn't look like a heavy padded saddle to me.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

tlg said:


> It's mostly a culture thing. MTB'ers don't want to be roadies. Don't like the "tight" look.
> 
> 
> Saddles are a matter of preference. While there are "MTB" saddles, that doesn't mean you have to use one. Often those thick padded heavy saddles aren't comfortable. Too much squish causes pressure where you don't want it.
> ...


My 26er's saddle has more cushion than the saddle on my 29er. 29er's saddle has more cusion than my road bike's saddle. 

Cargo shorts are more practical for me on mountain bike rides. I ride long 25+ mile rail trail rides and it's nice to have quick access to many pockets. I can see why XC MTBikers would prefer tight shorts with chamois and road saddles.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

I ride the same kit, RBike or MBike. Similar saddles. I ride FS so I'm on the saddle alot & move around on it alot, don't like baggy shorts hanging up on the front of the saddle. I do prefer a camelback on the MBike though as there is only room for a small biton.


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## Terrasmak (Jan 8, 2015)

tlg said:


> It's mostly a culture thing. MTB'ers don't want to be roadies. Don't like the "tight" look.
> 
> 
> Saddles are a matter of preference. While there are "MTB" saddles, that doesn't mean you have to use one. Often those thick padded heavy saddles aren't comfortable. Too much squish causes pressure where you don't want it.
> ...


My SDG saddle on my mountain bikes is multi use. Works great, I also don't ride in smooth groomed courses like shown in that pic. 

Above looks more like a dirt roadie that an Mtb rider.


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