# chamois replacement service recommendations



## stan01

Has anyone here had their chamois professionally replaced? If so & it was positive, could you provide info about your experience. FYI: I have a pair of bib shorts that I bought but after one ride, I was in severe agony afterwards. The shorts were bought online & can't be returned. When I started riding over 20 yrs ago, shorts cost $50 back then & even then I thought that was a lot of money. Now a good pair of shorts cost $150 & up. Instead of throwing away more good money on another pair of shorts, I would like to see if I can make these shorts work for me.

The bibs themselves are wonderfully constructed with excellent attention to detail & fit me like a glove. But the chamois is another story altogether. It was like sitting on a wooden plank full of splinters. I've never had a pair of shorts that gave me that much discomfort ever!! After washing them, I tried them again to see if they could be broken in but I couldn't get home fast enough to rip them off. If that ride had gone on any longer that chamois would have definitely broken me. 

So instead of throwing them into the back of the closet never to see the light of day ever, I would like to see if I can refurbish them. If anyone here has used a chamois service, I would like to hear about your experience & how I may contact them. Thanks.


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## Peter P.

Try Kucharik.

I had a similar experience to yours with a Louis Garneau pair of shorts. It was either replace the chamois or throw out the shorts. I bought the chamois and replaced it myself.
However, when I had questions about doing the work and called Kucharik, they were very helpful and obviously knew their business.

If you want to do the replacement yourself, post and I'll tell you the procedure. Without the "secret" it's virtually impossible to replace by yourself.


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## stan01

Thanks for the tip. I was planning on supplying my own chamois but I don't see a price listed for that. I wouldn't mind trying to do it myself but I've never sewn anything in my life ever & doesn't it require a special type of sewing machine to do this? 

BTW, I don't know if its my style of riding or what not but I seem to wear out the stitching on the shorts that hold the chamois in place. So I decided to take these into a place that does alterations. The woman there after looking at how my shorts were made informed me that they didn't have the type of machine that did that kind of stitching. She said that it shouldn't matter & her repairs would be just fine. Well the repairs didn't last that long. About 4 rides each before they came undone. 

So if any type of work is to be done on these new bibs & if I want the repair to last then it needs to be done by a specific type of sewing machine which I don't have. 

I guess I'll have to call Kucharik to see what they charge for just the sewing only. Thanks again.


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## Peter P.

Some of my shorts have two parallel rows of stitching which is done by a machine with two needles. It's understandable if some alteration shops don't have such a machine.

I don't know why you keep destroying the stitching in your shorts; that's unusual. It may be your sweat and you merely need a different type of thread say, synthetic versus cotton or cotton blend. Ask an experienced seamstress. 

I merely recommend a stretch/zig-zag stitch for the chamois as the lycra stretches as well.

Sewing a chamois in your shorts does not require a special machine because virtually any sewing machine has a zig-zag stitch.


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## L_Johnny

I have an older pair of Assos bibs to which I'd love to replace the chamois. Finding/sourcing an elastic interface chamois though, I suspect is probably very difficult...

Peter P. I'd love to know the tips you have about sewing the chamois. I am about to get a basic sewing machine to do some hemming and related alterations and of course, I'd love to get to replace some chamois.


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## Peter P.

"Elastic Interface Chamois"? Buy a replacement chamois from Kucharik and you'll be set. For your first attempt, buy a chamois that closely matches the shape of the original.

All items mentioned are available at most sewing stores.

Mark the outline of the existing chamois with tailor's chalk.

Using a stitch ripper, remove the old chamois.

Purchase a can of temporary fabric adhesive.

Put the shorts on INSIDE OUT. Practice positioning the chamois where you want it relative to the original's outline. When in doubt, I recommend lining up the new with the OLD lines in the front. Too much pad in the front feels funny.

Place the pad on some newspaper and spray the chamois' mating surface with the adhesive per directions. Apply it to the shorts you have on and wait until it sticks, probably a minute or two.

At this point if you're worried you could pin the shorts in four spots but I've found the adhesive works pretty well.

Remove the shorts and stitch the chamois on with a zig-zag or any stretch stitch.


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## L_Johnny

Thanks for the pointers!


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## Guest

Has anyone had Kucharik do any work for them? I'm specifically wondering which chamois from their list you'd recommend. I have a nice pair of shorts that need a different chamois. Thanks.


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## Peter P.

When I replaced the chamois in my Louis Garneau shorts, THIS Kucharik chamois is the one I ordered. Since I was sewing it in myself and for the first time, I didn't want a lot of complicated contours.

I know that's not what you're interested in, but I can tell you the chamois worked as well as any other.


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## Guest

Thanks, Peter. I was leaning toward a pad for longer rides. Kucharik recommended the #2 Aerotech pad, but I wondered about the differences between a gel pad vs. a foam pad. Gel padded saddles generally get a bad rap.


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## dcorn

On a similar note, anyone ever remove and replace the chamois in their shorts. I own probably 10 nice sets of bibs that I've always lived with some saddle pain thinking it was normal. Then I bought Assos bibs and now I know what bike shorts are supposed to feel like. I think the pads in most of my other bibs aren't quite in the correct spot, so my sit bones aren't on the most padded part of the chamois. If I could move the pad an inch or so forward, I could actually start wearing the old shorts again (which shouldn't be worn out by any means and the outer fabric is still perfect).


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## Peter P.

dcorn said:


> On a similar note, anyone ever remove and replace the chamois in their shorts. .


See my post above. I've done it, after learning the hard way what doesn't work. If you still have questions, post here.


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## Pirx

Peter P. said:


> Some of my shorts have two parallel rows of stitching which is done by a machine with two needles. It's understandable if some alteration shops don't have such a machine.


You need an overlock serger or an interlock machine for this, a standard sewing machine can be used with the right zig-zag stitching, but will still produce inferior results. Any halfway reputable shop would understand that, however. Straight stitches on elastic is a recipe for near-immediate failure, of course.


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## Augusto.at

Peter P. said:


> Try Kucharik.
> 
> I had a similar experience to yours with a Louis Garneau pair of shorts. It was either replace the chamois or throw out the shorts. I bought the chamois and replaced it myself.
> However, when I had questions about doing the work and called Kucharik, they were very helpful and obviously knew their business.
> 
> If you want to do the replacement yourself, post and I'll tell you the procedure. Without the "secret" it's virtually impossible to replace by yourself.


Hi. I bought 12 kits from CHAMPION SYSTEM And the chamois rip apart, half way on my first ride. C/S refused to honor their warrant. I am interested in your secret procedure in chamois replacement. Please help.
Best Regards.
Augusto.


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## Peter P.

If the chamois is ripping apart, then the chamois is junk. I bought my chamois from Kucharik. You can also get them from Aero Tech Designs. The method I used to sew in the chamois is listed in one of the above posts. Feel free to ask any questions.

Perhaps you mean the chamois is tearing at the stitching? In that case, I'd say you're using too large of a needle or too many stitches per inch. Measure how many stitches per inch you have on another pair of shorts and mimic that.


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## Augusto.at

Peter P. said:


> If the chamois is ripping apart, then the chamois is junk. I bought my chamois from Kucharik. You can also get them from Aero Tech Designs. The method I used to sew in the chamois is listed in one of the above posts. Feel free to ask any questions.
> 
> Perhaps you mean the chamois is tearing at the stitching? In that case, I'd say you're using too large of a needle or too many stitches per inch. Measure how many stitches per inch you have on another pair of shorts and mimic that.


Thank you Peter.


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## dlb1918

Boure


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## Souke-Cycling

Can you share with us how the chamois were stiched to the other materiel? Usually if the chamois is stiched in Z way, then, it will be hard for you to get it off and replaced.


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## Peter P.

Souke-Cycling said:


> Can you share with us how the chamois were stiched to the other materiel? Usually if the chamois is stiched in Z way, then, it will be hard for you to get it off and replaced.
> View attachment 481090
> View attachment 481091


I agree. Using a stitch ripper on a zig-zag stitch is time consuming, but it can be done as I learned. Mark the outline of the existing chamois with tailor's chalk before you remove it, to give you an idea where to center the replacement.


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## Souke-Cycling

Peter P. said:


> I agree. Using a stitch ripper on a zig-zag stitch is time consuming, but it can be done as I learned. Mark the outline of the existing chamois with tailor's chalk before you remove it, to give you an idea where to center the replacement.


Yes it will take extra time and work and should be a professional tailor to do that.


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