Chamois Help???
- Thread starter newbie90
- Start date
It's very true, all chammy are not created equal. My current fav is my team kits Champion System although I don't know if they are available retail. They have all kinds of valleys, hills, gulleys, and channels /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif
I also like my Perl Izumi Pro's, but I have not scrutinized the glory of the chammy, I just know they feel pretty good to ride in.
The chammy in my Mavic bib tights is also glorious. And where I have seen some questionable quality control in their wheelgoods, their clothing is some of the best I have ever seen. The detail is almost as good as Castelli was back in the 80's, with their lovely scorpion enamel inlays, etc. IMO these days Castelli still look good but the quality is pure junk.
My generic Perfomance brand shorts on the other hand have a miserably thin chamois, but what to expect for $30. These are reserved for my most desperate laundry days.
When I win the lottery I'll get back to you regarding Assos.
I also like my Perl Izumi Pro's, but I have not scrutinized the glory of the chammy, I just know they feel pretty good to ride in.
The chammy in my Mavic bib tights is also glorious. And where I have seen some questionable quality control in their wheelgoods, their clothing is some of the best I have ever seen. The detail is almost as good as Castelli was back in the 80's, with their lovely scorpion enamel inlays, etc. IMO these days Castelli still look good but the quality is pure junk.
My generic Perfomance brand shorts on the other hand have a miserably thin chamois, but what to expect for $30. These are reserved for my most desperate laundry days.
When I win the lottery I'll get back to you regarding Assos.
The only answer is the one you come up with by trying different brands. I like Assos, Giordana, and Nalini. From experience, Pearl Izumi and Sugoi sucked badly. As you can already see, opinions vary. No one has your undercarriage, so no one can tell you what will work for you. A lot of the time, but not all the time, it is true that you get what you pay for.
Keep your chamois above 3,000ft on steep rocky slopes. Keep well fed on plush grasses and nutrient rich shrubs and they love fresh mountain run off water to drink. Spring water contains too many minerals and gives them a yucky belly the consequences of which can be extremely slippery should you step in it. For a game of "pin the tale on the chamois" surprise the little goat beastie by jumping on them from above - they typically look for danger coming from below. Be careful though because their horns are fairly pointy and taking one to the wedding tackle kinda smarts.
Just trial and error really. Any "special" technology is likely the spin the marketing department came up with. A lot of it will come down to personal preference. As mentioned, you often get what you pay for. If you find a pair you really like, buy another. My only advice is to stay away from shorts that have rough threading exposed on the inside - obviously impossible to tell via mail order. And I would avoid getting shorts through the mail that I haven't already tried on and/or am familiar with. Keep 'em clean and limit to one ride before washing.
The only special technology you need to worry about is the electrical connection betwixt your taint and your brain, the one that tells you how your undercarriage is getting on with the chamois. As Danfoz suggested, there's no way to predict what chamois will work for you and what won't. Some folks can ride any chamois. Some can't. The only way to know is to start trying some so you can see what works. FWIW, some folks, maybe most, are averse to buying used bike shorts or bibs on eFlay. I wouldn't buy used. I also won't buy used underwear. You can do what you wish.
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