eric gleason wrote:
>
> I've seen lots of talk poo-pooing padded seats, but nearly every semi-serious cyclist wears padded
> shorts. What's the difference?
As others have said, if the seat has _too much_ padding, you sink deeply into it, and it cuts off
circulation to the tissues in contact. This leads to aching sensations (which you can also get
sitting in a car seat for long trips). Also, the excessive seat-to-butt contact promotes sweating,
chafing, etc. That said, if you're just riding around the block, it doesn't matter much. You'll
probably do better with a softer saddle.
Personally, I think the most important aspect of "padded" shorts is not to provide padding, but to
prevent wrinkling. If you ride in, say, a pair of denim shorts, you'll be likely to have a fold or
wrinkle in the denim right under your sit bones. This will concentrate pressure, and chafe your skin
in short order.
Lycra helps for much the same reason. It's tight and stretchy enough that its unlikely to have a
wrinkle where you're sitting on it, and it helps to keep the padding stretched out in one layer,
without wrinkles.
--
Frank Krygowski
[email protected]