Cycling shorts - any recommendations?

[JohnW]

.................I think if you search the forum on corinne Dennis, you will find they are frequently recommended on here. Practically every time the topic of shorts comes up.

Oh - absolutely - +1 to that.
Their (Corinne Dennis) men's shorts are the best I've ever had in 60+ years of serious adult all-distance cycling.

When you say "sumptuous chammy" though - be careful - sumptuous padding can mean no ventilation - which can mean hot and sweaty - which then can dry and leave salt crystals rubbing the skin - which can mean dreadful long lasting sores - which can open the gates to fungal infection .

If you want 'sumptuous' because you feel saddle-sore, make sure you're on the right saddle for yourself, and that it is in the right position. I have know people having sore bums and inner thighs, and desperately seek padded saddles and/or padded shorts, only to finish up with the dilemma I've referred to above.

If you're wanting 'sumptuous' within your shorts, be sure you know what you're doing.

[LittleGreyCat]

Just ridden my daily 30 miles+ in some older shorts which have a proper fake chammy and not the shaped things from Aldidl.
Much more comfortable.

I think I may need a snugger fit as the other pair started to chafe around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

Anyway, my Planet X Clubman Bib Shorts should turn up next week and we shall see how they suit.

Quite fancy some Corrine Dennis shorts as well just because......

[Paulatic]

around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

......

This really isn’t sounding very good numb spots at 25mls. Suggests position of saddle or type of saddle isn’t suiting you or they were 25 flat miles and you never got out of the saddle? I can’t really see a change in shorts making a huge difference either. IMV You should be able to ride 25 mls without padded shorts and with the right underwear not much evidence you’ve done it.

[ElaineB]

I would try Castelli, not cheap but sometimes you do get what you pay for. They are very breathable, put some Assos chamois cream on you, not the pad, lower the saddle a touch (1/4in) and you hopefully will have no more problems. Don’t have too much padding, a padded saddle and padded shorts can mean too much bouncing and movement which can result in friction. I believe less is more, the best thing to pad are the shorts, not both. You can also try tipping the front of the saddle down just a tad, but not too much. Good luck, once you find the right combination of saddle and shorts cycling will be a joy and not a pain.

[JohnW]

around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

......

This really isn’t sounding very good numb spots at 25mls. Suggests position of saddle or type of saddle isn’t suiting you .................

+1 to that.

[LittleGreyCat]

around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

......

This really isn’t sounding very good numb spots at 25mls. Suggests position of saddle or type of saddle isn’t suiting you or they were 25 flat miles and you never got out of the saddle? I can’t really see a change in shorts making a huge difference either. IMV You should be able to ride 25 mls without padded shorts and with the right underwear not much evidence you’ve done it.

Bang on there.
Suffolk is very flat (apart from the ups and downs where streams and rivers have cut steep valleys).
I usually don't ride out of the saddle, spinning up hills sitting down.
So I spend most of the ride in the saddle trying to maintain a fairly high cadence.
This does give numb bum syndrome after 20 miles or so (much as the hands start to go numb) and so shifting position helps to relieve the pain.

I think the saddle is a good compromise; I couldn't face breaking in the Spa Nidd so replaced it with a Medicus which seems to be working well for me.

Edit: please bear in mind that I have a very bony bum. I have to carry a foam pad with me when out walking to provide extra padding when I sit down. Pub benches are hard work. Anyone with a plush posterior will probably not encounter the same issues.

[Paulatic]

around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

......

This really isn’t sounding very good numb spots at 25mls. Suggests position of saddle or type of saddle isn’t suiting you or they were 25 flat miles and you never got out of the saddle? I can’t really see a change in shorts making a huge difference either. IMV You should be able to ride 25 mls without padded shorts and with the right underwear not much evidence you’ve done it.

Bang on there.
Suffolk is very flat (apart from the ups and downs where streams and rivers have cut steep valleys).
I usually don't ride out of the saddle, spinning up hills sitting down.
So I spend most of the ride in the saddle trying to maintain a fairly high cadence.
This does give numb bum syndrome after 20 miles or so (much as the hands start to go numb) and so shifting position helps to relieve the pain.

I think the saddle is a good compromise; I couldn't face breaking in the Spa Nidd so replaced it with a Medicus which seems to be working well for me.

Edit: please bear in mind that I have a very bony bum. I have to carry a foam pad with me when out walking to provide extra padding when I sit down. Pub benches are hard work. Anyone with a plush posterior will probably not encounter the same issues.

This is getting worse your hands shouldn’t be going numb after 20 miles. Have you really found your balance point?
Those little ups and downs sound like a perfect place to stand up and do 10 or 20 rotations of the pedals. It’s long enough to let your blood flow freely. Surely that’s better than this daft idea of sitting and spinning taking precedence over anything else unless you really want to be Chris Froome?

[The utility cyclist]

I'm tight as a ducks arris in a storm but I've always spent a few quid on shorts, my go to shorts for sports riding and touring are my Assos, I also like Tenn as well which are very affordable.

[alexnharvey]

I thought

[JohnW]

I thought

Yes? yes? yes?.......................what did you think Alex? - please don't keep us on the edge of our saddles, what did you think?

[alexnharvey]

...spinning was for dopers

Then I thought that's a bit mean, possibly spurious and definitely takes the thread off topic, so I tried to delete it, found I couldn't and then life got in the way.

[JohnW]

...spinning was for dopers

Then I thought that's a bit mean, possibly spurious and definitely takes the thread off topic, so I tried to delete it, found I couldn't and then life got in the way.

Ah - I once had a similar problem with the Forum -it wasn't exactly the same, but I ended up deleting everything except the first letter, and leaving a virtually blank post.

[LittleGreyCat]

Just ridden my daily 30 miles+ in some older shorts which have a proper fake chammy and not the shaped things from Aldidl.
Much more comfortable.

I think I may need a snugger fit as the other pair started to chafe around 25 miles when I was developing slight numb spots on my bum bones and was shifting position on the saddle to move the contact points a bit.

Anyway, my Planet X Clubman Bib Shorts should turn up next week and we shall see how they suit.

Quite fancy some Corrine Dennis shorts as well just because......

To update:

my Planet X Clubman Bib Shorts fit well around the nether regions and seem generally well made but as I take a medium in waist size but am 6' tall the shoulder straps seem very tight. Not sure if I will persevere to see if they stretch, put some kind of extra elastic material in the shoulder straps, or pass them on.

I have two different pairs of Corinne Dennis shorts, both in medium.

Traditional style touring shorts

Men's double comfort shorts.

I must say that I am very impressed.

The double comfort shorts, well, are.

The traditional style touring shorts are a bit unnerving, though.
I'm used to being...errr.....snugly cupped by my cycling shorts, but these have a zip fly and a more relaxed fit around the dangly bits.
Fortunately I am not hung like........ummmm......but if I was I might be a little nervous about personal bits wandering down the leg of the shorts.
They certainly do the job, though, despite less padding.
I'm not sure about carrying stuff in the side pocket whilst cycling (although I will try) but off the bike they just look like a fairly skimpy pair of non-cycling shorts.

[slowster]

I have not seen or tried the Corinne Dennis shorts, but I think those traditional style of cycling shorts are meant to be worn with underwear. What underwear you choose is up to you, but I would suggest either a cycling specific liner, e.g. like either this version from Decathlon or this one, or ordinary underwear which is suited to cycling. For me the latter would mean a trunk style, synthetic or possibly merino (i.e. not cotton), and with good stretch (which probably means some lycra in the fabric). For me the advantage of cycling specific liners is less the cushioning provided by the padding and more the fact that the padding covers the seams and stops them chafing or irritating.

[TrevA]

I have lots of pairs of shorts - Endura, Mavic, ASSOS, Planet X, Rapha, Orbea, Polaris, Decathlon and Altura. My go to shorts are ASSOS, but they are expensive - I paid £90 for mine but they are getting on for £180 for a pair now, depending on which model you buy. You can get them as cheap as £80 if you shop around.

I also like the Mavic and Endura shorts. The Enduras have Gel inserts but mine moved within the pad, so i had to ditch them.