Everything You Need to Know When Buying Bike Shorts

Your biking shorts can’t make up for a ill-fitted bike seat!

Everything You Need to Know When Buying Bike Shorts: Chamois

Female-specific bike shorts have a chick-friendly chamois, the term for padding in the crotch/butt. Women have wider seat bones in their rear and a narrower space between their legs than men. A female bike chamois accounts for those differences and has a wider expanse of padding in the butt for comfort. There is also a narrower strip of padding through the crotch, eliminating extra bulk rubbing against the inner thighs while pedaling.

The pad may also have differences in the seams. Some men’s shorts have a terry pad in the front part of the chamois—for women, this is extra bulk that can be uncomfortable. You may also see a seam down the middle of the men’s chamois, which is less common in high-quality women’s shorts.

As for the thickness of padding, it’s up to you. Some women prefer crotch upholstery, while some keep it at the bare minimum. It’s a myth that a thicker chamois fixes discomfort. It has more to do with your bike seat, having a bike that fits you, how many minutes you’re riding, and the way you sit on your bike (upright on a mountain bike versus stretched forward, like on a triathlon bike).