Living Car Free - "chamois free" saddle?

Hi all,
I ride alot for a normal commuting/run around town guy..between 40-50 miles a day, but am starting to find it really a hassle to put on chamois shorts for commuting. Now, I have little knowledge of saddles outside of road racing type saddles and triathlon saddles. My question, is, is there anything on the market that, once broken in well, negates the need to wear padded shorts on long trips. I know messengers and commuters in Europe never wear special shorts, so it obviously is done. But my background is really mtb and road racing type riding and I am just starting to really using my bikes for running errands and commuting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Brooks.
I never wear biking shorts, never have a sore ass.




Here is the Brooks line up as I know it:

B66 = double rails + springs
B67 = single rail + springs
B68 = single rail, no springs
B72 = double rail + loop springs
B73 = B66 with third spring under the nose
B135 = double rail + double springs + nose coil (second most comfortable I've owned, good work saddle)
^^^
All have the same top, which is flatter and wider than the B17 top and has a textured surface, these are for an upright riding position.

B17 = no springs, single rail
Champion Flyer = B17 top + springs, single rail (my favorite, A Champ Flyer Imperial would be the bee's knees)
B66 Champion = Double rail Champ Flyer
Brooks Imperial = B17 top with cutout, no springs, single rail (no numbness, very nice, I may butcher some of my other saddles after owning this one)
B17N = slightly more narrow top
B17S = slightly shorter nose
^^^
These are for a more aggressive riding position, the surface of the top is smooth.

B33 = wider top than the B66-67-68-etc. + triple rail + springs and nose coil, heaviest duty of the Brooks (most comfortable Brooks I've owned)
B190 = widest of the Brooks tops + double rails + double springs and nose coil
^^^
These two are work saddles, bolt upright riding only, textured surface.

Brooks Swallow and Brooks Swift are racing saddles, basically the same top, the Swift has side skirts, the Swallow has tucked skirts.

+1 for brooks! I was just having the same issue... hated wearing a diaper all the time. The Brooks was comfy almost right out of the box. The leather lets your important bits slide across it rather than grab so there is no rash. After its broken in a bit your sit bones will love you. Ill never buy another saddle!

It depends. What's the furthest you ride at one time? Personally I find chafing starts to set in at around 20 miles. Around town, when running errands on the bike, I'll just wear normal shorts and cotton or synthetic drawers.. but for commuting I wear cycling specific stuff, then change when I get to work.

The problem with everything that isn't spandex is that it tends to move around or bunch up.. I bet those euro bike messengers are wearing a bib under their messenger wear.

Hi all,
I ride alot for a normal commuting/run around town guy..between 40-50 miles a day, but am starting to find it really a hassle to put on chamois shorts for commuting. ... My question, is, is there anything on the market that, once broken in well, negates the need to wear padded shorts on long trips. ...
Recumbent bike riders don't wear padded shorts (shorts sold specifically for recumbent riding are lycra but don't have any padding at all).

The RANS crank-forward bikes such as the Fusion have a special seat and riding posture, and the larger seat means that they don't require padded shorts either. These bikes look mostly like upright bikes, but ride mostly like a recumbent--you sit on the seat all the time. Standing on the pedals is possible but pedaling while standing really isn't practical.

Both of these options aren't cheap and do have their disadvantages, but both are going to be considerably more comfortable than a conventional upright bike.
~

Recumbent bike riders don't wear padded shorts

Both of these options aren't cheap and do have their disadvantages, but both are going to be considerably more comfortable than a conventional upright bike.
~

I can't overstate the comfort of my recumbent. On long distance rides it feels like cheating.

My New Brooks B-17 allows me to go much farther distances without bike shorts, and it isn't broken in yet.

Once broken in, I believe it will negate the need for chamois.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=459761

Folks here have spoken up for the Brooks leather saddles, and that is probably the best solution.

I've also had good luck with some of the Specialized Body Geometry saddles, which have been pretty comfy regardless of whether I'm wearing bike shorts, plain shorts, or even jeans.

But, then I've put in quite a few miles the same way on my Bontrager and Selle Italia racing saddles and just plain shorts or jeans, without a lot lot of discomfort. It's just a matter of getting used to it... and lending a little credibility as to really being a "hard-a**"...

Ol' Iron-Butt

Terry saddles (http://www.rei.com/product/685053?preferredSku=6850530012&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-6850530012&mr:trackingCode=011E047B-1B79-DD11-873B-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA) are also pretty good.

http://media.rei.com/media/685053_9996Lrg.jpg

Brooks.

I've done as much as 80 kms on mine so far without padding.

Brooks or a similar leather saddle, I happen to have Brooks, Wrights and Ideale saddles. I just bought a brand new Brooks B-67 for my city bike, after a couple of weeks of 3-5 miles here and there riding I took it on a 25 mile loop with no issues wearing my regular street clothes, which is what I ride in 99% of the time.

Aaron:)

wow - a 18,000 mile per year rider.

If true that is really something.

Probably closer to 13,000 per year. While I have a long commute, I live in an urban area and unless I am doing a "training ride" I don't have to ride far to get stuff done on the weekends. I intentionally do that long weekday commute though, so I can use my weekends for something other than training. Otherwise I would have to be doing 70 mile rides both weekend days to stay in training.

I always wear cycling shorts (under shorts or pants), even for my short commute. I feel uncomfortable without them, and I even think I'm a little slower.

However, I ride with two friends who wear jeans over boxers to ride. I've ridden up to 35 miles with them, and no complaints from either one. Oh-they use stock saddles.

Canari makes a good short. The Chamois is fabric and very comfortable. Doesn't feel like you are wearing a diaper. I have ridden 30+ miles 2 days in a row and also commute everyday with these.

Other option would be to wear a good compression short. Also Under armour makes a good brief that holds the privates in place.

I use one of these:
http://hobsonseats.stores.yahoo.net/easyseat.html