Recumbent - Why the desire for no padding on a recumbent?

I'm not sure what the reasoning is for not wanting padding on a recumbent. I ride a Performance Arrow tadpole. It just has a web seat. The padding of regular biking shorts is comfortable and the chamois still helps with the chafing and moisture wicking concerns. So can someone describe what is the reason for not wanting padding?

The last time I wore padded shorts was the last time I rode an upright bike. Just don't find them necessary anymore.

Why use something that is not needed?

I spent big bucks on the best shorts money could buy to protect my bum. Now it doesn't matter. If chamois works for you than at least buy a cheap pair. I wear traditional bike shorts because I have so many pairs from when I rode df.

As I see it too, why buy expensive duds that are not needed. Cheap sweat shorts is what I wear. I just look at it as one of the many advantages of riding a bent. In fact I really cant imagine wanting to be girdled with spandex when I dont have to be.

Not to be indelicate, but I sweat an hellacious amount when I ride. And it all slides downward. With padded shorts, it will collect in the pad. NOT a good feeling.:( I cut out the padding in my 50+ forum shorts that I just got and am now much more comfortable when I ride. If I could only get the sweat not to accumulate in the webbing of my seat!

Glenn in Omaha

Thanks for the answers. I guess, I've not really tried to ride the recumbent without the bike shorts. I've got some underarmour shorts and will give them a try on a short ride on the recumbent. I don't really care to tear up the bike shorts because we do still ride the DF's when traveling.

This year, with the extreme humidity, has been a difficult year for "my boys", so I don't want to upset them with improper care. Lots of "Gold Bond" and "Aquaphor" has been used with much success.

I have coolmax underwear, and that works fine for sweat dispersion as well as an extra privacy layer for unpadded shorts. I still have some padded shorts; but wearing them feels like wearing a diaper, and the benefit is minimal to none.

I still wear my lycra--not so much because of the padding, but because of the location of the seams. When I wear my regular shorts, the seams of the shorts (and underwear in particular) dig into not-so-nice places. Also, loose shorts tend to get caught on things.

Went padless on the recumbent last night using the UnderArmour long leg briefs. Seemed okay, you guys were right. This will save the bike shorts for the 2 wheelers. Real shy about having problems with "da boys". If you have never experienced "crotch rot", it is not an experience I would recommend. However, some have to learn for themselves. Thanks for the advice.

Wear traditional padded bibs. Most comfortable even with the pad.

I ride a Vision R40. There is a post on the seat frame in the "crotchel area" that causes a little discomfort on rides of significant distance. Pad eliminates the problem.

Just remember we are talking riding a recumbent here. We are NOT setting on "the boys". We are not all hunched over cutting off air circulation. As I posted before, I just wear regular briefs, and an inexpensive pair of cotton sweat shorts. I now have thousands of miles on my LWB recumbent with no problems at all. Our bikes may cost more but we dont need expensive duds.

I have 5-6 pairs of 'worn out' shorts that are reserved for the bent where they work fine.
On the DF or more recently stoking on a tandem, a good pair of shorts is critical to comfort
so I reserve the 'tandem rated" shorts to the tandem or for century length rides on the DF.
Recumbent is a good place to use your older shorts if you have a bunch.

I bought padded shorts because I ride a DF and a 'bent. Although the padding isn't necessary on the 'bent, it doesn't hurt either. I didn't want to have 'bent specific clothing, and the padding cycling shorts are wonderful at sweat-wicking.

I'd wear padded shorts if it was cold outside

On long rides my old comfortable as a glove padded bibs cause really really raw skin on my inner theighs and on really long rides they made it so bad I could hardly walk.
It may be a function of how they fit but on an upright the hatchet seat firmly pushed them up on the recumbent there is nothing to firmly push them up so they aren't quite as curved as they normally would be.
They still work fine for shorter rides up to say 70 miles or so and I do ride my upright on occasion so I keep them around. For long rides I do underarmor heatgear with a thin not skin tight nylon shorts on top.

:)
I'm not sure what the reasoning is for not wanting padding on a recumbent. I ride a Performance Arrow tadpole. It just has a web seat. The padding of regular biking shorts is comfortable and the chamois still helps with the chafing and moisture wicking concerns. So can someone describe what is the reason for not wanting padding?

There may be less reason for a padded chamois on a trike, but on a SWB high racer, I found the pad helpful in a spill yesterday. The chamois pad doesn't tear as easily as lycra does. The chamois saved parts of my tender skin, cushioned the drop onto the pavement, and provided some coverage of the bum when I walked into CVS and a store that sold shorts. On the other hand, although I destroyed Sugoi RS shorts left over from df days, I ordered two pairs of the less expensive Sugoi Evolution shorts when I got home, as the padding doesn't have to cushion my sit bones for 75 miles on a bent.

:)

There may be less reason for a padded chamois on a trike, but on a SWB high racer, I found the pad helpful in a spill yesterday. The chamois pad doesn't tear as easily as lycra does. The chamois saved parts of my tender skin, cushioned the drop onto the pavement, and provided some coverage of the bum when I walked into CVS and a store that sold shorts. On the other hand, although I destroyed Sugoi RS shorts left over from df days, I ordered two pairs of the less expensive Sugoi Evolution shorts when I got home, as the padding doesn't have to cushion my sit bones for 75 miles on a bent.

You do realize that this thread is 2 years old, don't you?

http://web.me.com/jallegri/webpix/zombie-thread.png

You do realize that this thread is 2 years old, don't you? . . . .

But that's such a short time compared with the giant Sequoias or, for that matter, the Jeff Wills cycling career. <G>

[QUOTE=Jeff Wills;12986530]You do realize that this thread is 2 years old, don't you?

I'm wondering why you asked the question, inasmuch as the date is rather obvious on the postings. People still ride recumbents (more and more every year), the question still arises (I found the thread while searching out the same issue), and updated information may be helpful to someone. IMHO, the term "Zombie thread" is only relevant to dead issues, such as events that have passed, or discussion of products long since discontinued.

[QUOTE=Jeff Wills;12986530]You do realize that this thread is 2 years old, don't you?

I'm wondering why you asked the question, inasmuch as the date is rather obvious on the postings. People still ride recumbents (more and more every year), the question still arises (I found the thread while searching out the same issue), and updated information may be helpful to someone. IMHO, the term "Zombie thread" is only relevant to dead issues, such as events that have passed, or discussion of products long since discontinued.

Hmmm. So you DID realize it was 2 years old then? Hmm.

Anyway, my contribution: I removed the diaper from all of my old shorts because I didn't like the feeling of wearing a diaper.

[QUOTE=Denny Crane;13118320]

Hmmm. So you DID realize it was 2 years old then? Hmm.

Anyway, my contribution: I removed the diaper from all of my old shorts because I didn't like the feeling of wearing a diaper.
Really? Well , I suspect that most who won't wear biking clothing do so because it looks ridiculous on big beer-bellies and tends to roll down on round stomachs.
But considering the average age of recumbent riders, (myself included) they might as well stick with the padded clothes - it's good practice for those adult Pampers that they will soon need....LOL....

PS: Just a joke...don't get all huffy.

The simple fact remains wearing spandex with pantie liners are not needed on a recumbent.

^^^ Yeah! parachute shorts are so much sexier! Plus they look so good with old raunchy sandals and a beard.....

Wearing padded DF shorts on a bent is kinda like wearing a raincoat to bed. They simply are not needed.

Why use something that is not needed?

Especially when it feels and looks like you are wearing a diaper....;)

I don't wear padded bike shorts on my DFs anymore. Once I got some saddles that were properly fit to my anatomy they became less comfortable than just wearing synthetic boxer briefs.

My mom still buys me bike shorts thinking she's doing me a favour. I don't argue I just throw them in the bin with the other dusty padded bike shorts...:D

Reverse Gear makes recumbent specific shorts. They're like baggy cargo shorts but they cinch closed at the leg openings so you don't get bee up your shorts.