i can't explain the discomfort with the padded shorts exactly. a friend told me once after riding 100 miles the seam was very painful. i have not experienced dramatic discomfort like that. for me, the padding feels like it slides a little and maybe bunches up. i'm thinknig about my double century coming up and that the padded shorts on day 1 will help with day 2's comfort! my saddle is a specialized woman's saddle and i love, love, love it... i guess ultimately i need to keep trying different combinations and see what works. there is a 100 mile ride saturday i hope to ride it. i'll see how it goes there. thanks for the opinions everyone.