After so many years of numb hands and nether regions even with padded gloves, etc, I began padding the bike. Two gel-seat covers on my road bike's hard, Avocet seat. And one gel seat cover on my padded, metal-spring commuter seat. For the last 5 years I have been comfortable on rides up to 40 miles without chafing or bruising or numbness. For my hands I use plastic pipe insulation from the hardware shop (with plenty of electrical tape to secure it so it doesn't twist or slip. It's like the plastic swim noodles but not as thick. I no longer have hand numbness, however, that's also due in part to multiple hand positions on the drop bars and bar-ends and aero bars on the commuter to accomplish the same. It may not be for everyone, but it all works for me. Now I buy inexpensive shorts for commuting, and cotton dollar work gloves.