I think the padded saddles aid to chaffing because they contact you more. I rode a 135gm slr on my mountain bike for a few months(got it used and broke the **** out of the carbon plate). It took a week or two to get used to but I loved that thing. I had considered taking the leather and foam off because the cover was so ****ed up, but I never did, I was worried that maybe that thin layer of padding was just so crazy badass that the carbon plate would then suck without it.