Originally Posted by
geepondy
Thank you all for the replies. The gist I am getting is that comfort is highly personalized. What is most concerning to me is that after rides I am sometimes developing sore, tender "bumps" (trying not to be too gross) which I assume might be ingrown hairs? I think I'll try a chamois short for comparison but not too thin.
Hmmmm. So, when you say your "butt is getting sore", that could mean several things. I was assuming that you meant your sit bones, but this is making me think you're having heat/friction issues, perhaps, in which case you should definitely not use shorts with a gel pad, which will retain heat and sweat.
The other possibility that occurs is hygiene. I make it a rule not to wear the same bibs twice without washing them. Otherwise, it's like wearing yesterday's underwear in the middle of a heat wave in August.