Originally Posted by cyclezealot
Woods. My question. I own or have owned three pairs of mtn bike shorts. They just do not stop the pain one feels on long rides. Do you ride long rides.? None of mtn bike pads have the thickness of bike shorts. NOne that I have had at least. My zoic's were not cheap either.
I feelings about why bike shorts cut the pain more effectively on long rides than Mtn bike shorts, is because of the surface tension of lycra elevates soft tissue above the saddle?
Last ride in my Zoic's, about ten miles hurt far more than 60 miles in bike shorts..So, my question, does the chamois in mtn bike shorts, keep you comfortable after 60 miles.?
My solution should I want to cover up. Take along a pair of cargo shorts in my panniers and put them over my bike shorts when I get to where ever.
I've done some reasonably long rides (not 60+, closer to ~45), and never had any pain to speak of. I got a pair of cheap zoic mtn bike shorts on clearance, a $60 pair of trek mtn bike shorts, and some cheap baggy race shorts. I don't notice much of a difference between any of them, except that the race shorts are a bit shorter in length and let me tan further up the leg while riding.
But this is the commuting forum, and if you're commuting 120 miles a day I envy, respect, and pity you, all at once. When I'm riding <10 miles to a friends house, I don't particularly care how I look in transit, but at the party I want to be dressed somewhat casually. The perfect balance between performance and style for short distance rides with a "real" destination is mountain bike clothing, for me at least. If I found I had backside pain after riding 60 miles, I'd probably switch to something else for those 60 mile rides and just change clothes when I get there, but for short jaunts mtnb clothes do it well on and off the bike.