Originally Posted by slowandsteady
I don't get it. Unless you doing the ironman, the bike portion isn't that long. Should comfort really matter that much in a race of less than an hour. In training, unless you are doing blocks, you can still wear bike shorts.
My chamois are barely padded at all and my saddle, a brooks, has zero padding.
Can't speak to generalities, but my tri saddle fits like a torture device with a full chamois. With my tri shorts, it is very comfortable, especially on the nose. I think long story short, there is probably a cumulative amount of padding that can be added together for the saddle and chamois which results in comfort for most people. Is this important in tri - yes....with my cycing shorts, it is excruciating to ride even a mile or 2 in the aero position....I cant apply any power to the pedals and my perrinium feels like it is going to burst. So yes, comfort is important. What you have to remember is that in a forward aero position, you are in a much more aggressive position than on a road bike, even in racing geometries, and it required a much more athletic position relative to the road.