Is the chamois for padding or sweat absorption?

it keeps your "arss" from being abraded. It also provides some padding. I suppose it absorbs all kinds of things. Thats why you need to wash your shorts before they become a science project.

Oh, sorry son, we'll have to think of something else.

Sweat absorption was the original purpose.

& to do so It doesn't have to be a thick pad . thin without seams is sufficient.

Both, but mainly to keep your butt dry. FWIW, modern "chamois" is greatly superior to the actual chamois we used to use when I first started riding back in the 70s. I recently found an old pair of bike shorts from the early 80s and wore them on the trainer for an hour. While they were still more comfortable than wearing normal street shorts with underwear, the differences between them and my modern bibs were VERY noticeable.

Yes! It's a good thing you asked. Nowadays, people want padding. Seems to me that it makes more sense to put padding in the seat if you need it. It also seems to me that the market demands padded shorts because so many misconstrued what the chamois was there for in the first place.

If the padding adds comfort for you, that's fine, but if you need it, then you'll need padded shorts every time you ride, no? Remember that you can condition your butt, with practice, to require little or no padding in your shorts OR on your saddle.

Dang! Wish I had known what it was for. All this time I've been wearing mine as a muzzle.

... which probably explains why you don't get no kisses any more.

I have a few different pair (pairs?) from different manufacturers with different thicknesses and, from the padding perspective, I don't feel the difference so it isn't for padding that I need it. However, they not only have different thicknesses but also different widths.

Given that the sweat produced in the region is primarily central, I wonder why manufacturers haven't produced any that are similar in shape to some women's menstrual pads. Without "padding" for seasoned butts, chamois "with wings" may be sufficient for people who only need sweat absorption.

Not good for that purpose. The pad absorbs your sweat and then sits there wet with sweat right against your skin. Not very dry. Thin quick drying fabric would keep your butt dryer than a pad will.

I wear the padding for comfort on long rides. For less than about 10 miles I often just wear some thin shorts.

Contrary to popular belief, it's there primarily to keep bulging to a minimum. Sort of smooths out the package, if you know what I mean.

Wipe down your bike after a sweaty ride for a streak free shine?....

Remember,original cycling shorts were wool.....

If your chamois aren't keeping your butt dry, you need new chamois!

You think people have a problem with butt bulge (where most of the padding is)?

No, I'm sure that's not what he is saying.

I agree with this. Those thick puffy pads soak up sweat rather than wick it away. Which explains why I like the thin, flexible, fabric pads in Aerotech's Pro Bike Short.

To clarify for the youngsters......"chamois" used to be chamois leather but as the leather got replaced by synthetic materials in bike shorts the chamois name stuck, which of course is a perversion of language but what can you do?
Chamois leather - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Don't need no padded shorts to ride recumbent bikes.)

...Or it is 40C and 95% humidity with a 27C dewpoint

I think that would just put the edges and seams in the worst possible location.

I thought that the original purpose of a chamois was to cut down on the amount of chaffing from the old wool shorts.

Yes, exactly. It's not for sweat absorption. It should wick sweat away, not soak it up. It's not for padding. It should be too thin to provide any padding.

I agree with Alan that it's there to smooth out the area, but we're not talking about hiding your genitals. The point is that there are no bulky seams between your body and the saddle.

More important, I think, the chamois provides a non-slip layer between the outer clothing and the body, so there is no chafing on the skin. If there's any rubbing, it's between the outer clothing and the saddle. You should be able to wear a hole through your shorts without getting saddle sores.

I can't believe this thread is in the commuting forum. Does anyone really commute on a chamois?

When it's 85 with 90% humidity I wear them everywhere, regardless of what I indend to do at the destination. When it's 65 & 30% running shorts are just fine.

My tights and winter garb has none.

Yes, I commute in chamois. It is usually a 30+ mi RT, asymmetric.

Yes, I think that there are a lot of MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra) in this forum (but not everyone).