agenkin

I wear MTB shorts over cotton underwear, and use a cushy saddle. My butt never hurt after long rides, but I have a problem with the underwear shifting around and sticking to the skin; I have to peel it off once in a while.

I'm warning to the idea of buying cycling shorts. However, since I don't have a problem with cushiness, I don't think I need the built-in pad. I just want to solve the underwear problem, and it sounds like the cycling shorts solve it by replacing the underwear function with a liner (is chamois the same thing as a liner?).

Are there cycling shorts with a liner but no padding? Or very minimal padding?

Any recommendations would be appreciated, those things are expensive, and most come with padding that I feel I don't need.

mstateglfr 

Just get some compression shorts and keep wearing the mtb shorts.

10 Wheels

I stopped wearing Underwear 60,000 miles ago.

Just wear bike shorts.

KD5NRH

Wally World had several pairs of Lycra boxer briefs on sale for like $3/pair in some decent brands a couple months ago. Might wander through the ones near you and see if they have any left. They work pretty well for crotch chafing under regular shorts.

Abu Mahendra

Swimming shorts

Dave Cutter

Back in the old days... cyclist would race wearing shorts (like an old fashion gym short) But as the skin, underwear, short fabric, and saddle became sweat soaked the layers would slip, slide, and/or stick. The resulting friction created blisters. Blisters on your underside... are what you want to avoid.

The old-timers used layers of chamois (a very soft leather made from a small lamb/goat species. The leather would stick to the cyclists skin and any movement between the cyclist and the saddle would be isolated in the layers of chamois leather. Blisters were prevented!

Now-a-days... a soft pliable padding (still called a chamois) does the same thing. Technology allows for the new chamois to have "cushiness". People seem to like the cushiness. Maybe you should give it a try.

Jseis 

Somewhere I've a pair of wool cycling shorts with a chamois liner. As I recall, it took a few miles to get used to the saddle time but after a few hundred miles they were very comfortable on an Ideale leather saddle. I used baby powder to keep sweating impact down. I also wore super thin synthetic underwear. The combo worked for me. Nowadays I wear Pearl Izumi shorts with the liner and I've a pair of padded undershorts when I'm wearing cargo pants.

Western Flyer 

Triathlon shorts have very minimal padding. Makes sense if you consider one has to swim in them, then ride while wet and finally run in them. They tend to be on the pricey side for top quality.

Bezalel

Do your MTB shorts have a separate lining? The lining is worn against the skin.


Triathlon shorts have less padding than typical road bike shorts.

BigAura

Nishiki Padded Liner are excellent and very lightweight (4.9 ounces). Only $25 too.

fietsbob

It's what I've used for decades.. starting (in the 70's) with wool shorts & leather sweat pad.
Chamois is a specific kind of Goat, Sheep skin was more commonly used .

Now i used synthetics , Touring I bring 3 pair.

these guys, [but in a fabric they dont make any More ] https://www.kucharikclothing.com/index.php

Dave Cutter

Some people can..... wear/tolerate wool near their tender parts. But historically (wool has a VERY long history) wool hasn't been an optimal selection for under garments. Looking at the fabrics fibers under magnification pretty much explains why.

canklecat

Aero Tech Designs Pro shorts with their older style black and tan pad are very comfortable, with just enough padding to prevent swampbutt and chafing. Made in the USA, reasonably priced.

They're intended as standalone tight shorts but I wear them under my baggies.

DropBarFan

I've used Andiamo non-padded underwear that's pretty comfortable. Sometimes cheaper mass-market versions work OK but seams and/or short length can be a problem.

jefnvk

I have a pair of Serfas Decline MTB shorts I got cheap at the LBS. They still have some padding, but I also ride just in gym shorts at times, the padding doesn't bother me much. Baggy exterior, with a compression liner that stays in place very well.

I also just use generic sportsware compression boxer briefs that stay in place, and are dry and cool.

DropBarFan

Some folks say SmartWool sport underwear is very comfy if not super-durable. However the SmartWool undies are expensive. I tried UnderArmor boxer-briefs, some uncomfortable seams. Some Champions seem to work OK. But they lycra type undies can slip up legs & bunch up a bit too. Padded cycling shorts have different thicknesses of padding, I'm not sure how thin the padding goes. But even if one doesn't need the padding for shock absorbency it helps keep fabric from bunching up in the crotch.