In the past few months I ventured out without chamois more than with chamois. The results are surprisingly the same or slightly better without chamois. Apparently I could do 20 - 60 miles without chamois on consecutive days (on gravel too) and my butt is just as sore as if I used chamois or not sore ...the results are basically inconclusive and made inherently more complicated to interpret because I ride 6 different bikes depending on occasion.

So this requires further experimenting...although now in the summer months it is more fun to ride to a swimming hole, jumping in, drying quickly and continuing the ride.

If anyone here rides without chamois I would be interested in some quality purchase links to tri-shorts or shorts that ride well on a bike without chamois.

Thanks. :-)

If any of your bikes have leather saddles, I would suggest you avoid riding with wet shorts unless you use a rain cover on the saddle.

I always use shorts that dry quick... i don't jump in the river, jump out and saddle up. ;-)

... yes some of my bikes DO use a leather saddle. 2 out of 6, 2 are Cambium, 1 is some racing plastic something and 1 is Surly's original saddle on their first ICT - eventually will replace this one in the future

I only use my chamois shorts on day trips if the ride is over a metric century, and sometime even then I forget and that's pretty much okay. I just use swim trunks I find at my local clothing store. I also enjoy jumping in creeks in the mountains.

I've been using these Dakine un-padded baggy shorts for a couple of years now. I really enjoy the breeze coming up the loose fitting legs. Slightly stretchy fabric with an optional padded liner. They look long in the photo but when riding they land comfortably just above the knees.

Mr Johnson used to go numb riding in maxi-padded style tights. No longer! That said, I no longer take long tours due to health reasons so I can't speak to how they'd feel at distance. Un-padded shorts on a Brooks Cambium saddle ... I'm breaking all the tourist rules!

Hey Mr W, that's great that it works for you, I certainly see how it's handy to have a dip and dry out.
I think it's because I'm a skinny little bugger, but I've tried it but still find padded bike shorts are better for No Sore Donkey Syndrome-- and especially on gravel rides, where tire pressure makes a real difference too.

I think I last wore shorts with a chamois 30 years ago (a very old pair). I've been choosing to let those chamoises live and use their synthetic replacements. (And no,I am not a saint. A whole bunch of geese died so I could sleep better.)

re geese comment"--- took me a minute to get it, but very well done.

someone gave me a pair of real chamois bike shorts once, don't remember who or when, but it was a hell of a long time ago and I remember how horrible and hard the chamois was putting on. I have no collections but I suspect I only used them once.

I've never worn padded bike shorts of any kind. Just gym shorts and cotton blend underwear. On tours my bum doesn't seem to hurt more than anyone else's.

Never had a saddle sore either.

Synthetics materials are nicer than the old cotton gym shorts. They dry out more quickly and don't sponge pounds of water like the old cotton stuff did.

I quit chamois and padded bike shorts a while ago. Moisture build up from reduced airflow down there caused more problems than it solved. I roll centuries and multiday 80+ miles in regular athletic poly/spandex underwear and regular athletic shorts. Not every pair of underwear and athletic shorts are the same but I found a pattern of each that I know will just work. Most of mine are from regular retail places like Walmart and tjmax like Russell brand. I do have a lightly padded gel seat but most of my riding is in gravel and it takes the edge off. The padding is outside my shorts and not trapping heat inside. If on road I'm sure any old fitting seat would be fine for me.

This might be TMI but one thing I learned during this 'experimentation' is to avoid shorter baggy shorts (like the Patagonia Baggies) ...they tend to rise to a REVELATON and that is not the best way to say hello to someone on the trail ;-)

I usually don't wear padded shorts until the mileage is high, greater than 50. Lightweight nylon shorts and no underwear work for me.

Swimming, I usually don't wear anything, skin dries very fast.

I saw an older dude on a beach cruiser with no underwear and loose shorts, I saw way too much and I can't unsee that. Wouldn't surprise me if someone called the police. It was on the W&OD in the DC area, you ride there?

LOL

it wasn’t me. I detected the potential situation early enough 😀

plus I live in Maine...everything shrinks here

3. with synthetic Chamois rotated, wear- wash- dry, to always have a clean pair on every morning, was how I rolled, on my cycle tours..

NB .. there is a difference between 'Lined' and "padded" ..

, you caught me. I do bike there on occasion; however I am very discrete, the shorts are long, and to the knee.

Skinny dipping: I am extremely discrete, our country tends to blush over nudity.

Sometimes, when I am feeling modest, I wear these on tours.
https://www.modernbike.com/andiamo-m...rt-liner-black
Extremely lightweight, lightly padded and wash/dry easily. They are not your typical padded shorts/underwear.

Thanks for the tip. I will try a pair

I like these for longer rides with touring/cargo shorts. Andiamo's don't bunch up/ride up like regular underwear. OTOH a swim suit is very light to take along,

True, but it ain't about the weight. It's all about the feeling of nothing. Way better than the feeling of wet swim trunks. What can I say.

Not knocking the swimming naked part
That being said, wet swim trunks or anything else mainly poly based should dry within 10 minutes riding on the bike.

Shame on ya. 🤪😁 I just grabbed an REI down bag at an REI a couple days ago, because I was right by an REI, and that’s a pretty rare thing, for me, apparently. 🤔