Cycling shorts are the important equipment for every cyclist, and for the shorts, the pad is the most important part of the shorts.

When choosing a cycling pad, it is essential that you are not swayed by your first impression after putting the shorts on and standing up. You need to sit on a saddle in a racing position and check that the points subjected to the greatest pressure (the perineal area and sit bones) are properly protected. When deciding which shorts and pad to buy, it is important to think about how different positions in the saddle and how long you plan to ride can influence your requirements. The pads are designed with a variety of densities to ensure the best response to your needs for comfort and protection.

Men and women have different anthropometric parameters so our foams are specially designed and crafted to reflect these differences: this ensures that they have the right density and specific design to protect the areas most at risk of suffering from pressure and chafing.

“Most athletic shorts are built with a seam running right underneath your crotch, which sits directly on top of your bike saddle and receives the most pressure from your body,” says Herlinger. “As you move around, pedaling and shifting your weight, the seam line will rub on sensitive areas, causing chafing and irritation.”

Because a chamois is sewn into fitted, stretchy spandex shorts, it stays in place even when you’re moving around. Light spandex fabric is breathable and wicking, and if sized correctly provides stretch and compression without being too tight.

High-frequency vibration, also called road shock, is the result of hard rubber tires rolling on the uneven surface of the road. Even if the road looks smooth, it will still cause vibration when you roll over it. As you pedal or even coast, high-frequency waves move through your tires, through the frame of your bike, and into your body. A chamois dampens these waves, dispersing shock, which over the course of your ride could cause pain.

A chamois should be made with a soft and comfortable microfiber shell fabric that wicks perspiration away from your body.

A chamois should be worn against your skin—wearing underwear adds seams, reduces breathability, and restricts your movement, reversing your chamois’ benefits. Wash and dry your chamois shorts like you would your underwear. You may not need to wash them after a one-hour ride, but after three hours—hand wash with mild soap or machine wash on delicate.

A women-specific chamois will usually have a wider back or ear section to accommodate wider sitz bones. They’re a bit shorter in length as women’s soft tissue stops before the end of the saddle. A men-specific chamois may have a center cutout so that blood flow is not restricted from pressure while riding.