Do you need Padded Bike Pants? 

Padded bike pants will make time on the bike more enjoyable. The padding in the bike underwear (Women’s goUnders), bike pants or liners help to provide comfort and protection at the contact points you make on the bike seat. The length of time you ride, the frequency you ride – is it on consecutive days?  Do you feel any tenderness or discomfort when you ride?  These are all factors that say YES you need padding. If in doubt answer YES you won’t regret your decision.

What do you want to wear when you ride?

Choosing what to wear on the bike will depend on what you feel comfortable in.  Also what is appropriate to provide protection from the season, the weather, or the terrain. Learn more at What to Wear on the Bike.  Bike underwear with padding (a chamois) sewn in offers the most flexibility. They become your underwear – they goUnder your riding clothes of choice, everyday or recreation clothes. You get to choose clothes from your wardrobe that suit the season, the weather on the day or your mood.  Read: Bike in Everyday/Recreation Clothes.  Alternatively you can choose bike pants – specific riding pants made of lycra with the padding (chamois) sewn in.  These bike pants come in a variety of lengths.  Read: Bike in Lycra Padded Bike Pants. The final option is women specific baggy bike shorts that may or may not come with a liner (a liner normally has padding sewn in).

The Padding (Chamois)

The chamois is the padding that will provide comfort and protection when you ride. The chamois needs to be women specific to support your female specific structure.  It’s density should also match the length of time you normally ride for.  Read:  How to Choose the Correct Chamois... It needs to be made from materials that wick away moisture, are breathable and provide cushioning in all the right places. Read: Fancy Pants – Why wear padded bike pants?

The Fabric 

The fabric your bike pants are made from should be a performance material that is breathable and wicks away moisture. The fabric needs to stretch to allow movement but compress for the best fit possible.  If the chamois is held in place it will provide cushioning in all the right places.  Functional high quality man made fabrics don’t need to impact the environment negatively so seek out sustainable manufacturing processes.  Read: Womens Riding Clothing – Fabric Choice