This weekend, during a run of unusually hot weather, I ditched the chamois in my shorts. Just grabbed the scissors and clipped it right out. I guess I'd reached my personal "tipping point". Anything had to be better than a soaking wet chamois.

Think about it. If the saddle is padded properly, why do we need a chamois in the short? The chamois originated to give the rider some cushioning from saddles that used to be rock hard, like the Brooks Pro saddle.

But saddles aren't like that now. They're loaded with foam or gel in all the right spots. So what's with the chamois? Good grief, we go to great lengths to use the most technical wicking and breathable fabric we can find in the shorts, then we sew in this bulky "pad" that completely offsets all the benefits of the fabric.

Let me tell you: wear a pair of chamois-less shorts when you're riding a saddle with a cutout in it and you'll know what it means for a fabric to wick and breathe.

I'm not going back. No way. Well, maybe on a cold winter day when I want some insulation.

Want to discuss this? Hop over to our message boards and post away in the Shorts Forum.

Tailwinds,
Georgena
talktous@terrybicycles.com
www.terrybicycles.com