So the simple answer to the key question about the quality of the trouser pad is: it depends. Because very different factors play a role in this question. On the material side, the saddle is of course particularly important here, its dimensions and the nature of the saddle cover must suit the type of cyclist. The basis for this should always be a measurement of the sit bones. A distance of between ten and fourteen centimetres is typical for women and men. Seating problems are inevitable if the saddle is too narrow and the sit bones cannot be properly supported.
Cycling shorts seat pads: various aspects play a role
Other aspects for optimum seating comfort are the individual training condition and the seating position on the racer. The sit bones become accustomed to the pressure peaks with increasing training and develop a kind of insensitive callus, which hurts less quickly than in untrained riders. A strongly stretched sitting position with the pelvis bent forwards results in a correspondingly narrower support due to the pubic bone tapering forwards.
The same applies when choosing the right cycling shorts seat pad. If you know the distance between your sit bones and your position on the bike, are well trained and equipped with robust sit bones, you will be better off in the long run with a thin and firm seat pad for many happy kilometres. Less well-trained riders, or those who are generally more comfortable than competitive and on shorter training laps, are welcome to use a thicker pad. However, there shouldn't be too much fabric, as otherwise the familiar spongy nappy feeling will set in, the material will lay in waves, causing chafing and pinching blood vessels and nerve tracts.
Which trousers have the thinnest and which have the thickest padding can be found in our test of a total of 18 marathon trousers for men and women from 90 to 290 euros in the June issue of TOUR.
Matthias Borchers
Editor
