gavintc said:
Why? You are just asking for trouble.
But that's the whole point. I can't remember the last time I rode a bike for longer than twenty minutes and felt so unaffected at the end of it.
I reasoned that sometimes we take on board a solution to a problem only for that solution to bring problems of its own. You can end up with a raft of interdependent measures contributing lots of little issues rather than one good solution to the original problem.
Lycra and padding helps stop chafing and provides cushioning for sensitive parts but the tightness of it can cause numbness and restrict airflow. Personally, I think that a lot of riders prefer padded shorts to padded saddles simply because they don't like the look of big saddles. I genuinely think that ego has a lot to do with it. My bike came with a slim, light saddle with very little padding and I wanted to keep it on. I used it for ages. Whilst it wasn't a complete disaster the padded, stupid looking, one is a lot better. I'd like it to look cool but it's more important that it works.