Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

TECH NEWS

Bolton-based company creates “most advanced” chamois - and it’s on Kickstarter now

Could these be the most comfortable cycling shorts ever?

Are you sitting comfortably? If you’re not, then the Airide chamois (or padded insert) might be for you. It’s claimed by its makers to be a “revolution in cycling pad technology” and is currently on Kickstarter where it’s hoping to gain £20,000 in funding.

What leads the inventors to claim this new chamois is the most advanced yet? It puts it down to the 3D spacer fabric it’s constructed from. Most padded inserts are typically made from a polyurethane foam, with many different types of foam used depending on the design and the price of the shorts.

The Airide chamois uses 3D spacer fabric, which is produced using a special knitting manufacturing process that creates a three-dimensional fabric. Available in varying thicknesses from 3 to 20mm, it’s more commonly used in mattresses and office chairs.

The fabric has been developed at the University of Bolton in a project led by Professor of Technical Textiles at the University’s Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, Professor Subhash Anand MBE, and local company T3 Sports Technology. They have worked together to bring the fabric to the cycling market and it's been two years in development. 

airide chamois 2.jpeg

The benefits of the 3D spacer fabric are that pressure is distributed over a larger area and so provides more support for your sit bones, leading to - hopefully - improved comfort. It’s also breathable, washes easily and can even be recycled. Those are all the sorts of claims that should provide a comfortable cycling short.

“We believe there is a huge market for our product – cycling and triathlon are popular sports with massive numbers of amateur as well as professional participants,” says Professor Anand.

“The product we have created is not a million miles away from my cushion for wheelchair users – in fact, it is that research product that brought Matt and I together.”

Interested? You can pledge support for just £1, or if you pledge £100, you can be one of the first 99 pairs of the Airide Cycling Bib Shorts or Cycling Shorts. The shorts are expected to ship in April 2016.

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

Add new comment

8 comments

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 8 years ago
0 likes

If they're as good as they say, then they should be able to get proper funding from a manufacturer. I'm gonna wait out this Kickstarter.

Avatar
DaveE128 | 8 years ago
0 likes

If it were £35 I'd chance it. Way too much for me to risk a totally unproven product.

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
0 likes

Quote:

The benefits of the 3D spacer fabric are that pressure is distributed over a larger area and so provides more support for your sit bones, leading to - hopefully - improved comfort.

Instead of asking for 100 notes and using kickstarter, perhaps they'd like to send me some in order to undertake some long term testing; I won't charge them for my time either.

Avatar
Yorky-M | 8 years ago
0 likes

Do love any home grown innovation but daft to say this exceeds the performance of everything else out there.

POINTLESS to have a  insert washable @70degrees C chamios if the silicone leg grippers  and the lycra fry at 50degrees.

Avatar
leaway2 | 8 years ago
1 like

Isn't all foam 3D, otherwise it would be flat.

Avatar
antonio | 8 years ago
1 like

£100.00. to get 'hopefully' comfortable shorts? 

Avatar
Accessibility f... | 8 years ago
0 likes

I think I'll wait for the reviews.  I ride on a Brooks B17 and experience no saddle soreness at any distance, even up to 150 miles.

Avatar
graybags replied to Accessibility for all | 8 years ago
0 likes

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

I think I'll wait for the reviews.  I ride on a Brooks B17 and experience no saddle soreness at any distance, even up to 150 miles.

Latest Comments