Chamois
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A diaper-like pad first used by cyclists around 1900 to prevent saddle sores and chafing on their nethers. Named for the antelope whose hide provided the original material, the pads are now made out of polyester and are often paired with lubricating cream.
TMI
If there’s one thing cyclists love talking about online, it’s their chamois.
“After the ride get out of your shorts ASAP. You don’t want to start growing mushrooms down there.”
—David Zabriskie, founder of DZ Nuts chamois cream
“[We wear] Carhartt cutoff bottoms—no shammy, because if you’re from New Hampshire, you have balls of steel and a taint of gold.”
—Kirk Carlsen, former pro
“Checking out Lance Armstrong’s Twitter is something most cyclists do whether they admit it or not—kind of like sniffing their own chamois.”
—Bike Snob NYC