Leg grippers, or not?

[cyclingnewbie]

What are your opinions on leg grippers on cycling shorts? I'm Plus Size and have shorts with the gripper, but I need a new pair and was thinking about the no-grip version.

[Veronica]

I have huge thighs compared to the rest of me - drives me nuts - because it makes buying clothes hard. I find that if I don't have enough short to cover my leg, it tends to brush against the saddle, leading to abrasion, so I like the grippers because they keep my shorts where I want them.

V.

[Cdalekat]

I think it all comes down to the particular pair of shorts. ( I too, struggle with all fat going directly to my thighs).

I love my pair of Primal Wear shorts (which have the gripper elastic) because the elastic isn't too enthusiastic so I don't feel like I'm bulging on each side of it.

I have another pair of bike shorts that I don't like so much because the elastic is tighter, so I feel chunky on each side of it.

I also tend to bike in a plain pair of shorts from title9sports - they are the "not so tight fitness short." Essentially a plain cottony pair that's form fitting, not squeezing. They don't move around and are great to bike in (no padding, though). So, no elastic on them and I love them.

All of those shorts are around a 5" inseam - a length that I find very comfortable.

[Irulan]

gripper fan here.

I hate that tight feeling. Since I make most of my shorts, I adjust the elastic to fit my thighs.

I tried short shorts once, those have to be for gals with straight not curvy legs...

[pedalfaster]

Sometimes you try on a pair of shorts and think "just who were these made for???"

C-dale seems to be the worts offender here. I find their women's shorts to be loose around the waist, baggy through the hips and tooo darn tight in the leg grippers. What's up with that? Most bike-racing gals are built exactly the opposite (small waists, flat tummies, big, buff quads). I've actually snipped the elactic gripper just inside the leg (then stitch up the cut edge so it doesn't unravel).

I'll often just buy small men's shorts. They tend to be a bit longer and I can "roll" the elastic up...that way I get the benefit of elastic without that rubber-y feeling against my legs.

As for short shorts...those are for junior girls with stick legs and the very very short-legged (who need them just so they can fit like "regular shorts"). I'm convinced they were an ill-conceived markeing ploy by men who thought "hey chicks will look hot in these!". Only... 99.9% of the women who wear them look really really bad (something about that bend in the knee while pedaling).

Thanks for letting me vent :D

[SadieKate]

I like gripper elastic because it makes the shorts stay in place, stops the legs from rolling, grabs leg/knee warmers to make them stay in place, stay flat under tights, etc.

I agree with everyone on the length. Short shorts are for stick figures. Also, longer legs gives more protection when you're on the trail -- either from overgrown poison oak or from unplanned high speed visitations with the dirt. :)

Pearl and Descente seem to have larger circumference leg grippers than Louis Garneau and Shebeest. I found that TE gave some terrific advice about this when I called a while back.