question on shorts

[Jaz]

i'm fairly new to riding, and recently decided that i absolutely needed a pair of biking shorts. i ordered them online b/c i felt foolish walking into my LBS (which i swear is all men) and asking about the fit of shorts and padding. the ones that i ordered came today. i ordered the measurements that i thought would fit me, but they seem big. are they supposed to be skin tight? and how large is the pad really supposed to be? i felt like they were loose and the pad was bulging out all over. help please!
thanks,
jaz

btw, this site has really helped me out, being that i barely no any other road bikers, let alone women riders. :)

[bounceswoosh]

For your first pair of shorts, I'd definitely recommend going the the LBS. You don't have to ask them anything; just try on the shorts.

Shorts shouldn't be baggy; part of the reason they're tight is to act as "compression shorts," which helps your leg muscles work more efficiently. But they shouldn't be so tight that they're uncomfortable.

The pad *will* feel like it's bulging out all over the first few times you wear biking shorts. After a while, you get used to it and just don't notice it anymore.