Need New Shorts

[Veronica]

I trashed my shorts in the accident last week, so I'm planning on ordering another pair

I'm still looking for that magical pair of shorts that will hold up over a double century. My current LGs are good for about 160 miles. I have some Assos knickers and they are okay, but there is too much padding in some areas.

So I am thinking about one of these three pairs.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=27361
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=27337
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22800

So if you have any of these, what do you think?

I prefer a thinner chamois. I don't like it to go down the inner thigh at all. Wicking is good - you sweat a lot during 200 mile rides.

Thanks,

V.

[maillotpois]

I'm super happy with my new Hincapies (not the ones on TE regrettably, the higher end ones I got at Davis Wheelworks.)

[Eden]

Look for the Hincapies with the grey chamios - much more comfy than the red one - no stitching on the chamios!

[Veronica]

The Hincapie site only shows two pair - the Power Shorts like on TE and the Performer shorts.

I looked at the Power Shorts. The description of the chamois made me think it was kind of thick.

V.

[maillotpois]

Hmmm. I have the red. But they were not the ones on TE which I understood rode up really high on the tummy.

Maybe I need to investigate the grey.... :D

But the red have done 2 doubles and a few 200ks and have been great!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I ordered and tried on the Sann shorts. They were nice and VERY comfy, but I felt the material was rather lightweight and might snag or get friction/rubbing damage too easily. Personally I like a heavier more supportive fabric. If you are looking for lightweight breathable shorts they would be good. I can't recall much about the chamois to be honest- I don't remember whether it was thick or thin. I ordered the shorts because they were supposed to be good for long distance though, so the chamois is probably good.
I opted for the Shebeest Ultra D shorts instead of the Sann- heavier fabric and liked that they had less tight leg bands.

[maillotpois]

I also have the Ultra D's but I like them less than the comparable Shebeest long distance short from last year and less than the Hincapies.

[Eden]

Last years Hincapies were quite high cut (I actually liked that...) this year they are cut more like PI's. Hmmm actually looking at the website it looks like my last year shorts are the Performer's and this years are the Power shorts - different cut, different chamois too? The grey chamios - I think its in the Power shorts starts out very thin, almost nothing, at the front and gradually gets thicker to the back - maybe to about a cm or so at the back? They run a bit small so definitely go larger if you are unsure.

[SadieKate]

The Performer shorts are cut incredibly high while the Power shorts (http://www.hincapiesports.com/details.php?ccode=317&scode=RSH-LPWL02)are cut more like normal shorts. My Power shorts are from a few years ago and the chamois is much like the Castelli chamois (red and like the ones MP bought). Hmm, I'd have to go check the size. I don't recall buying a size up. I think I only do that for Assos.

V, have you tried the Giordana shorts with the W3D OF chamois ? The pad is similar but not the same as the Assos so it may be missing padding where you don't like it. I'm so overloaded on shorts now that I decided not to get a pair after all. I think that chamois is in several different style shorts from Giordana.

[Eden]

Last year I got smalls (the ones I think are performers) and they were a bit too big - couldn't keep my knee warmers up kind of baggy....
So this year I went for the xsmalls (pretty sure these are power shorts) and they are skin tight
could just be the difference in the cut, but its good I prefer a bit more form fitting.. their size chart says a xs is a 2-4 and I'm pretty small so I'm usually on the lower end of that.

[ccnyc]

I have the Hincapie Power shorts (bought from TE this spring) with the red and gray chamois and I love them. Waistband is right at my waist and the chamois is really comfy. I usually do 60-80 mile rides and even though the chamois looks thinner than others I've used (Shebeest, Assos) it really gives me enough padding and doesn't cause any problems. Did I mention that I love them?

I usually wear a Medium and thought I should get a Large based on the description of the shorts but the large was too big and the medium fit me perfectly.

I spent this spring trying on or buying and returning shorts (mail order): Terry T short, Terry Bella, Descente Strata, Shebeest Ultra D, and Exte Ondo (both models). Hincapie and Assos won. But I like the Hincapies more than the Assos.

Carol

[Velobambina]

V--I have the Exte Ondos. Those aren't good for long, long rides. The chamois is the same as in the Bera knickers, if I'm not mistaken. I think, mile for mile, you'll get more bang for your buck out of another pair of the LG shorts.
I've become a bibs convert, but I still treasure my two pairs of Wicked Expensive LG shorts. ;)

[koala]

I have the Descente Strata, and wouldn't trust it for a really long ride. The chamois is thin, but fairly stiff. It always seems to feel dry, even after lubricating with a chamois cream. This is not good, as on a long ride it feels like it rubs, even after a lot of sweating. The short itself is on the short side, which is ok if you like that, I don't. And the leg openings feel skimpy, maybe because the elastric grippers are tight. Not my favorite.

I like the Etxe Ondo very much, have the Sann in the bib style. The leg grippers are comfortable, none of the death-grip stranglulation. I have both the red, and the white, each of which have a slightly different chamois. The red ones came with the newer chamois, which is probably more what you are looking for. It is thin, with a channel in the center so none of the chamois material pushes up into the private parts. There is no padding along the inner thigh, just some chamois cover material to help wick. The shape seems just right to drape over a saddle naturally, so nothing sticks out to rub or irritate on a long ride. The chamois in the white short is the older style, which does not have the channel or the unpadded inner thigh area. It is comfortable, but I prefer the new model. If you select this short, I would definitely make a phone call to make sure it has the new Raicor chamois.

For a very long ride, I grab either the red Etxe Ondo with the new chamois, or my Assos. The Descente Strata I leave for training rides.

[Veronica]

I think, mile for mile, you'll get more bang for your buck out of another pair of the LG shorts.
I've become a bibs convert, but I still treasure my two pairs of Wicked Expensive LG shorts. ;)

I'm still looking for the magic of my first LGs. :D The two pairs I have are good, but not outstanding.

So I've heard enough to rule out the Descentes and the EOs and to add the Hincapies into the mix. I'm not the one who is unemployed, so maybe I deserve two pair of shorts. :D

V.

[yellow]

Martha has and loves the Adidas (http://catalogue.adidas.com/adidaspc/gallery.jsp?locale=en&country=XX&brand=Performance&gender=Womens&division=Apparel)Adistar bibs (they also make a short). And, well, you know Martha.

(this link may not take you directly to the shorts..the fancy website doesn't have just normal links...and I can't find a picture of the chamois...and the US website doesn't have cycling apparel, so I guess I'm really no help at all. )

[Susan Otcenas]

V-

Of the 3, I have the Descente and the Sugoi. I love love love the Sugoi. The 2007 RS is worn by almost every woman in this office, with great success even though we are all different shapes and sizes. The fabric is light and oh so breathable. Fabulous on a hot day. And the chamois is top notch.

On the Descente - we sell a fair number of these as well (in fact we are out of several sizes right now) but our internal fit testing on this one is mixed. In the smaller sizes, it seems like the rise is a little low. I didn't find that to be true in my size (XL), but it's worth mentioning nonetheless. A common comment here in the office was that the chamois seems to be positioned a little farther back than on many other shorts. So it's not even visible on the front, but comes up a little high on the back. Again, YMMV as there are women in the office who are quite fond of this short. Fortunately, one of those wears the same size as me, which is good because I'm going to give her my pair, as I'm in the "chamois-too-far-back" camp.

I confess to not having worn the Etxe Ondo short yet. Renata here at TE has a pair of the knickers with the same chamois, but she's not ridden more than 50 or 60 miles in them. They were great at that distance.

I'm also quite fond of Gore's Ozon Short - http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=26192 Nice chamois (dense but not thick), supportive fabric, no elastic at the front of the waist (useful if you sometimes suffer "gastric issues" from long rides with too many supplement drinks), and a soft-touch leg gripper. I'm considering bringing these in in solid black to go along with the blue and white. My pair is all black and I really like them.

Hope this input helps.

Susan

[Veronica]

Thanks Susan! I ordered the Sugois yesterday, along with an SPF jersey so I can cover up my owie. :p

I'll be sure to post how they do over the long haul.

V.

[Velobambina]

The fabric in the Sugoi's---is it denser than the 2006 model? I love those shorts, but I found the fabric to be a little too sheer for my taste (they are great for wearing on the trainer, with just my husband and dogs around!). I was tempted to get the 2007 edition but decided not to because I was worried they might be too sheer.

If you get the Gores in solid black, I will be tempted to get a pair. Even though I'm a bibs girl now, I'm not averse to having some regular shorts. The chamois in these looks different from those in the windstopper full bib tights (which I just LOVE---keep me warm in the worst of the winter cold/wind). How does it compare to the chamois in the tights (I believe it was red fabric)?

[Susan Otcenas]

2006 & 2007 have the same fabric. We have, on occasion, had a few people mention they feel it is a little sheer. It's not a common complaint though, and it's still one of our best-selling high end shorts. But certainly, it is airier than some of the other high end shorts we sell. Benefit or disadvantage? Depends on your personal preference. :) I love them, especially this time of year.

The Ozon shorts have a completely seamless chamois. See: http://www.teamestrogen.com/reference/noteDetails.asp?ID=ozon lady chamois

I haven't worn the bibtights myself, or any other Gore bottom with that chamois, so I can't make a direct comparison for you. But here's a photo for your reference. see: http://www.teamestrogen.com/reference/noteDetails.asp?ID=advanced lady chamois

Hope that helps.

Susan

[Velobambina]

Thanks!

I'm probably overly paranoid about the sheerness of the Sugois. I've seen a lot of guys wearing shorts that were semi-transparent (probably due to age/wear), and it's not pretty.

[Surlygirl]

Has anyone tried the Giordana Forma shorts here at TE? My DH has the bib short version and swears by them. I like the Sugoi RS shorts but I didn't think the material held up as well as it should have.

[Misandal]

Veronica, I know exactly what you mean about not wanting any thickness through the inner thigh area - and I had a lot of trouble finding shorts that supplied adequate padding where you want it but none where you don't. I've got two pairs of Performance Ultra shorts and they have served me very well. I've used them for 2 century rides so far this season and numerous metric distances, plus my usual training rides. The inner thigh area has no padding and the material there feels like velvet on my skin. Two thumbs up for those!

Missy

[indysteel]

Veronica, sorry to hijack your thread, but my quest for some new shorts is getting expensive and I thought I'd see if Susan and the others have any suggestions.

Last year, I bought and successfully wore three pairs if PI Ultrasensors. They're starting to show some wear so I decided to get some new shorts. So far, here are my findings. I bought a pair of the Shebeest UltraDs and Hincapie Power shorts first, size small in both. The Shebeest were an immediate no. They fit my hips and waist just fine, but they were tight around my thighs and they looked just awful. I also felt like they had way too much padding, especially hight on my butt where I don't really need it. I've already sent them back.

I like the fit of the Hincapies much better and decided to take a big risk and wear them at RAIN. I was a bit irritated going into the ride from a ride earlier in the week in my now failing PIs so it's hard to tell exactly how much I liked the chamois. The biggest problem I noted is that the leg grippers were not holding the shorts down on my thigh. They creeped up so badly that I took them off at lunch and switched to my newest old pair of PIs. I wore them again last night and had the same problem. It's too late to return them now. I don't think they're defective per se. They just don't work for me. I'm going to let a friend of mine try them. Hopefully, she'll be willing to buy them from me.

When I got home from RAIN, I had three new shorts from TE waiting for me. PI Microsensors, Craft Master and PI Ultras. I like the way the Micros fit. The Craft I don't. They don't come up high enough on my waist and, like the Shebeest, I feel like the butt just has too much padding. The discomfort I feel on my bike is mostly in my girly bits area (which makes me wonder if my cut out Terry Butterfly Tri Gel is really the best saddle for me).

I was counting on liking the Ultras at least but I noticed that they widened the chamois and it now feels a bit too wide on me. I'm hesitant to even try them. If I could get my hands on some 2006 Ultras, I'd buy a few more pairs. For the money, they might be the best choice for me, although I'm hopeful about the Micros. I haven't tried them yet, but if they don't work, that's another chunk of change down the drain. I see the positive reviews for the Sugois, but I'm getting really gun shy about ordering anything else.

Does anybody out there have any suggestions? I'm going mad!!!!