Cycling shorts, what do you wear?

[theonebefore]

Hey ladies :)
So I was just wondering what kind of shorts do you wear?
I mean, when I go shopping, i see tons of different types of shorts, and I have no idea what to get :(
I mean these pretty good because they have the little cushion under,
http://fitegg.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/SUGOI-Lucky-Womens-Cycling-Shorts.png
But I still dont know what to wear...
Until now Ive been wearing my boyfriends spandex underwear
spandex underwear you say?oh yes spandex underwear
He bought them for joke but hey theyve been great! except the occasional discomfort between the legs...
they kind of look like these
http://www.twenga.com/price-mens-spandex-underwear.html
So thats why I thought it was time to ditch my boyfriends underwear and get a pair of my own :)
so I thought maybe somone here could help me out find some :D

[smurfalicious]

Awhhh, the newbie bike shorts question. My best recommendation would be to search the various sub forums because this one comes up a lot.

It's a matter of personal preference, really, but here's what I would say. Make your first pair a nice "investment" pair if you can only buy one now. I spent about $125 on my first pair of Craft shorts 6 years ago and despite literally showering in them and wearing them the next day, they're still alive with one small hole in the inseam. Fortunately, that's between me and the saddle.

There are a lot of good sub $100 shorts out there and I don't discount them. I own a few as well. The problem is they're very purpose oriented. Short rides, commutes, etc. I've wanted capris since forever, but they usually have a flimsy chamois and I have a very minimal saddle so it doesn't work.

Those look like the Sugoi RS shorts which don't fit me because I have an arse, but my roommate bought them and loved them. They look like nice shorts, I like a lot of the features, but lo German sprinter booty was not designed to fit in them.

Try a ton of stuff on, bend over in the cycling position when you do too, see how it feels. Grab a jersey to try it on with. When you bend over are you exposing any spring break tattoos or c-section scars? That stuff drives me nuts! I can't feel comfortable worried about whether my tummy is flapping in the breeze or the world knows I have a cave painting horse tattoo!

But yeah, search, search, search, there are toooons of threads on this with great info!

[Owlie]

Shorts are really a personal preference based on many things--fit, chamois pad,leg grippers (or lack thereof)... People can go through many pairs before finding one that is just right.

Before you get too freaked out, there's a lot of information on this forum. Go shopping, try lots of things on. Don't discount the cheaper shorts Except for one pair, my shorts have a negative correlation between price and comfort. ;)

[Bike Chick]

I was told once to get the most expensive pair you can afford and the smallest size you can fit into. I found that to be very good advice.

[Becky]

I was told once to get the most expensive pair you can afford and the smallest size you can fit into. I found that to be very good advice.

I like that....!

[LivetoRide]

As others have said, it's all about trying different shorts on to see what fits you, and then personal preference (do you like leg grippers, a minimal chamois, a wider waist band, a certain length of inseam, etc.).

I personally like my Pearl Izumi Symphony shorts ($100); they have a good length inseam for me (8 1/2"), the waist band is wider which I like, and they have grippers. Now on the other hand, I did not like my previous Giordana shorts due to the horrible, narrow little waistband and becasue the lyrca was just a little too thin in my opinion (at least on the shorts I got a year back and they were "mid-range" shorts).

You can read about PI's different shorts on their website (http://shop.pearlizumi.com/shop.php?pc_id=106&mode=products&outlet=).

[indysteel]

I started with PI's microsensor short and, after they changed the chamois, I moved onto Sugoi's RS short. Now that's about the only short I wear. I like a longer inseam and fabric that provides a lot of support and some compression.

[Catrin]

I like the PI Elite chamois (the orange chamois) - I've had several pair of their shorts and also have a pair of their bib-shorts. I've yet to try other manufacturers, though am curious about Sugoi and would like to give them a try the next time I need shorts.

I did try the PI baggy shorts and hated the liner/chamois. That is detachable though, which is good since I like the actual shorts themselves...

[nscrbug]

As others have said, it's all about trying different shorts on to see what fits you, and then personal preference (do you like leg grippers, a minimal chamois, a wider waist band, a certain length of inseam, etc.).

I personally like my Pearl Izumi Symphony shorts ($100); they have a good length inseam for me (8 1/2"), the waist band is wider which I like, and they have grippers. Now on the other hand, I did not like my previous Giordana shorts due to the horrible, narrow little waistband and becasue the lyrca was just a little too thin in my opinion (at least on the shorts I got a year back and they were "mid-range" shorts).

You can read about PI's different shorts on their website (http://shop.pearlizumi.com/shop.php?pc_id=106&mode=products&outlet=).


THIS!!! I simply LOVE the new wider waistband that PI has gone to on their Elite & Symphony product line. SOOOO much more comfortable than a narrow waistband digging and binding into my waist...and it seems to drastically reduce the appearance of a "muffin-top", too. :cool:

Also wanted to add, that the picture of the Sugoi shorts in the first post do NOT look like the pair of Sugoi RS shorts that I have. On my pair of RS's, you can clearly see the "waffle" pattern in the material...something I don't see at all on the shorts pictured.

[Owlie]

Two pairs of Sugoi Evolution shorts, but they're both the old-style chamois. My favorite shorts are Primal Wear's Primas, which are pretty cheap. (They have them again, just without the pretty blue stitching. Yay!) I also have a pair of $130 Castellis (the Vizio.1), that have slightly too much chamois for me, but not so much that I won't wear them.

[Becky]

My current shorts collection includes:

Terry Bella shorts
Voler Elite shorts and bib shorts
Pearl Izumi PRO bib shorts

I'm a big fan of having at least 2 styles in rotation, especially when doing lots of daily riding or multi-day tours. I'm also rapidly becoming a bib shorts girl...which can be an expensive proposition :eek:

[bluebug32]

I was told once to get the most expensive pair you can afford and the smallest size you can fit into. I found that to be very good advice.

Great advice! My personal favs are Giordana shorts, esp. their bibs.

[Owlie]

The smallest size part makes sense. The expensive bit hasn't really held up for me. But, as with almost all things related to bikes, your mileage may vary. :)

[sarahkonamojo]

L. Garneau neo power shorts!
I have a lot of Pearl Izumi.
Tried many Terry shorts, but they don't work for me.
Best advice I can give. Get a pair. Get another pair that are different from the first pair. And so on. Eventually, you will find what works for you.

[aicabsolut]

Bib shorts!

FWIW, I wear men's bibs. Easier to find, though even with my team kit orders, I still go for men's for longer inseams and longer bib straps. Not always easy to find the right size, but I generally go with XS when available, sometimes small.

[bonnypriest]

I love my Pearl Izumi Sugar Shorts, PI Symphony Shorts, PI Sugar Knickers, & PI Symphony Knickers...so far. Haven't tried a lot of others yet, but these have worked very well for me. Good luck in your search. Go to a good bike shop & try on as many as you can find. And as stated before...buy the best you can afford. :D

[eofelis]

I have a few different brands, but I like shorts with a thin chamois. Blackbottoms are my main shorts nowadays, I have 3-4 pair. I also have some Hind, Insport and some off-brand ones.

I've tried Pearl Izumi shorts and the chamois is just too thick and stiff for me.

[LivetoRide]

THIS!!! I simply LOVE the new wider waistband that PI has gone to on their Elite & Symphony product line. SOOOO much more comfortable than a narrow waistband digging and binding into my waist...and it seems to drastically reduce the appearance of a "muffin-top", too. :cool

Exactly! :D The waistband is so comfortable on the bike that I don't notice it at all, and it helps make you look thinner, too.

I'd like to try some other shorts though to try different chamios types (I've been ok with my PI's in this area though), and I don't want to give up the wider waistband but I don't see many other shorts with a wider/similar waistband...any recommendations ladies? The obvious answer would be bibs, but I enjoy my longer rides and don't want to complicate things. TIA.

[VeloVT]

Castelli girl here. Their various chamois levels are different, but they all seem just right for me. Thin, flexible, good balance of padding for me (most shorts have too much in the rear, where I need it less, and less than I'd like in front).

Otherwise, I like the Shebeest/Terry chamois as well (though I am a bigger fan of Castelli's fabrics).

I can wear PI. They don't chafe me, or do anything else horrible. They just feel big and stiff. My PIs have mostly become the shorts I wear on the trainer.

[jolie]

It is helpful when riding.:). One of my friends bought it. But I still wear the usual gym suit.

[WindingRoad]

Honestly for the cost factored in I like the PI Symphony shorts. Of course that's for a distance pf like maybe 20 - 40 miles. I remember when I first started riding I wore these cheap-o Cannondale shorts, which I think were spin shorts, that hardly had any thickness at all in the chamois and I thought that was fine for at least a year. Honestly the seat makes more of a difference for me than the shorts. The Symphony shorts have some nice features though, they started putting a little pocket on the side of them which I like, great for dog spray if you are out riding in the boonies. They even offer them with some accent colors now, they have the flat waistband that doesn't cut you in half like some others were talking about, totally understand that one:eek: The only negative I have on the Symphony is they got the leg bands a little tight, I pull them out everytime I wear them. The loosen up when they warm up but I would rather they did a looser band. Just my two cents, hope it helps and welcome to the wonderful world of cycling :)

[zoom-zoom]

THIS!!! I simply LOVE the new wider waistband that PI has gone to on their Elite & Symphony product line. SOOOO much more comfortable than a narrow waistband digging and binding into my waist...and it seems to drastically reduce the appearance of a "muffin-top", too. :cool:

I LOVE the top on the Symphony Cut shorts, but the Symphony do not have this same top...they have a really snug elastic band in the top, unfortunately. The Cuts are definitely my fave.

One thing I struggled with was finding a chamois that actually covered my sit bones. Apparently I have very forward-set sit bones (perhaps because I am very sway-backed with a particularly round/curvy booty). I tried a lot of shorts that had my sit bones covered by seams ahead of the body of the chamois, instead of foam. Then the back of the chamois would be up by my tailbone. No amount of yanking the shorts forward helped. PIs are the only ones I've tried that fit right. Well, except for 1 pair of Craft shorts I tried, but those just didn't cushion enough and my butt would be screaming after 20 miles.

[zoom-zoom]

The only negative I have on the Symphony is they got the leg bands a little tight, I pull them out everytime I wear them. The loosen up when they warm up but I would rather they did a looser band. Just my two cents, hope it helps and welcome to the wonderful world of cycling :)

The leg bands on the Symphony Cut shorts are a LOT looser than on the Symphony, if you don't mind the 6" inseam...I don't, since I have stubby legs. :o

[limewave]

Whatever's on closeout.

I haven't had a problem with any of my shorts. I do have some that I like more than others. I have one pair of women's shorts. I really like them as they are cut better for my waist. But I like the men's shorts as they tend to be a little longer in the inseam.

[warneral]

I once bought a pair that "looked good" turned out they looked good b/c they weren't squeezing me but that equated to looseness. Very uncomfortable to ride in!

I love that REI has a 100% satisfaction return policy. Consider their shorts :) I got some Pearl Izumis and some Novaras and actually liked both pair I bought from them.

[abejita]

I like tri type shorts. I am using de soto's carrera knickers now.

mary

[roadie gal]

2+ on DeSoto. I have both their 400 mile shorts and their tri shorts. The only drawback on them is that they're lower rise than a lot of bike shorts. But the chamois is great. So I've gotten used to the low rise.

Another thing about shorts, not only do they have to fit you, but they have to work with your bike saddle and your riding position. I've had shorts that felt great in the store, but rubbed weirdly on my tribike.

Don't get overwhelmed. It can take a little time, but you'll find shorts that work for you.

[abejita]

I love the low rise because it doesn't bind at my waist...although, I wore them with one of my shorter jersey's and ended up with this smiley face sunburn on my lower back :-0