Bike shorts & short rides?

I've been away from biking for a couple of years. I used to ride a lot during grad school though, and I really miss it. So, last month I ordered a Bike Friday, and I'm planning a summer of long (Okay short, I'm out of shape!) bike rides :)

I used to always ride in street clothes, as I would basically sneak my bike out of the office during the middle of the day and just go ride. Whatever I was wearing that day became my biking outfit. (Flared leg jeans were not my friend... :) ) So I have no experience with bike shorts and shammies. My question is, are they worth it? Particularly on short rides? My plan is to start with 5 mile rides, and work my way up to twice that over the summer.

Thanks!
Anastasia :-)

Generally if I'm doing a short, after-work type ride, I have to change anyway, so I change into bike shorts. However, I have experimented some with no chamois riding and do OK for shorter rides.

First, congratulations! What kind of Bike Friday did you get? I just got one in February and I'm taking it to France next month!

I like cycling shorts no matter what the distance. If I'm just going to the grocery store, I'll put hiking shorts on over my cycling shorts. You'll have to see what works for you. If you get uncomfortable, try cycling shorts and also different saddles (lots of saddle discussions on TE).

Tulip - Thanks! :)

I got one of their mountain bikes! Similar to the Pocket Llama Extra 27, only with a dual drive setup instead of the front and rear derailers. The rep I talked to suggested the dual drive for bikes which will be folded frequently.

My long term goal is to go mountain biking. I am not sure if I will really get into shape for much of that this summer, but next summer, watch out! :) Biking in France sounds totally awesome!

Thanks to both of you for the bike shorts tips. I'm thinking I might invest in one pair and do some comparison rides. I'm trying to stop myself from buying a lot of bike-gear just for the sake of having bike-gear. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do that! But my bank account would not thank me for it! :)

My plan for the saddle is to move the Brooks leather saddle from my old bike. (The bike was a cheapie, but I splurged on the saddle.) It is certainly more comfortable than any other saddle I've ridden on, although admittedly I have not tried any other higher quality saddles.

Oh, anyone else who wants to chime in here, feel free!
Anastasia :-)

I think that's a good idea to compare with/without.
Personally , if it was a hassle to change, I wouldn't for a 5-10 mile ride.

I usually don't bother with pads for 10 or less miles.

For shirt rides, I don't bother bringing out the bike shorts unless I'm planning on changing anyways. Once my butt got used the the saddle when I started riding again, I noticed the short ones don't bother me.

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Originally Posted by PrincessAna

My long term goal is to go mountain biking. I am not sure if I will really get into shape for much of that this summer, but next summer, watch out! :) Biking in France sounds totally awesome!

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Cool! As someone who kind of stumbled into mountain biking, I think it definitely takes some skill, but you can work up to the harder stuff, while still enjoying some quality time in the woods. So, give it a go! It'll whip you into shape fairly quickly!

Looking back on all the shorts I have, my one piece of advice would be to spend a little more in the beginning and get a really good pair. Try them on and splurge for a decent pair where the chamois will endure many washes without flattening into a useless pancake. If your butt's still not happy in a good pair of shorts, then the saddle is the other half of the equation.