Shorts without elastic grippers

Okay, so I am back to riding 120-150 miles per week and have gotten in GREAT shape using the Katy trail to my advantage. However, I am really getting too small for my shorts. The problem started last year when I bought one pair of my favorite descente shorts a size smaller and realized - gee, that's how these Larges should fit. I am a size 6 or an 8, but most of that comes from my ample bosom and my humongous hips. I'm also all of 5' tall. So, I don't like really long shorts.

I like the fact that the descente shorts don't have leg grippers but I don't like the chamois for really long rides. It compounds and wears funny. It's just too much for me (apparently I am a minimalist). The other shorts I have are shebeasts. I love them, but the chamois is too small. I feel like I am goldilocks. I really need to get something that works because I am sick of getting caught on my seat and having to resituate my "business" out on the trail. It's slowing me down tremendously.

I can't stand leg grippers or shorts that are too long. The grippers feel constricting and normally, I don't have an issue with my shorts riding up, so I don't care if that happens a little bit.

Help?! I am going to stop by the LBS (maybe even tonight) and see if I can't try on a couple of pairs, but they rarely have the shorts I want.

Neo Powers are quite long - 10.5" inseam. They pretty much come to my knees on my 5'3" self. So that wouldn't work for you if you don't like long shorts.

I was going to say Castelli Provocante - my main complaint about those shorts is that they're too short for me - but apparently they don't make them any more. Maybe the Castelli Perla (7.5" inseam) or Vizio Due (8")?


If your LBS doesn't have what you're looking for, call TE. Their customer services is unparalleled ... they'll give you some suggestions that meet your criteria, ship them out to you quicker than you can imagine, and you can return what you don't like. :)

When you say leg grippers do you mean tight bands along the bottom or the silicone or latex grippy dots or pattern to keep the short from riding up?

I can't do shorts with the band. I get sausage-thighs. But I have to have silicone dots or tape to keep the bottom of the short from creeping up. I also don't like an overly long short. I'd recommend the PI Symphony Cut if you like a 5-6" inseam. I have been mostly sticking to my regular Symphony shorts, which have the same chamois and an 8" inseam. I have short legs, so I don't like anything longer than that...they come down too close to my knees if they are longer.

I mean the band with the latex. It is usually a really TIGHT band of latex. I don't like it.

I did just go to the LBS and they did have one pair of shorts in my size that had the yoga top and the low inseam. Thank GOD. They are the Pearl Izumi Elites and boy they are better. They have a tiny silicon detail on them and that is fine. I was skeptical about the mediums in the PI because they tend to be less comfy through the hip, but I am actually now between the mediums and the smalls. Oye. I bought them and they will probably be just fine for now. I had no clue how much weight I had lost.

The problem is that I am really swelling up badly with the heat and having those restrictive bands is itchy and problematic. But I would really appreciate any other ideas because when you ride 5-6 days a week, 1 pair is not enough!

+1 on calling TE. They really are great about discussing specifics and recommending products.

I have the Shebeest Nirvana cycling short and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!!!

No leg grippers, no waist elastic (a low rise, V waist that sits very nicely).

Bought a pair, and loved them so much I bought 2 more so I could finally get rid of the really worn-out shorts I've had for 5 years now. They sell them here at TE. The legs don't have grippers, but they stay down. The pad is thinner than most, but more than a tri short. I've ridden them for a 4 hour ride and was quite pleased.

Tri,

I have those! They are my faves, but for the rides I am looking to do - 50 or 60+ miles, I know they will not be enough. For 20-30 miles they are great, though! For days that I do a fast 15 or 20 (which is becoming most weekdays), I am really pleased with them. But for weekend rides or long day rides, I want something thicker.

Geez. I really used to not care about my shorts! I would ride in anything. Same thing about gloves. If they aren't Giro with REAL leather palms, I don't even bother - and finding an XS in those is hard!

Why do I have to be picky? Maybe I will just get some more nirvana shorts for day rides when I get paid next and then maybe another pair of these PI's when I am feeling generous.

And I will definitely second TE's customer service. They helped my mom pick out an AWESOME Christmas gift for me (a sweet PI jersey that I love). And their TE jersey is my new race jersey haha. I will definitely be continuing to support them. Ironically, my LBS is usually male staffed (they have some great chicks but they weren't there today) and they were pretty awesome today. I won't go back to the other store because they sold me a defective tube and then would not take it back.

bummer. :(
I have always worn tri shorts, so I'm used to light padding- and these have almost too much padding for me. The longest I've ridden them is 66 miles, and they were super comfy. I can imagine they'll be fine for centuries and such.

Every bum is different, huh. ;)
Hope you can find some that work OK for you!!

Yeah, my girlie parts are not a fan of the smaller chamois. Plus because of being on hormones, my skin tends to be thinner in those areas. Blech, I know, TMI. I don't like a super huge one (the descentes are TOO big), but those are just too small for that type of mileage.

We have a search function for this on the TE website.

Go to our home page, the mouse over the APPAREL tab at the top of the page. One of the first options you will see is "cycling shorts". Click on it.

When you do so, it will bring up a page of shorts, and along the left side of the page you will find all sorts of ways to filter the search results. Category, brand, sport, specialty, etc. Keep scanning down the list and you will see filters for things like grippers, inseam length etc.

Happy shopping!

Susan

I would recommend the Canari legacy short (or bibs if you like bibs). No tight band at the leg, not too long of an inseam and a nice, well formed but dense chamois that works well for long rides. They are pricy, but they are worth it. GREAT short! If TE carried a plain black version, I'd buy two more pairs just to have!

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCA_2068.html

They don't make a plain black version. Sorry! I will pass on the feedback, though. This chamois is one of my very favorites as well, as will be going to PBP with me for sure!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

They don't make a plain black version. Sorry! I will pass on the feedback, though. This chamois is one of my very favorites as well, as will be going to PBP with me for sure!

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Ugh, figures!

The "Hybrid Extra Low Rise Shorts" look to have the same chamois...but how 'low rise' are they? I typically don't like low rise bike shorts so I'm hesitant to try them, even for a great chamois.

They're lower. But even more importantly, that fabric does not have the same structure to it that the Legacy Shorts have, which is the primary reason they are $80 instead of $120.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

They're lower. But even more importantly, that fabric does not have the same structure to it that the Legacy Shorts have, which is the primary reason they are $80 instead of $120.

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Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. OK, I'll just keep washing and wearing the legacy shorts for now!

Susan,

Thanks for the reply. When I go to order another pair, I think I will try those out. Bibs have been suggested a million times for comfort. However, I am 5' tall and have a very tiny torso, so they never seem to fit correctly. It doesn't seem right to spend $150.00 and then alter them myself.