Short Choice

[Trekhawk]

I seem to have lost a pair of my cycling shorts (must have gone where the socks go) and unless they turn up I really need to get another pair.

I have been looking at all the new gear and wonder if any of you girls have tried out the shorts below and if so how do you like them?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=27348

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=24989

Now at these prices I might as well consider Assos. If you have Assos how do you like them?? I would like to use this new pair for my longer rides.

Thanks

[Veronica]

I have not tried either of those. I am very disappointed that my LGs from last year did not stay comfy an entire season. Bear in mind, those shorts were awesome for my first double and it rained buckets.

I have a pair of Assos knickers. I like them pretty well - wore them yesterday for 112 miles. if the weather is iffy, I'll wear them for the 300 K next week. The chamois does creep around a little bit on me though.

Given those two short choices - I'd probably get the Castellis myself.

V.

[aka_kim]

Given those two short choices - I'd probably get the Castellis myself.

Oooh, with NASA cooling technology!

[Trekhawk]

Oooh, with NASA cooling technology!

LOL - that must be why they are so expensive.

I think you are right V I wasn't that impressed with the airstreams so I should probably stay away from the LG ones. Hmm now just need to decide between Nasa or Swiss technology.

[Deanna]

I haven't tried those particular items, but I have used both of those brands. I concur with Veronica - go for the Castellis over the LG's.

[jobob]

I don't mean to be disloyal to TE, but I really like the shorts from Ground Effect in New Zealand. (TE doesn't carry them, alas ...)

I have a couple of pair of their Witches Britches knickers, and I also have a pair of their Jitterbugs shorts, which are very similar to the WBs.

The lycra is very smooth and stretchy, and I like the fact that the shorts don't have gripper elastic, yet they stay snug on my legs without being too tight. The chamois isn't very thick, but I'm beginning to like that. Also, the waistbands are relatively high (oh-oh, Mom shorts! ) and I like that too. Your preference of course may be different.

And the price is quite reasonable, about $55 US for the shorts.

I wore the Jitterbugs on my ride up Mt. Diablo on Saturday and on my 112 mile hilly ride with Veronica on Sunday (um, washing them in between ) and they were great. I'll be wearing them on my 300K brevet this coming Saturday, unless it ends up being on the chilly side, in which case I'll wear the Witches Britches.

I like the Jitterbugs so much I ordered another pair today from Ground Effect, along with their more 'deluxe' Mojos shorts (about $75 US, but I'm worth it!). Oh, and shipping from New Zealand is surprisingly reasonable too.

I feel kind of bad putting in a plug for a product not available from TE, but I think they're really good shorts.

[Trekhawk]

I haven't tried those particular items, but I have used both of those brands. I concur with Veronica - go for the Castellis over the LG's.

Thanks Deanna - yep the pair I seem to have lost were the Castelli Donna shorts and I really liked them ( I still have one pair of Donnas but I like two long distance pairs). Might have to talk to SK she has both Assos and Castelli and see which she prefers.

Thanks Girls

[SadieKate]

Assos FI pad hands down over the current Castelli chamois. I loved Castelli's YPRO3chamois from a few years back but, alas, they just had to "improve" it. It's OK and I'll take it over a bunch of other chamois but the Assos F1 is better over the long haul. I also like the waistband on the Assos. Next best thing to bibshorts. I don't think the new Castelli pad stretches and conforms as nicely as the old one or the Assos.

Bill favorably compares the OD-3F pad in his Giordana Tenax to the the Assos. The Assos wins but by a small margin – and the Giordana are less expensive.

The OD-3F pad is available in a women’s version in two shorts from TE -- http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=25987
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=25981

I’ll probably try it this year but I haven't decided between the Laer short or the bibshort. I know my LBS is getting in the bibshort and maybe the halfshort.

Editing to add a note that the new Castelli pad and the upper level Hincapie pad are virtually indistinguishable to me. I like the Hincapie shorts better between the two. It doesn't have a leg band.

[Trekhawk]

Thanks Jobob and SK. Oh so many shorts to look at now. I will have to do a little research on the ones you guys mentioned that I havent looked at.
LOL Jo about the mum shorts - yep I prefer my shorts to come up higher in the waist because it helps hide my belly (and I do blame that on my three kids hee hee and I'm sticking to that excuse).

Thanks again - I'm off to look at all the options.

[jobob]

Yeah, all these choices are kind of overwheming, aren't they?

Poor Lee went shorts shopping the other day, and found out that REI no longer makes the shorts he likes. All I could say was, "welcome to our world".

At least he doesn't have to shop for bras ...

[SadieKate]

Yeah, tell him how we all feel for him.

[koala]

I have the Louis Garneaus shorts & love 'em. The chamois in this new shorts is nothing like the AirStream. They use an insert called the AirGel, which is a soft, stretchable chamois also found in their black & white bib-short. I rode the bib-short all last season & liked it so much that I just ordered myself a second pair for this season.

But back to the new short. I got a pair for Xmas & have been using it indoors on the trainer. The chamois is very nice, it is the only one I own that truly disappears when you have it on, no diaper feel at all. The fabric of the short is strange, one of those new dimpled materials that is supposed to wick real well. I guess it does, as I don't get a heat/sweat rash. There is no leg gripper at all, they compress through numerous panel construction, with a wide horizontal band of fabric at the bottom of the leg opening. Not sure how else to describe it, as it feels very strange at first, somewhat tight, but it seems to loosed up a little after some washes & wears. Some riders might be put off at this, but it is so comfortable it might be worth a try.

I also give very high marks to the Assos. SK already said it all in terms of the short's very many attributes.

Lastly is the Castelli -- a loser in my book. I cannot stand that chamois, it is thin & the seams chafe horribly. I'm not impressed with the NASA technology either. All the good chamois regulate temperature well, they just don't try to make anything more of it than that.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm not impressed with the NASA technology either. All the good chamois regulate temperature well, they just don't try to make anything more of it than that.

Well, NASA hasn't really been known for it's infallible technology lately, has it? Good thing you don't have to orbit the earth in those shorts, they might disintegrate upon re-entry.

[Trekhawk]

Thanks everyone for your helpful info. I ordered myself a pair of Assos shorts this morning and Im also going to order a pair of the Ground Effects that Jo mentioned. I hope I like the Ground Effects pair it will make shopping for shorts a whole lot easier when I get back to Aust (hee hee shipping will be cheaper too).

Oh dear!!! See what you have done with all these great reports I started off needing one pair of shorts and ended up ordering two.

[SadieKate]

I'm sure you're just going to tell Pete it was all our fault.