Short Choice

[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.