I have DeSoto triathlon shorts that I got on sale. I do like the mesh pocket on the leg to stash the gel and the empty gel pack when I'm done. The padding is pretty minimal, so I'd probably only wear this for a sprint or an oly.

I've never done a long-distance tri, but if you are doing a long-distance tri like a half-Ironman or an Ironman, there are changing tents so you could wear regular cycling shorts if you wanted and change before the run.