Cycling Shorts--Does gender really matter?

[Kalidurga]

I wear both men's and women's cycling shorts and have never noticed a difference. But definitely try them on, regardless of gender. The variations in styling from one brand to the next mean I've got a drawer of shorts ranging from medium to extra-large that all fit similarly.


(Wow, that's a clumsy sentence. I need some caffeine.)

[OakLeaf]

Call TE. They are VERY helpful - if you give them your measurements, they can probably find a pair of shorts to fit you.

It's like anything else - mass produced clothing is made to fit a standard set of proportions. So just as there are women who fit better on non-WSD bikes, there'll be women who fit better in men's clothing. If tight men's jeans fit you better than women's, then it's likely that men's cycling shorts will fit you better than women's, too. If your hips are very rounded and/or much bigger than your waist, then men's clothing probably won't fit you well. If your femurs are shorter in proportion to the circumference of your hips, then men's shorts may be very long and/or baggy at the leg opening.

The one thing that cycling shorts have different from street clothes is the chamois. Men's sit bones tend to be narrower than women's, so the chamois in men's shorts is narrower in back. If you have wider sit bones, make sure the chamois is wide enough to pad them. As far as the shape of the chamois up front, that's really individual. Molded chamois tend to generally reflect the contours of male and female genitalia, but I have no idea whether that's just marketing or whether it really helps.

[badgercat]

I started a thread with a very similar question a few months back, it may be of interest to you: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=28228

[jessica47201]

Thank you very much for the link to your thread. I just bought a pair of mens shorts and so far they are working fine for me. I'm actually pretty happy with this since I can probably find more options now. Thanks again!!!