Skin-tight shorts fit like skin

[Yen]

I bought a new pair of shorts, the Terry T-short. Beautiful shorts, they fit well...... but my God they fit like skin!! I mean there are NO wrinkles, and every lump and bump shows from behind. Hubby said I look good in them (well of course he does) but I'm used to wearing loose-fitting MTB shorts and this my first pair of fitted shorts. Are they supposed to fit this tight??? I bought my usual size (medium) and I'm wondering if a larger size would be too large in the waist. I'm not overweight and I'm in fairly good shape but I'm in my mid-50s....... I won't mind so much while I'm on the bike, but stopping to eat in public is different.

[tctrek]

Yep - welcome to spandex! You want your bike shorts to fit like skin. That gives you muscle compression which helps your muscles not to fatigue so quickly. Compression also helps with recovery.. There's actual medical evidence of that, although I don't know the science of it, I know it works!

Listen, you are a size Medium, mid-50's, riding a bike... you are fabulous! Don't worry about it!

[lph]

If they dig in anywhere, like at the elastic at the end of the legs or in the waistline, they're too tight or the wrong shape for you. If not - yep, skintight is the way to go

You get used to it. A couple of years ago I wouldn't wear anything but plain black shorts, and only cycling, now I've been to my climbing gym and not bothered to change out of my PI shorts with the white seam right through the crotch, or my club shorts with the club name emblazoned in huge letters in yellow on blue all over my butt...

eta: aaaahhhh! tctrek, your avatar gives me the heebiejeebies! :-o

[Yen]

....
eta: aaaahhhh! tctrek, your avatar gives me the heebiejeebies! :-o

ACK! Me too!

Thank you.... Yeh, mid-50s and years at a sedentary job.... I can't expect to look like I'm 25, but I'm modest by nature and this will take some getting used to. But, maybe they'll look better without my underwear underneath (required while trying them on).

They don't dig in anywhere... the elastic at the end of the legs is snug but that's a feature to keep them in place, not uncomfortably tight, and they don't feel too small.

[Yen]

UPDATE! I wore them on a ride for the first time today -- and I LOVE THEM. They not only fit like skin, they also feel like skin... nothing to bunch or bind or restrict. One layer, easy on and off. What took me so long to try this type of bike shorts!!!

If I find them on sale I'll snatch up another pair. Terry T-Short Long (just above the knee).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

UPDATE! I wore them on a ride for the first time today -- and I LOVE THEM. They not only fit like skin, they also feel like skin... nothing to bunch or bind or restrict. One layer, easy on and off. What took me so long to try this type of bike shorts!!!

If I find them on sale I'll snatch up another pair. Terry T-Short Long (just above the knee).

I have those shorts too- the T-shorts long. I'm in my 50's and I have some extra lumps and such on my thighs and I have big hips...but i'm not actually 'fat'...just extra padding. The Tshort longs were nice because the leg elastic was not as tight as in many other shorts I tried on. They make me look smoother and not like a tied sausage. Very comfy shorts for rides of 30 miles or less for me. However I don't like them for long rides of over 30 miles- the pad is a bit soft. For long rides (30-70 miles) I like my Shebeest Ultra D shorts- fabulous pad for long distance, and the leg elastic is not tight in those either.

I used to feel really self conscious in my bike shorts...but after a while I just didn't think about it much anymore.