Thigh grippers = fat ooze problem

[G809]

Hello, all! I'm new here and love this welcoming community! Hopefully someone will have some advice on this:

I have been commuting on a bicycle for a long time but recently got a sportier bike and would like to begin doing longer recreational rides. I found that my bum starts to really get sore so I'm looking into bike shorts/skorts. I bought the Shebeest Cycloskort (love the idea of the skirt covering my tush when I'm off the bike) but the thigh grippers look horrendous. I'm not overweight (5'3" and 125 lbs) but certainly not skinny, particularly in the butt/thigh area. Has anyone tried removing the grippers to get around this problem? Are there any other solutions? It's too bad all my extra padding doesn't cushion my ride :-).

[shootingstar]

If you haven't worn the skort for long /or even gone cycling much yet, is it possible to go back to store and try 1 size up?

Unless you are an excellent sewer with the proper sewing machine, cutting off the gripper bands and sewing with lycra, by folding the edges under, to still make it stretch, can be a challenge.

Based on the shorts gripper bands I've seen, I don't know see how one can remove the elastic without seriously ruining the lycra/spandex fabric edge.

[OakLeaf]

If you take the grippers off, the shorts will ride up. That's why they're there. The alternative is old-school shorts that go down almost to your knee.

Doesn't the skirt cover all of the shorts? IME, skorts have extra-short shorts, which means the grippers fall high on the thigh where most women have some fat (and you don't have to have much for them to dig in there). To me they're uncomfortable for that reason - and also for that reason, the grippers have to be extra-tight to keep them from riding up on your "triangular" adductor muscles. But because of the skirt, you're the only one who sees it.

You might want to try regular length shorts instead of skorts. If you like the idea of a skirt, there are lightweight skirts that you can wear over any shorts.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I had to buy about 8 different brands of biking shorts to try on in order to find ones that weren't like tourniquets on my thighs. I'm not fat, but I do have some middle aged fat on my thighs- nothing 'abnormal'. The Terry T-short (long) and the Shebeest Ultra-D fit me great and didn't have the Elastic of Death around my thighs.

Yes, it is possible to find ones that fit right if you try on enough different brands and styles. I suspect most bike shorts are made with slim proportions in mind, not pear shapes like mine.

[Kalidurga]

I am positive that most bike shorts are made with slim proportions in mind, not pear shapes like ours.

I have a dream, a dream of outdoor/athletic gear designed for real women!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have a dream, a dream of outdoor/athletic gear designed for real women!!

Yeah sister!

[Susan Otcenas]

I have a dream, a dream of outdoor/athletic gear designed for real women!!

Good luck finding any two women who agree on precisely what that is.

[SAMbike]

the Elastic of Death around my thighs.

I almost started laughing when I read this... because it's too real!

I too am not overweight but some shorts are absolutely hideous on me - elastic of death... that's it!!!

Thank you to all who contributed to this thread and to Susan at TE for posting a list of shorts that don't have leg grippers. I just ordered a few of them to try them out!

[G809]

Thanks, all. I think I will return the skort and go for a longer short and find a skirt to go on top!