Confused About Cycling Shorts-Tights-Knickers.

[featuretile]

The athletic knickers need to be form fitting, not loose. The exercise tights are also form fitting. There is no problem wearing them.

[cosc]

I like to wear padded tights or knickers, as wearing any garment over shorts puts more sweat and pressure around my middle.
In very cold weather it is necessary to layer bottoms though.

[easterbird]

I just spent some time today checking out bike shorts...my old ones are worn out. PI have been my brand so I tried several styles.Of course I tried them on with undies and not only could I see the underwear line, I could see right through to the undies and my white skin on my thighs. Thought perhaps going up a size would help. Not better and they are tooo big on legs,too. I looked though the selection of other brands but it is easy to see straight thru them on legs and bottom. Guy at the shop says they are made thinner these days for better wicking. I wonder if that's the case or if it's cheaper that way.
This issue was brought to my attention as I noticed many bottoms and butt cracks as I did Bike Va and other group rides.
Anyway any suggestions about 'decent' bike shorts??. I have used a padded liner with 'old' shorts or just baggy nylon shorts as a cover but in the summer that gets HOT!

[CyborgQueen]

I just spent some time today checking out bike shorts...my old ones are worn out. PI have been my brand so I tried several styles.Of course I tried them on with undies and not only could I see the underwear line, I could see right through to the undies and my white skin on my thighs. Thought perhaps going up a size would help. Not better and they are tooo big on legs,too. I looked though the selection of other brands but it is easy to see straight thru them on legs and bottom. Guy at the shop says they are made thinner these days for better wicking. I wonder if that's the case or if it's cheaper that way.
This issue was brought to my attention as I noticed many bottoms and butt cracks as I did Bike Va and other group rides.
Anyway any suggestions about 'decent' bike shorts??. I have used a padded liner with 'old' shorts or just baggy nylon shorts as a cover but in the summer that gets HOT!

I noticed there's been a change in design as well. After spending a small amount on my first shorts, I decided to get more expensive and better designed, and they had PI Short Shorts (and there was a LOT of them here...so I'm wondering why the previous poster said it's hard to find) at LBS. I went to check it out, I liked it, then I bought it. When I wore it for the first time on the bike, I only went 2 miles before I said that I absolutely hated it. The grippers were driving me CRAZY! It was fine in the store, but when your legs are moving a lot, it does get annoying. I could FEEL the damn plastic stitching (which I think has been changed as well). I've tried to roll them up, but they seem to flop back down when I rode. So I returned it, thanks to REI's wonderful return policy!

I know a lot of people in my groups that swears by them. After the experience I looked at their shorts - and they look better in them than me since I am thicker around my thighs, but I checked out their grippers - it is obvious that PI changed their designs. The newer ones seem to use PLASTIC stitching and more "grip". The older ones seem to have just some sort of gripper tape, with cotton (? whatever, it's not plastic!) stitch, hence why it's probably more comfortable.

I'm very picky about how things feel on my skin, I'm just so sensitive. If there's something that feels weird, it will stick in my head for the rest of the time and I can't just "ignore" it. I don't like 'tolerable', I like "Perfect".

I think I'm just going to buy shorts without grippers. My shorts now is starting to get really uncomfortable for longer rides - the padding is not even a chamois. My girly bits don't hurt at all, but the inner part of my thighs get irritated - due to the extra stitchings in that area. That stinks - I really like PI's padding, it's perfect. I'm a big padder girl.

[TrekTheKaty]

I ditto the bike shorts with tights over the top. I wear Shebeest bike shorts. The leggings are moisture wicking tights left over from my running days. Check out some clearance racks at your local sporting good store. I have one pair of capris for spring and fall.