Shorts...again!

[Owlie]

I have a question, when you say "biked myself out of them" do you mean they wore out, or that you're now a different kind of rider?

If they just wore out, but you loved them when they were new, I'd get the same ones.

They're now a size too big. They were probably a touch too large when I first got them, but not enough for me to notice. I looked at replacing them, but apparently they've been discontinued.

[redrhodie]

Oh, that kind of biked out of! It's too bad you can't find them anymore. I just read a review of them, and they looked great.

[Owlie]

Oh, that kind of biked out of! It's too bad you can't find them anymore. I just read a review of them, and they looked great.

I love the chamois, but I'd have liked a fabric that's a bit more compressive.

Well, I found some, and probably my size, with black stitching on the seams instead of the blue like mine. I'm not sure the chamois alone, though, would let me justify spending close to retail on a pair of discontinued shorts, especially since I got mine for $35!

[Owlie]

Anyone out there with the Shebeest SSS shorts? What do you think? I saw some at a bike shop when I went to pick up my bike. (I'm never doing business with that shop again, so I'm ordering from TE!) I liked the look of the chamois--not as thick as I expected--but all my shorts have that smooth-but-fleecy chamois, instead of the kind that the SSS has.

[nscrbug]

Anyone out there with the Shebeest SSS shorts? What do you think? I saw some at a bike shop when I went to pick up my bike. (I'm never doing business with that shop again, so I'm ordering from TE!) I liked the look of the chamois--not as thick as I expected--but all my shorts have that smooth-but-fleecy chamois, instead of the kind that the SSS has.

I have 2 pairs of SSS shorts. I like 'em just fine. Good points (for me) - no annoying drawstring at the waist, and I like the length. Bad points - I think I have a mild allergic reaction to the silicone leg grippers because I get red, bumpy blotches on my thighs, right where the gripper hits me. Overall opinion of them...I like them better than any of my Pearl Izumi shorts (and I have lots). Lately, the SSS short has been the short that I grab first...especially if I know I'm doing 50+ miles.

Linda

[roadie gal]

The best shorts I've found lately have been the DeSoto 400 mile shorts. The pad is a lot less bulky than PIs. It's actually made with a channel down the middle so you don't get pressure there.

The short material is more compressive than stretchy (think Terry Bella material).

The only drawback for me is that they have a lower cut than I prefer, but I like the rest of the shorts enough that I deal it.

[OakLeaf]

I have a couple of pairs of SSS.

I like the chamois reasonably well, but it doesn't seem to be as durable as other brands. It could be a little thinner for my preference, but it's not so thick that it really causes problems.

I do like the construction and the fabric. Again I'm right on the line between small and medium in SheBeest, but unlike Castelli, they're stretchy enough that that isn't a huge issue.

IMO they're too short to begin with, and having to roll up the legs because of that silicone gripper is almost a deal-breaker.

The waistband is kind of thin, and as these shorts wear, it turns out that the waistband is an elastic strip inside a fabric roll, and it doesn't stay in place well over time. Maybe if I hand-washed them it would be better, but I have a front-loader, I always use the gentle cycle, and that's my limit.

Another comparative plug for the LG Neo Power. The chamois in those is a very similar shape and compressed thickness to the SSS, but a bit firmer, more like an actual chamois than a sponge. Plus, they have no gripper, no waist elastic, and a better leg length. Can't speak to durability though, as I don't have that many miles on my LGs yet.


Also, I don't ride in the rain a lot, but the SSS chamois is seriously a sponge. Yuk. When I was testing shorts for the tri I did last month, I got in the shower with the Castelli Vizio Due, and although I rejected these shorts for the tri because of the fit, I literally squeezed more water out of my sports bra after the shower than I did out of the Castelli chamois. Big plus for those. Haven't had the LGs wet, but it sure seems like they would also soak up less water than the SSS.



ETA, mostly hijack: Out of curiosity I took a look at those DeSoto 400-mile shorts, and it cracked me up how it says the chamois is "buoyant." Images of being held up in the water by my @ss.