My two cents is that you will never regret spending money on high-quality shorts, with good chamois. Whether they are MTB style or road, to me, good shorts make or break a long ride. And, it's not just the chamois, but living in Texas, I've learned that you get what you pay for when it comes to fabrics for moisture mangement in super hot weather and the way waistbands and leg bands fit. I've been my own personal guinea pig this year testing and testing and testing different pairs. I'm most partial to Capo, an Italian brand, but also have really others by Louis Garneau, Terry (Bella) and a pair by Hincapie that are Coldblack fabric.

There's nothing better than finding a great pair of shorts on sale. And, FWIW, I never ever put mine in the dryer.