Cycling shorts, what do you wear?

[bonnypriest]

I love my Pearl Izumi Sugar Shorts, PI Symphony Shorts, PI Sugar Knickers, & PI Symphony Knickers...so far. Haven't tried a lot of others yet, but these have worked very well for me. Good luck in your search. Go to a good bike shop & try on as many as you can find. And as stated before...buy the best you can afford.

[eofelis]

I have a few different brands, but I like shorts with a thin chamois. Blackbottoms are my main shorts nowadays, I have 3-4 pair. I also have some Hind, Insport and some off-brand ones.

I've tried Pearl Izumi shorts and the chamois is just too thick and stiff for me.

[LivetoRide]

THIS!!! I simply LOVE the new wider waistband that PI has gone to on their Elite & Symphony product line. SOOOO much more comfortable than a narrow waistband digging and binding into my waist...and it seems to drastically reduce the appearance of a "muffin-top", too. :cool

Exactly! The waistband is so comfortable on the bike that I don't notice it at all, and it helps make you look thinner, too.

I'd like to try some other shorts though to try different chamios types (I've been ok with my PI's in this area though), and I don't want to give up the wider waistband but I don't see many other shorts with a wider/similar waistband...any recommendations ladies? The obvious answer would be bibs, but I enjoy my longer rides and don't want to complicate things. TIA.

[VeloVT]

Castelli girl here. Their various chamois levels are different, but they all seem just right for me. Thin, flexible, good balance of padding for me (most shorts have too much in the rear, where I need it less, and less than I'd like in front).

Otherwise, I like the Shebeest/Terry chamois as well (though I am a bigger fan of Castelli's fabrics).

I can wear PI. They don't chafe me, or do anything else horrible. They just feel big and stiff. My PIs have mostly become the shorts I wear on the trainer.

[jolie]

It is helpful when riding.. One of my friends bought it. But I still wear the usual gym suit.

[WindingRoad]

Honestly for the cost factored in I like the PI Symphony shorts. Of course that's for a distance pf like maybe 20 - 40 miles. I remember when I first started riding I wore these cheap-o Cannondale shorts, which I think were spin shorts, that hardly had any thickness at all in the chamois and I thought that was fine for at least a year. Honestly the seat makes more of a difference for me than the shorts. The Symphony shorts have some nice features though, they started putting a little pocket on the side of them which I like, great for dog spray if you are out riding in the boonies. They even offer them with some accent colors now, they have the flat waistband that doesn't cut you in half like some others were talking about, totally understand that one The only negative I have on the Symphony is they got the leg bands a little tight, I pull them out everytime I wear them. The loosen up when they warm up but I would rather they did a looser band. Just my two cents, hope it helps and welcome to the wonderful world of cycling

[zoom-zoom]

THIS!!! I simply LOVE the new wider waistband that PI has gone to on their Elite & Symphony product line. SOOOO much more comfortable than a narrow waistband digging and binding into my waist...and it seems to drastically reduce the appearance of a "muffin-top", too.

I LOVE the top on the Symphony Cut shorts, but the Symphony do not have this same top...they have a really snug elastic band in the top, unfortunately. The Cuts are definitely my fave.

One thing I struggled with was finding a chamois that actually covered my sit bones. Apparently I have very forward-set sit bones (perhaps because I am very sway-backed with a particularly round/curvy booty). I tried a lot of shorts that had my sit bones covered by seams ahead of the body of the chamois, instead of foam. Then the back of the chamois would be up by my tailbone. No amount of yanking the shorts forward helped. PIs are the only ones I've tried that fit right. Well, except for 1 pair of Craft shorts I tried, but those just didn't cushion enough and my butt would be screaming after 20 miles.

[zoom-zoom]

The only negative I have on the Symphony is they got the leg bands a little tight, I pull them out everytime I wear them. The loosen up when they warm up but I would rather they did a looser band. Just my two cents, hope it helps and welcome to the wonderful world of cycling

The leg bands on the Symphony Cut shorts are a LOT looser than on the Symphony, if you don't mind the 6" inseam...I don't, since I have stubby legs.

[limewave]

Whatever's on closeout.

I haven't had a problem with any of my shorts. I do have some that I like more than others. I have one pair of women's shorts. I really like them as they are cut better for my waist. But I like the men's shorts as they tend to be a little longer in the inseam.

[warneral]

I once bought a pair that "looked good" turned out they looked good b/c they weren't squeezing me but that equated to looseness. Very uncomfortable to ride in!

I love that REI has a 100% satisfaction return policy. Consider their shorts I got some Pearl Izumis and some Novaras and actually liked both pair I bought from them.

[abejita]

I like tri type shorts. I am using de soto's carrera knickers now.

mary

[roadie gal]

2+ on DeSoto. I have both their 400 mile shorts and their tri shorts. The only drawback on them is that they're lower rise than a lot of bike shorts. But the chamois is great. So I've gotten used to the low rise.

Another thing about shorts, not only do they have to fit you, but they have to work with your bike saddle and your riding position. I've had shorts that felt great in the store, but rubbed weirdly on my tribike.

Don't get overwhelmed. It can take a little time, but you'll find shorts that work for you.

[abejita]

I love the low rise because it doesn't bind at my waist...although, I wore them with one of my shorter jersey's and ended up with this smiley face sunburn on my lower back :-0