Mountain Biking - Shorts.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fox-cycling-shorts-mens-sz-32-mountain-or-road-bike_W0QQitemZ250100752754QQcategoryZ137007QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is there anything I need to know about biking shorts? I'm 5'11, 155lbs and usually wear a 33 waist with a belt. Do biking shorts fit the same as regular old pants or are they generally tighter/looser?

Absolutely, positively go for bib shorts as compared to regular cycling shorts. Price is nearly the same while fit, comfort, coverage, and style is far superior with the bib-style cycling shorts. Length should be nearly to your knee while fit should be firm and supportive. They're constructed of lycra, so I'm sure you understand the fit will be tighter than street pants...unless you specifically go for the baggy cargo-style variety like the ones you have hyperlinked which might have a form-fitting liner underneath. If you haven't owned any style of cycling shorts before, your first purchase should probably be at a LBS so you can try them on.

A nice pair of shorts is worth every penny, trust me.
Agreed about bibs, but they should NOT be nearly to your knee, unless you have midgit femurs. I have noticed that most lower-end shorts are longer though, I suppose because Americans don't like spandex in the first place, so making it short would be even worse. But take a look at any set of race cut shorts and you'll see they come about 3/4 of the way down your thigh.
My race shorts: (yes I know, road bike, but I wear the same kind during mtb races and rides)

Something to think about before purchasing baggy cycle shorts - what kind of riding do you do? If you're riding where there is a lot of brush, bushes, shrubs/trees - think about your trails, and whether the baggy shorts will get caught by a branch & yank you off your bike.

Something to think about before purchasing baggy cycle shorts - what kind of riding do you do? If you're riding where there is a lot of brush, bushes, shrubs/trees - think about your trails, and whether the baggy shorts will get caught by a branch & yank you off your bike.
i don't think you'll get ripped off your bike...unless the vines are alive and grabbing you. if anything, i would hate to have lycra getting a bunch of catches in the material :D

agreed. Honestly, baggy shorts are just annoying though. They catch wind and rarely come with a nice chamois. Get over your fear of spandex get a pair of nice bibs.

You mean the baggies w/out a chamois? That's completely different.. my major issue with baggies are the ***** chamois, no matter how expensive they are. Honestly I haven't worn or shopped for baggies in over 2 years though, so I'm not up to date on the latest and greatest in that particular type of short :)

You can get any almost any type of chamois in baggies now a days.

http://storesense4.megawebservers.com/cycletofitness_com/-strse-366/Louis-Garneau-2007-Big/Detail.bok

These have the "airstream" chamois. If you follow the link to the LG explaination, it claims to be its highest "tech" chamois.

They really haven't forgotten about the baggy MTB people.

Used lycra shorts, uhh, none for me please!

41246

:eek: spandex for the win! show off those white thights. plus you can work on your tan :D

I wish most baggy shorts manufacturers would start making a couple different lengths of their shorts. It's no fun to be 5' 8" tall and have most currently on the market baggy shorts go 3/4 the way down ya' legs.... :(