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04-24-09, 09:24 AM
I'm going to be cross posting this in the Triathlon forum as well, but as a bigger guy my specific need was a short that fit my size, so I believe it should be posted here as well.
A little over a week prior to my first Triathlon, I came into the forums looking for advice on a Triathlon short that would fit a larger guy. I had previously purchased the 2XL short from Performance Bike, but that was designed for someone with a 44 inch waist, not a 44 inch hip and larger thighs. It simply wouldnt fit. Plus, that was their largest size. Returning it, and now in a rush, I was given a few different brands to look at.
Because I am on a budget, looked specifically at the brands with offerings under the $50 range, and after looking at a few different sites, I decided on Aero Tech Designs.
Due to the problems I'd had with the Performance short sizing, and wanting to be sure I had a pair to wear, I ordered both a 2XL and 3XL short. They offered several different shipping options, and I chose USPS Priority Mail. Online ordering was easy, and I got great phone support calling to ask about how true their sizing was. They actually put one of the employees who rides on the phone with me in order to make sure I got proper info. My order processed the next day, and arrived quickly, in plenty of time to try them out before the race.
I tried on the 2XLs and knew right away I'd made a good decision. They fit snugly along the legs as expected, but not so snugly as to be uncomfortable. I often have trouble with pants staying up properly. As a big guy, I have a stangely small rear. The Aero Tech Tris stayed up where they belonged throughout practices and the race.
The padding is a triathlon padding, so it's thinner than most bike shorts padding for quick drying. Not only did it dry quickly, but even with the little water retained in the pad during the swim, the difference between the tri short and the drag from my board shorts is unreal.
For not having trained nearly hard enough, the tri shorts helped me stay comfortable in the saddle for the hour and a half I was there.
There are only a couple negatives I can think of. First is that the shorts arent designed for swimming on a daily basis in training due to potential breakdown of the nylon fabrics. I'm guessing this is a factor of these being less expensive shorts, which was a compromise I was more than willing to make. The other is that the return process is not electronic on the Aero Tech site. I'm sending back the 3XLs unworn for a full refund, but I had to print and mail a form, and I need to get them back in within 21 days to make sure I get an electronic credit instead of a check. My fault for delaying, but that does seem a bit tight of a deadline.
All in all, these are terrific shorts, and when I need to order my next pair (when I drop to the next size), they're going to be from Aero Tech.
A little over a week prior to my first Triathlon, I came into the forums looking for advice on a Triathlon short that would fit a larger guy. I had previously purchased the 2XL short from Performance Bike, but that was designed for someone with a 44 inch waist, not a 44 inch hip and larger thighs. It simply wouldnt fit. Plus, that was their largest size. Returning it, and now in a rush, I was given a few different brands to look at.
Because I am on a budget, looked specifically at the brands with offerings under the $50 range, and after looking at a few different sites, I decided on Aero Tech Designs.
Due to the problems I'd had with the Performance short sizing, and wanting to be sure I had a pair to wear, I ordered both a 2XL and 3XL short. They offered several different shipping options, and I chose USPS Priority Mail. Online ordering was easy, and I got great phone support calling to ask about how true their sizing was. They actually put one of the employees who rides on the phone with me in order to make sure I got proper info. My order processed the next day, and arrived quickly, in plenty of time to try them out before the race.
I tried on the 2XLs and knew right away I'd made a good decision. They fit snugly along the legs as expected, but not so snugly as to be uncomfortable. I often have trouble with pants staying up properly. As a big guy, I have a stangely small rear. The Aero Tech Tris stayed up where they belonged throughout practices and the race.
The padding is a triathlon padding, so it's thinner than most bike shorts padding for quick drying. Not only did it dry quickly, but even with the little water retained in the pad during the swim, the difference between the tri short and the drag from my board shorts is unreal.
For not having trained nearly hard enough, the tri shorts helped me stay comfortable in the saddle for the hour and a half I was there.
There are only a couple negatives I can think of. First is that the shorts arent designed for swimming on a daily basis in training due to potential breakdown of the nylon fabrics. I'm guessing this is a factor of these being less expensive shorts, which was a compromise I was more than willing to make. The other is that the return process is not electronic on the Aero Tech site. I'm sending back the 3XLs unworn for a full refund, but I had to print and mail a form, and I need to get them back in within 21 days to make sure I get an electronic credit instead of a check. My fault for delaying, but that does seem a bit tight of a deadline.
All in all, these are terrific shorts, and when I need to order my next pair (when I drop to the next size), they're going to be from Aero Tech.