Women's vs Men's shorts
 

I am looking into buying my first pair of cycling shorts. I want a pair of baggy shorts with a fairly long inseam and this is difficult to find cheap in women's apparel. Will I regret it if I buy men's shorts?

Try what you want on and if they fit then they fit. The designation of womens/mens cut is more about marketing than anything with womens cut fitting a fuller figure better than mens cut which suit the tall skinny type better.

Regards, Anthony

I recently tried on bike shorts for the first time. They were all women's, 2 with baggy overshorts, 2 just tight. Why do they have to be so tight? and expensive?

Everyone getting into shorts for the first time will find them tight, they are tight so that they don't move during the ride. Baggy shorts will create chafing.

I recommend getting the smallest short you can fit into and move around comfortably in; You'll get used to the tight fit and wont regret your purchase. (They will also relax a bit over time)

Perhaps. The chamois (padding) in women's shorts has stitching in different areas than men's shorts.

Go to velowear.com. They have mens, womens, and youth cycling clothes.

I was concerned that the chamois would cause problems. Has anyone here tried so they could tell me the difference from experience?

With my leather saddle I do not need as much chamois or padded lining. As a man I need the tight support of snug shorts. Most of my shorts have relaxed enough to require snug briefs underneath them. Cheaper than new shorts.

I ended up getting a pair of Nashbar Tahoe Short (mens). So far I am very happy with my purchase!

Whatever you do- do not get a pair that are a bit too large- just for comfort. Too tight can also be wrong as the Elastic round the thighs will constrict if too small a size. I have to agree about the baggies. They are heavy, catch on the saddle and do not feel any where near as comfortable as Lycra. If it is emabarrassment factor you are thinking about- I would not worry. If you do, then still get the Lycra for comfort and wear a pair of sports shorts over the top. Now to get you worried- NO Knickers underneath either. They do not add to comfort whatsoever and can cause problems with rucks.

The lining- by the way, does not add to comfort- except that it takes sweat away from the vital parts and stops problem of sweat rash and other problems taht can arise. Only thing is- always wash after using them to keep them clean.

You might regret it. They are cut a bit different. If you have hips, the men's shorts might be too tight. They are pretty much cut as a straight line with no curves for hips. Some brands are tighter than others.

I think the chammy is shaped slightly differently in men's shorts and women's shorts to provide padding in the gender-appropriate places. I have no reservations about buying men's bike shirts -- the small fits pretty well, and is a touch longer than a women's medium -- but I would not buy men's shorts.

It could just be that I am buying into the manufacturers' hype, of course.

Several years ago I pulled a pair of shorts off the rack at Performance one day and arrived home to discover that they were women's (I'm a guy). I was too lazy to take them back, and I've worn them for several years in my regular rotation of shorts.

As a guy, I can attest to their being cut a bit different—not quite as tight through the hips. The chamois is a little different, but not so much as to be noticable. The thing I notice most is that there are no "grabbers" on the leg openings -- those little rubbery things that theoretically keep the shorts from climbing up the legs.

As I said, this was a couple of years ago. In the same brand (i.e., "Century") of shorts, Performance has since changed the shapes/styles of chamois, so my experience may not repeat itself.

Gary

I own a couple of pairs of men's shorts. They're built a little different than my women's shorts--less ease in the hips, mostly. But they are not uncomfortable. Buy whatever you can find in the right size.

And remember...NO UNDERWEAR WITH BIKE SHORTS!!!

The most important difference is the chamois. Not the shape but the stiching. Each is stiched where there is the least chance of rubbing where you don't want to be rubbed. One of the differences between high end and lower end shorts is the care put in to making sure the stiching is smooth and not in the wrong places.

The good news on both counts is you can see and feel the stiching with your fingers before buying (unless mail order) and at least have a good idea if you will have problems.

Why not have the best of both worlds like this Pearl Izumi Veer Short?

I have one of these. The inner liner with the chamois is just fastened to the outer short with a couple of loops of cloth. That gives you the snug fit you need. And then the outside short adds two velcro pockets and two more slit pockets on top.