Peter171

What are your oppinons on spandex shorts for men are they better than baggies? why are they not or why are they better?

from a new person to the mountain bike scene needing the right clothes.

Mak90

I think its all personal preference. I ONLY wear spandex if/when i race, other wise its either the cargos some gym shorts. I dont really like spandex because of comfort, and if you ask me it looks stupid if im just gonna go freeridin for an hour.

The Dude

Must say I as good as always wear spandex, but then again almost all of the time when I get on the bike I'm out practising XC. I like the spandex a lot, especially when you're out biking for a couple of hours.

alcahueteria

I tell ya, I've been wondering the same thing. I am fairly new to the whole thing too, and have decided that some shorts made for the purpose would be nice. I have been leaning more towards baggies myself (as long as they have a liner) but merely for the aesthetics. Baggies with no liner seem pointless to me and since I am finding it hard to tell if a pair has a liner or not (either they just don't list it or most of the ones I have looked at don't) I am leaning more towards just buying spandex and wearing regular shorts over them.

Maelstrom 

Wow this is a record. A 5 year old thread is definately the oldest bring back I have seen.

Dannihilator

I seen one reincarnated from 1999 earlier this year.

Alf

I wear the spandex shorts pretty much every time I go out. I hate getting baggy shorts stuck on the front of the seat. When you get stuck on the seat, either you don't go up or the pants come down.

I'd rather look like a dork on the trail and get a good XC ride in than getting stuck on the seat when shifting my weight around. Then again I wear spandex for my road bike too, so I'm already used to it.

klondike300

Who cares. Wear what you like. Leave the fashion crap to the die hard roadies. I got both only to make sure I don't run out of clean stuff if I'm riding a lot. Baggies 99% of the time even on the road bike. Non bikers don't act as stupid when you walk into 7-11 with them on.

snakehunter

I have a long pair of spandex, but I wear it under my pads and a pair mor shorts, Im not about to go skin tight just yet

crgowo

At least you know he used the search button. To be honsest I also don't pay attention to dates when I'm doing a search.

Akak

I wore spandex when racing mtb, road, and tri's so it was only natural for me to pull a pair on when I got back into MTB riding. If I only did downhill freeriding, I'd probably go with baggies but when I'm out on the trail (or even just on the pavement, for that matter), I'm moving around so much on the saddle I couldn't imagine wearing baggies. I go from having the nose of the saddle on my tailbone for climbs to having my chest on the saddle for tough descents. Too much opportunity for baggy shorts to catch on something for me.

troie

Eeeww, spandex. <shudders> You will never, ever catch me in spandex. I dont care if Im racing or XC or FR or DH or AM or WTF, you will never ever ever eve catch me in spandex. I love these Azonic Catalyst shorts, I have three pairs!!

Maelstrom 

If they made adult sized versions of thoseI would buy them. Too bad they don't fit my thighs.

C Law

How comfortable would those azonics be on a 90 degree day, 4 hour xc jaunt in las vegas??

Spandex may not be cool, but the comfort in unmatched in applications where you are riding all day, methinks. However, when I am talking about riding all day, I mean actually pedalling and going up hills, not smoking cigarettes on the lift between runs.

sethmp

I'd imagine much more comfortable than having a pair of spandex glued to my nuts and ass. Get a little air to the boys with those.

Maelstrom 

I wear similar oakleys. 4hour in 40 degree heat isn't a big deal...the ones I own, have vents and baggy enough to allow air in. I have done 6 hour rides in them.

Is it necessary to be so insulting? I wear gear like that and ride up, down and all round. I can make the assumtion your bike control skills stink and you wouldn't know what a REAL dh section looks like due to your last statement, but I won't.

CranxOC

I have a pair of Oakley shorts that are baggy and a bit heavier than most XC shorts but they're well vented (there are several zipper sections for venting) and built to take a beating. While they're not as cool as a pair of nut huggin' spandex shorts, they're not bad either. For recreational XC riding I'd have to vote Baggy; it's just nice to have a pocket into which you can toss a tool, empty goo packet, etc on the fly.

Also, I regularly do 10 to 12 mile fire-road climbs while MTB'ing and, during summer time, I've recorded trail temps upwards of 110 degrees and, not once, have I worn a set of nut huggers.

P.S. Maelstrom, I'm going guess we're talking about the same shorts.

C Law

Of course it is not necessary. And you could make that assumption if you want. There are no mountains here on the east coast. None at all. No real downhilling in Vermont,New Hampshire, New York or Pennsylvania.

Look, you guys should all just admit that you would wear spandex if you looked good in them. However, since you've have had a few too many quarters pounders recently, you are having a tough time squeezing into them. Don't feel bad.

CranxOC

Oh, I look just fine in lycra and wear it all the time when I'm on my road steed, I just don't see any need for them when you're actually going to be spending some time in the rough where you might A) need a bit of extra protection against scrapes and scratches (remember, if you go down hard wearing lycra, you're pretty much naked if they tear) and B) it's nice to have the extra space to put stuff (you can buy stuff on the road so pockets are as necessary.

motomickey

wratgas

C Law

Excellent point. I agree wholeheartedly.

woof

Spandex is the way to go for cycling. The other stuff is just hockey pants by a different name- good enough for hockey or skate boarding or breakdancing or pogo-sticking I suppose but if you want to be a cyclist you have to wear spandex.

Maelstrom 

You seem to, so don't play innocent now. The other guy has a point, you played insult and then back away. Congratulations on playing insult troll to a tee...

C Law

OK, I am sorry I will stick to my guns.

It is extremely important that everyone must like and wear spandex shorts.

Especially while doing 'real' downhilling on 'real' downhill runs.

Anyone who has a differing opinion is ignorant or foolish or both.

Happy??

Maelstrom 

Hey, thanks for not backing away from the ignorant snobby xc mode. Much more pleasant than backing down and pretending you really don't care.