Let me start by saying I don't care too much what I look like. If total strangers see me in bike shorts and think I look dorky, what do I care? I'm a little more concerned about what my students and co-workers think of me so I wouldn't wear Spandex to school, but if they see me out in public, well, I'm a bike rider!

I used to be among those who thought they looked dorky and never wore them. Then I got some and tried them. Now I wear bike shorts on any ride over a mile or two.

I like the padding. It helps. I like the fact that they stay put and don't rub. That's not a concern on a short ride, but when you're riding 40 or 50 miles a day (or more), day after day, like I do on tour, chafing can be a serious problem. Even on a once-a-week 25 mile ride, chafing can happen. I just feel more comfortable without seams I can feel, and without my shorts sliding on my skin with every pedal stroke.

My wife thinks she looks horrible in Spandex bike shorts and refuses to wear them. She bought some padded, baggy, mountain bike shorts. She loves them. I bought a pair to try them out. The padding is still good, they don't look dorky, and they have pockets (which is a plus off the bike I guess - I wouldn't use them while riding.) But they rub on my thighs. I think I'll wear them on my class bike ride, but other than that, I'm not sure.

I've probably got 15 pairs of Spandex bike shorts, and have thrown away close to that many in the past. I tried various brands and models until I found ones that felt the best for a good price - in my case, Performance Centuries. That's important to me, because many of my shorts just don't feel right. YMMV.