I hate the feeling of confinement that it gives me (I'm a boxer kind of guy). I know, I know, I'm suppose to love the abrasionless feeling of spandex. But I used to own a great pair of biking shorts which had the padding sewn into the crotch of the pants itself. There was no liner, just a great fitting pair of padded shorts. I've lost a lot of weight (thanks to biking!) and they no longer fit me. I've searched high and low for a replacement pair but I've had no luck. These days, it seems every pair of biking shorts out there comes with a form fitting liner, or is just a shell with no padding. Has anyone out there run across a pair of biking shorts like I am seeking?

Can you contact the maker of those beloved shorts and see what they have???

I love spandex

So do I

Have you looked into MTB cycling shorts? I think they might be what you're looking for.

Suck it up. Embrace the spandex. You gotta suffer for the sake of cycling. . .

My wife bought me a pair of padded spandex biking shorts for christmas. Since I didn't feel real comfortable dispalying the sausage, so to speak , I avoided wearing them, or I wore them underneath a pair of cargo shorts. Not too long ago while out on the trails in some serious heat, I wondered why I was torturing myself with the 3 extra pounds of shorts and sweat I was wearing. I took off the cargo shorts, stuffed 'em into my Camebak M.U.L.E. and haven't looked back. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH cooler biking now without the cargos. Spandex is teh r0x0r.

Spandex looks like hell we all agree, but oh so comfortable and suitable for biking.

I never agreed to that.

Only on men...

Women become faint at the sight of my muscular thighs flexing inside shiny, skin-tight spandex!

Seriously, if it bugs you, buy Mountain-bike shorts.

Yes, I fairly swoon every time I see a bicycle-legged roadie.

Spandex is really the thing for cooling if you are out long enough to need cooling. No flapping, no chafing (if the short fit right-tight), and if you get them in black, they go with any other color. Really, wearing "the shorts" is a matter of habituation to them, to the feel of them. They just feel weird at first and then you get over it.

And remember, if you feel everyone is staring at your "display", well, everyone is NOT staring. You just think they are. Unless you are a porn star no one is staring, they are just briefly checking you out.

What if you're monstrously, ponderously fat?

2 years ago, I swore I would never ever be caught dead riding one of those wussy bikes with the tiny frame and thin tires.
Then I bought a road bike and I swore I would never ever be caught wearing tight spandex.
Then I bought some tight spandex and I swore I would never ever be caught being seen by anyone I knew while I was wearing it.
I've been commuting to work in it for a straight year now...

Then you've got an advantage on the downhill segments. Especially on a bent.

Luckily for me all my monstrosity and ponderousness are above the waist

Same here. First time wearing them I felt very conspicuous. That didn't last long. Now I don't care a whit. I'll happily go shopping, meet friends at the pub, etc etc wearing the cycling shorts.

It also helps that nobody in this country seems to care, so I never get any negative comments. And since I've been a freak most of my life I'm already immune to people staring at me.

Sorry to hijack the "I hate spandex" starter of this thread, but I guess you're in the minority. Go on, give in to the dark side!

count me in!