ricadoo

Sorry if I embarrass some of you with this question , but I am a relative newbie to cycling and, as of yet, haven't bought cycling shorts.

My question is what types are there, and is there a specific pair I need?
(And where do you wear them; outside or inside of regular clothing? - as i said embarrassing

Thanks in advance,
Ricky

cyclefreaksix

Bibshorts. Don't buy the cheapest ones you can find as good shorts can really help with ride comfort. Unfortunately, shorts are much like saddles in that you'll have to do a bit of experimenting to find what works best for you.

Don't wear anything over them and do not wear anything under them. Good luck in your search!

umd

You wear them instead of regular clothing... no underwear.

There are "shorts" and there are "bibs." The bibs have straps that hold them up instead of elastic. Most people will tell you that this is vastly superior. Some people will disagree. There are also different lengths, with "knickers" covering to just below the knee and "tights" all the way to the ankles. Knickers and tights are also available as bibs (bib shorts, bib knickers, bib tights). Tights can also be without the chamois (the pad inside), made to be worn over another pair of cycling shorts. The purpose of the chamois is not padding, but to prevent friction and chafing, and seams.

ericm979

They make baggy and form-fitting shorts. Baggy shorts have an inner form-fitting liner which contains the same type of pad as the form-fitting ("lycra") shorts. Baggy shorts are sold for mountain biking.

You want the layer next to your skin to be tight so it doesn't bunch up. Then it'll chafe.

The most comfortable for cycling is form-fitting padded shorts. The pad is thin but important. I have not had much luck with "gel" pads so I do not recommend those. The shorts should fit tight enough so they don't bunch up.

ricadoo

Thanks so much for the help guys - I'm clear on the "inside" or "outside" part now

skol

if you go the bib route make sure to put them on first then jersey over the top of them to save you from being mocked

Bah Humbug

Be very clear - the first time I put on tights for the cold, I put them inside the bibshorts so they wouldn't slip down. The seam sticks up 1/8". Let's just say that chafing was painful for days.

Homebrew01

Except tights when it's cold.

Carbon Unit

The general opinion from most cyclists is that they prefer bib shorts. I am in the other camp, bib shorts do not work for me. The shoulder straps annoy me and they are more effort when you need to use the bathroom.

bigtea

Bibs are the only way to go...it saves everyone from both giving and receiving plumbers butt.

datlas 

One other tip - avoid "gel" shorts. IMO they are awful.

Nachoman

If you're riding less than an hour the "bibs versus shorts" debate becomes pointless, in my opinion.

Carbon Unit

The shorts I buy do not creep down. Once I have them on, they stay put. Maybe that is why I prefer them to bibs.

davesax36

Bibs > Shorts especially if you aren't shaped like a roadie yet....(I'm not, but headed there)

Carbon Unit

The bibs I have are cheap Performance brand and maybe that is why I don't like them. The shorts I have are much higher quality.

datlas 

We don't want this to degenerate into a bibs vs shorts thread...

But, that being said, I have tried both and have never had problems with regular shorts, so that is what I use. YMMV.

Eclectus

If you ride short, anything works. Bibshorts, and EIT pads (patented by Assos, but licensed widely) are worth investing in. As umd said, the padding is not as important as smoothness. For short rides, your abraded epidermis can quickly repair, for long rides, you can get to the point where you have to stand up frequently to alleviate the pain, and forget going out the next day.

With EIT pads you don't have to lube except for very long rides. (If you haven't ever had to stand up from abrasion pain, or had to lube, you have to extend your limits. )

Assos makes really, really good stuff. I speak as a former skeptic who got some FI Mille S5s to debunk the mystique. Fail.

That being said, for great bang for buck, Gore Bikewear Ozons will satisfy ANY LONG DISTANCE RIDER. They copycatted Assos bike fit model. They inserted Assos EIT pads. On clearance you can get two for the price of one Assos FI Mille S5.

If you're riding 10 hours or less a week, go for cheap shorts.

Homebrew01

Same here. In 30 years, the waistband of shorts has never bothered me.

The problem with wearing shorts now-a-days, is that many jerseys are cut shorter than they used to be, so some combinations cause a plumber crack problem.

I prefer shorts and longer cut jerseys.

Pilsley

Padded tights/knickers first (to the skin) shorts on top. Looks better & extends the life of the (typically) more expensive item.

Carbon Unit

The only jersey I use anymore are made by Canari. They are long enough cover any potential plumbers crack. They also have a small zippered pocket on some of them for car keys, money etc. and that is why I buy them.

ricadoo

Again guys thanks for all your inputs. Now I'm more knowledgeable about what kind of shorts to buy. From what has been said I have been drawn to the bibs....any good website to get them? Also I live in Cork, Ireland - if anyone has any LBS's close by that sell good bibs.

Thanks again guys,
Ricky

DScott

ProBikeKit.com has some good choices, and I hear they deliver.

https://www.probikekit.com/display.ph...ART=0&LIMIT=30

achoo

I don't think I've seen it mentioned yet, but be prepared to try several shorts out when you're first starting out. At least. The pairs you try on at the LBS may feel great, but two hours into your rides they may start giving you nasty saddle sores, for example.

I started in the "there's not much difference between shorts" camp, but as my rides got longer and longer along with more and more frequent, I've found that there can be huge differences between shorts. I'd say the more expensive ones actually do tend to perform better, as in being more comfortable on long rides, providing better padding, not chafing and rubbing you raw. I also think the better shorts breath better, but that may just be wishful thinking and justifying the extra $$ I spent on them.

I will admit though that I've not tried the really expensive shorts like Assos.

I have six or seven sets of shorts that I wear, some Adidas, Louis Garneau, and Sugoi.

All that being said, I've got a pair of Gore Bike Wear bib shorts that for some reason don't do well on me at all. They're very well made - probably the best-made of all the ones I own - and certainly feel great when I start out and they probably breath better than any other shorts that I have. But after about 10 or 15 miles in them I just want to get off the bike.

So even the best shorts on the planet may not work for you.

FWIW, though, I love my Sugoi bibs.

And unless you want to display serious plumber's crack, don't wear a pair of Louis Garneau Alveo shorts other than underneath a set of tights. Preferably bib tights. Nice shorts, work well on me. But DANG they're cut low in the back.

Eclectus

Assos is really comfy. I started with a pair of FI Mille.S5 bibshorts. Wow, this is goood. I got sucked into the Assos vortex (jacket, bib knickers, bib tights). They make great apparel, no doubt about it. Really smart designs and materials, and top-notch workmanship.

Because they monitor sales closely and don't massively overproduce, cut off dealers who try to discount, and don't release new models annually, you have to pay premium prices. e.g. foggedabout annual 50-60% off closeouts. It is possible to score some decent 30%-discount deals, but of course the MSRP is extremely high.

There are no better-than-Assos-quality garments out there. There are great first-tier high-performance garments out there that can be had on big discount at end-of-season that shellack Assos bang-for-buck.

On GBW, the Ozons are their long-distance short, and they do the job. At $149 list, these aren't a bad deal. At $80-100 on overstock or out-of-season, a great purchase. Uber-comfy EIT pad.

Assos owns EIT, and markets it in partnership with Cytech. I have Assos, Craft and DeMarchi EIT-padded tights. All go the distance. I got some DeMarchis without EIT, can't wear them. Wish I could, but they abrade.

I got PI Ultrasensors. They abrade. They are good for short distances and times, but make you suffer with long rides. Smoothness is more important than padding.

I'll bet PI's Pro line, designed in Italy, is good, but I've already figured out my go-to brands and models that work for me.

BigBlueToe

If you are embarrassed talking about bike shorts, wait until you wear them in public!

I've never had any trouble with shorts (vs. bibs) so that's what I wear. I've tried several brands and they're all fine, but I've liked Performance the best. Their Century shorts are good and can often be found on sale for $30. Their next model up is a little nicer and I've got a couple of those.

It's worth it to find some you like, even if they're a bit pricey. Mine last me for years. The only thing that wears out is the elastic at the bottom. If you don't mine them a little loose, you can probably wear them forever!