# Non-baggy baggy shorts



## Rezillo (30 Apr 2009)

I've been singularly unsuccessful recently in finding non-lycra cycling shorts for leisure/fitness use that don't look like someone's stuck a tent on each of my legs. 

I don't want lycra but equally I don't want shorts that aren't at least tailored to some extent. All I'm after are some that are reasonably close fitting, medium length and don't look like the joke pair Eric Morecambe used to have.

I've been round bike shops, tried on various Endura types and others and bought several cheap pairs from Ebay but none of them have been as good as the now-worn-out shorts I bought from Aldi three years ago for six quid! These weren't even cycling shorts but they were perfectly comfortable on 50 to 60 mile rides.

Anyone got any recommendations?

John


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## Nadeen (30 Apr 2009)

Hi
The only thing that I can think of is to buy a pair of comfy non cycling smart shorts that will be comfortable enough to wear while riding a bike.

Hope I helped, I dont normally have sane thoughts, it was a moment of clarity!!


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## jay clock (1 May 2009)

Having lost weight and as I am off on hols in Sunday for a week or touring I am in the same boat. The best I have are Pearl Izumi with a removable liner. The legs are narrower and I have a medium from when I was really a large in size. Not sure what the model is called.


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## punkypossum (1 May 2009)

In my baggy phase, I got some £4 swimshorts from primark (which looked exactly like black baggy mtb shorts) and wore them over normal lycra shorts, worked fine and they weren' majorly baggy either!


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## Noodley (1 May 2009)

If I am out or a pootle and don't want to lool like 'lycra boy' I just wear jeans on top of my lycra padded shorts.
Never found a better solution.


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## dellzeqq (1 May 2009)

Rezillo said:


> I've been singularly unsuccessful recently in finding non-lycra cycling shorts for leisure/fitness use that don't look like someone's stuck a tent on each of my legs.
> 
> I don't want lycra but equally I don't want shorts that aren't at least tailored to some extent. All I'm after are some that are reasonably close fitting, medium length and don't look like the joke pair Eric Morecambe used to have.
> 
> ...



pm Radius. He has non-baggy baggy shorts. They're a bit 'young people' for me, but look to be decent quality


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

Thanks for your replies - I'll carry on searching and report back if I find anything!

John


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## betty swollocks (1 May 2009)

There's these


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

Thanks. Now they look ok - in an ideal world six inches shorter but it's the kind of thing I'm after.

John


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## betty swollocks (1 May 2009)

or these look shorter


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## MacB (1 May 2009)

John, I recently bought a couple of pairs of the Endura padded boxers. I just wear these at weekends in place of normal boxers and just wear anything over the top. They come up pretty big so choose size carefully, I think there are offers on 3 packs of them at present. They're a jersey style boxer with insert, as I wear jersey style anyway I'm happy.


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

Yes, I wear Aldi cycling underwear beneath my shorts and they provide all the padding I need on a Brooks saddle. 

The Polaris Nexus shorts referenced earlier look promising except that what I've learnt so far is that website photos that appear to show a narrow leg do not match what I actually receive in the post. At a tadge less than 14 stone, I have legs that are very far from unusually thin so the photos clearly flatter the designs!

John

P.S. Good luck with the weight loss - I lost four stone in six months when I started cycling four years ago.


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## MacB (1 May 2009)

thanks John, that's the sort of weight loss I'm looking for, little bit envious that you've finished while I'm half way through


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## Gerry Attrick (1 May 2009)

I have noticed with several manufacturers that stated waist size bears no relation to actual size. I have 34 inch waist and that is my trouser size. However, with cycling baggies, I use size 30 inch waist. I therefore end up with narrower, shorter legs in the shorts.


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

Gerry Attrick said:


> I have noticed with several manufacturers that stated waist size bears no relation to actual size. I have 34 inch waist and that is my trouser size. However, with cycling baggies, I use size 30 inch waist. I therefore end up with narrower, shorter legs in the shorts.



I agree - I've got a 34.5 inch waist but I've had to send back two different pairs of 34 inch cycling shorts and get 32 inch ones instead. Still get flappy-legged shorts though!

John


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## alecstilleyedye (1 May 2009)

there's a chap at work who wears baggies over lycra longs. i have to say i'd call the fashion police if he wasn't younger than me…


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

MacBludgeon said:


> thanks John, that's the sort of weight loss I'm looking for, little bit envious that you've finished while I'm half way through



Good time of year to go for it, though. 

My weight still goes up half a stone in the winter but by the summer it's about 13.5 stone and I'm well on the way to that now. My aim is to stabilise things a bit better and this winter I did a fair bit of night riding, which helped but was not enough. Just got to eat less, I guess.

Cost me a fortune in clothes, though, when I lost the four stone.

John


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## GrumpyGregry (1 May 2009)

try EBC's own brand 'revolution' or Ground Effect of New Zealand. Non lycra shorts that don't flap likes sails or drag like parachutes from both


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## Rezillo (1 May 2009)

Thanks, although I have to say this more illustrates the problem rather than the solution 

http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/2753

John


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## buddha (1 May 2009)

My solution to this was to get a pair of cheap bikesters and cut them to the desired length - along with the services of someone who can use a sewing machine properly.


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## threshold (1 May 2009)

Decathlon do some baggy-ish cycling shorts with padding which might just be the ticket here:- http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rr-5-shorts-3881008/,
Hope this helps!


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## threshold (1 May 2009)

OOh, PS there are pricier more padded ones too, just follow the link.


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## pedaling (1 May 2009)

What about shorts meant for hiking/ walking? Maybe not quite as good as for cycling and perhaps not as flexible but I'd expect they put up with a lot of usage. My hiking trousers do, certainly! There's generally decent stuff here... http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/

Equally, found some nice running/ sports shorts on Nike website. If you check the material (so that it dries quick, for example), I don't see why these wouldn't be suitable. They seem to look a bit better than the general cycling gear as well!


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## Rezillo (2 May 2009)

Well, inspired by all the suggestions, I decided that Polaris nexus was a good bet and found that my LBS was the local dealer. I went along to their newly revamped showroom, expanded to two floors, only to find no Nexus in stock of any size at all. Not a great surprise, I suppose.

They offered to order a pair for me and replace it if the size was wrong, which seemed fine until I asked what if when they arrived, I found the cut was nothing like the advert, as per the previous three pairs of shorts I had ordered online in the last twelve months, and I didn't want them. Er, no, I would have to pay for them - they would only change if the size was wrong. I pointed out that this completely negated buying locally as I might as well risk less money buying them cheaper online or just stayed at home. Anyway I gave up and left.

Went round several sports shops and ended up at Blacks, where a weatherbeaten Koga rather like Mark Beaumont's was propped in the doorway (which I assumed was an exhibit but it turned out to not to be). I ended up with a pair of Craghoppers Nosi Cargo shorts, which although a bit long and flappy when standing up, provide a really good close fit on the bike. Slim seams and pockets that don't stick out. I've just been out for a quick 25 miles this afternoon (where did all the flies come from?) and they are fine.

I never would have bought them based on their online picture because they look nothing like that on me.

http://www.craghoppers.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product2_13552_-1_25754_73935_11051_25287

John


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## barongreenback (4 May 2009)

I have these - rather comfortable.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/dhb_Earnley_Baggy_Cycling_Shorts/5360036741/


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## Rezillo (4 May 2009)

barongreenback said:


> I have these - rather comfortable.
> 
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/dhb_Earnley_Baggy_Cycling_Shorts/5360036741/



Those look very similar to the Craghoppers Nosi Cargo on me - a couple of inches or so longer, perhaps. I went to a Regatta outlet shop today [edit: Freeport Braintree - for men, the nearest place to Hell On Earth] and got a second pair in black for £25 but I'll keep an eye out for the Earnleys - thanks.

This experience has taught me several things.

1. It's impossible to get any idea what non-lycra shorts look like from online photos unless they are modelled.

2. If you do try to get an idea from a picture of the shorts alone, go for the precise opposite of what style they seem to be.

3. My LBSs are missing a trick by not taking advantage of a trading area where they can trump online sales through customers being able to try clothes on before buying. The range they stock is miserable.

John


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