padded shorts ideas???????

[ibren]

i'm new to this forum thingy and also just taken up cycling after a long absence
bought my Airnimal Chameleon (folder) and rode it back from London Bridge > Greenwich and decided that I NEED padded shorts as this is about half the distance (one way) i will be commuting daily, total commute 18 miles.
so my question (finally eh?) any recommendations?????

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I bought th echeapest altura ones I could find in extra humongous size....cost around £20 and were ok...'cept they split right up the arse when I got off my bike the other day...luckily I hadn't taken any notice of the advice to ride commando

 

[Chuffy]

You have a number of options:-

Bibshorts - the most comfortable shorts IMO but perhaps lacking in dignity, especially if like me you are on the sturdy side. Start from about £30ish. Buy the best you can afford, you won't regret it.

Regular shorts - not as comfy as bibs and still lacking in dignity. Start from £20ish

Padded baggies - look for MTB shorts or 3/4s eg the Endura Humvees. Baggy and with a 'leisure' fit but padded for cycling. Look like ordinary 'civilian' shorts when off the bike.

For an 18 mile commute I'd favour comfort over dignity and go for something like the Endura FS260 Pros (£60 ish).

Oh, the sizing on bibshorts can be very variable. Try before you buy or buy from somewhere you can easily send them back to if they don't fit. Wiggle are very good at this, but make sure you keep the labels and packaging.

 

[Keith Oates]

I agree with Chuffy, that bib shorts are the most comfy and also don't go for the cheapest. It's one of the most important items for riding and regular washing is also a must!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[piedwagtail91]

i prefer regular shorts with braces it makes "comfort" stops easier. though if you're no going far bibs would be ok.
i get lusso they're cheap , less than £20,and i find them ok. i wrecked a pair of assos and my wallet never got over it!

 

[starseven]

I bought some Endura padded boxer shorts so i could use normal shorts for cycling. Trouble is the padding has all bunched up in the first wash! I cant use them now it would be like having a tennis ball in your shorts.
Trouble is, I cant bring myself to go back to a LBS with a faulty pair of boxers

So Endura Padded Boxers 0/10 NOT recommended.

 

[sloe]

dhb Earnley Shorts

V. good value - if you can find them. Got mine off Wiggle but they seem to be out of them now. Size seems accurate.

 

[beanzontoast]

Anyone else find that regular washing reduces the elasticity of the grips on their shorts?

Not that I'm advocating riding in dirty shorts, you understand!

 

[littlered]

I find since getting a new seat I dont like the bulk of the padded short.
It squishes my bits and makes them go all hot.

 

[Fab Foodie]

dhb Earnley Shorts

V. good value - if you can find them. Got mine off Wiggle but they seem to be out of them now. Size seems accurate.

I got the bib version, in my case the sizing was waaaaaaay-out according to the chart I should have been medium...have ended-up with XL, am 5'9!

Also recommend the On-One bibs at Planet-X/On-One, again for my size XL was about spot-on.

Both are very comfy and around £30.

 

[WindyRob]

i brought Endura FS260 bib's when i first started riding, didn't know any better and thought £60 was a lot of money but still paid it. since then i have brought a 2 pairs of cheap bib's to commute (Dimarchi they're rubbish very thin material and very little support, and Altura £20 bargin better than the others but the pad is too small at the front and i feel very exposed if you know what i mean ). just recently brought a pair of Bib knickers off ebay Briko they have been a night mare. the gripper had a velcro strip so the bottom of the leg didn't stretch enough and i could feel it pressing on a tendon behind my knee. i cut the velcro tabs off which improved the stretch. thinking that this had solved the problem i used them on 70k ride last week and the leg gripper was so close to my knee cap that it started to feel like my knee cap was being ripped off. At about 45K i had to cut the leg gripper to release the pressure on my knee cap but the damage had been done and it was a week before the pain, similar to tendonitis subsided completely.

The FS260's are fantastic, everything is just right, i guess you get what you pay for.

Windy

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

well today i rode without padded shorts...just pair of normal football style shorts...I was much more comfy without the pad

 

[laurence]

i've used groundeffect shorts for a few years... the new ones are pretty comfy and good value.

www.groundeffect.co.nz normal delivery time is about a week.

L

 

[Big Bren]

I'm a big advocate of dhb shorts from Wiggle - I have both their bib shorts and knickers; they're great value, the sizing is true and they're very comfortable.

The Altura ones I bought some months ago split right down the front seam within a very short time of owning them, and unlike Bigfattallbloke, I HAD listened to the advice about riding commando!

Bren

 

[HJ]

The most comfortable shorts I have found are Revolution 8 Panel Shorts.