Shorts again

[Tynan]

yep, my first pair of good shorts had what seemed like plush padding

my cheapo dhb bib longs seemed thin and my £40 Santini bib shorts seem very light but they're both fair better, you need exactly the right amount, hopefully contoured to fit and held in the right place, too much is bad

 

[Plax]

quite sure the padding aversion isn't due to something cheap or ill fitting? I use to ride without padding but I'm sold on it now although my first pair of shorts didn't impress me

That well could be the case. The padding in my Karrimor shorts are HUGE. The RRP is £60 (I got them in the sale for £9.99, and at the moment they seem to be going for £19.99 on CRC), so I thought the padding would be ok. It's too large for my liking. Then I have another pair of Decathlon shorts with padding. They are a couple of sizes too big though (ebay job for a couple of quid) which I suppose doesn't help on the padding front either. I have also tried the padded underwear from Aldi's and wasn't impressed with that either. I find it far more comfortable riding without padding. So I haven't bothered with padding since, don't want to spend double figures on something I won't wear.

 

[Plax]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360027608&N=Kona Supreme Shorts

I bought a pair of these a couple of weeks ago. They're nicely articulated for cycling, very comfortable and good material. And they seem to tick your boxes.

They do look good, although all the larger sizes have been discontinued. I'm a size 12, which I think is a 30" waist. So I'd be trying my luck with a 28" waist. Although having said that according to Ronhill's sizing chart their size 12 is a 28" waist? I actually cycled today in some "Olympus Sport" 3/4 length trousers my partner got me from JJB. They were very comfortable actually, and not too hot.
I have bought a pair of these;
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDeta...227&n=Ronhill Ladies Aspiration Comfort Short
They are really comfortable and airy, but one of the guys at work commented to my partner that I show more leg in them than he shows wearing lycra. So I guess the gift of 3/4 length trousers was a bit of a hint..........

 

[Tynan]

if you need padding my experience4 says buy something fairly serious from a serious brand rather than stuff aimed at the general public, cheap padding is bad padding

I now know that if the pad itself doesn't have a brand name, leave it alone

 

[redjedi]

Sorry to hijak this thread, but I didn't think my question was worth starting a new one.

I've just received a pair of DHB lycra shorts, my first pair of lycras.

They seem to fit ok except at the bottom of the leg where they just seem to hang there.

Is this normal or should I get a smaller size. I got the XLs as recommended by Wiggle.

I have fairly large upper thighs, and the fit here is fine, it's just the last couple of inches just above my knee.

Is this just because they are cheap or a regular occurance?

 

[Tynan]

the elastic or whatever doesn't close around your lower thigh?

either your leg is odd or the shorts are odd, return them and ask them to check them, they're decent about returns

the dhb gear I've bought has been perfectly good

 

[mootaineer]

the elastic or whatever doesn't close around your lower thigh?

either your leg is odd or the shorts are odd, return them and ask them to check them, they're decent about returns

the dhb gear I've bought has been perfectly good

I bought a pair of dhb bib-knicks a few winters ago and I liked them but the lycra started to form bobbles along the saddle aread alarmingly quickly!
Then again...maybe it's my riding style

...seriously I haven't had similar issues with other brands.

 

[redjedi]

I wore them home last night, and although the elastic isn't tight when standing, it is when my leg's bent. So they're fine on the bike.

I'm only using them under my baggies at the moment, I've not had the guts to use them on their own, but they are a huge improvement over the padded liner I got with my Altura shorts.
I can't believe I didn't get them sooner.

 

[domtyler]

Add to that...sometimes too much of a good thing isn't great either.
I tried 2 different pairs of Assos shorts once but the padding (although initially comfortable) is just too thick.
I now use less expensive (but nicer for my rear end) Giordana bibshorts.
It takes a while to work out what works best

+1 for the Giordanas, they are really great quality. I tried on loads, including the top Assos shorts with the mindset that I would not even look at the price until I had decided so I went purely on what was the most comfortable.

The Giordana's (BodyClone) turned out to be about £70 less than the Assos but fitted me much better and felt much more comfortable.

 

[Tynan]

bib shorts and for that matter bib longs are easily the comfiest thing to wear

as for confidence, wear the bloody things and you quickly don't care, I'm rather proud of my physique these days

 

[Plax]

I've got myself a pair of Endura Humvee 3/4 shorts. Got the mens size small 2006 design for £29.99 (CRC). So far they have been very comfy. Strangely the mens liner feels much comfier than all the womens ones I've had so far. Not tried them out for any decent distance yet though - the weather has gone a bit grim. Apparently there are going to be gusts of wind of up to 68mph here tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!
Might be tempted to go for the Endura Voyager II shorts when (or should that be if the weather improves).