Fancy F.
My new favorite biking shorts!
Recently, I have been biking instead of running due an injured hamstring. Unfortunately, it also gets aggravated when I sit on a hard surface & biking has been setting it off. I had tried a gel bike seat but took it off because it seemed to squish up & actually put MORE pressure on my lady bits. I had another pair of padded bike shorts but these looked like they had more padding so I figured I’d give it a shot. So glad I did!
The fit: I’m 5’8 & about 142lbs and long waisted - the medium fit great with room to stretch. I don’t have a lot of natural padding on my butt and I’m usually lighter (thanks pandemic). Even at my normal 132 lbs I think these would still fit me good.
The grip: So comfortable! Rather than squeezy elastic, these have sticky grip dots on the legs (see pic) and didn’t ride up at all! The overall stretch is supportive but not restrictive, the waist band is wide AND has a drawstring (I didn’t need it but nice to have). I even did a little yoga in them mid-ride & they handled handstands and backbend without riding up or pinching.
The functionality: I was a little worried these might have too much padding, but they just took a little getting used to. During the ride I felt like I was sliding on the seat more than usual, maybe a combo of material & extra lift from padding, but not a deal breaker by any means. However, the biggest test for me is 24 hours later. When I woke up this morning my hamstring wasn’t on fire and my bum is not sore at all! If my super angry hammy is relatively happy THAT is a HUGE testament to the padding design. I might even wear these to kayak (that seat hurts too).
The look: OK, padded bike shorts are just not flattering by design! The crotch & rear is always going to be a little weird, but overall I don’t think they are unattractive - in part because of the shape, pattern, & material that doesn’t cut into fleshy bits. Especially having put on a little weight, I’m super glad the waistband is forgiving.
So I’m summary this was definitely money well spent, I highly recommend these, and I’m probably going to pick up a second pair since now I might actually be able to ride 2 days in a row and still walk the next day (& after wearing these I don’t want to go back to my old shorts)- yay!
Tess
Got these shorts for mountain biking. They're great! The padding is surprisingly thick. After riding with them I was pleasantly surprised my butt wasn't sore. They look great and sizing is true. I love the silicone grippers in the leg holes. They do the job in preventing them from riding up.
However, the only drawback is that the leg hole opening is almost disproportionately small. Squeezes my thighs and makes the area above my knee look puffy and fat.
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