Buying Cycling Shorts - Important points to remember when buying your next pair of cycling shorts
If you've been to a local sports shop or cycling shop then you may have noticed there's more to the humble cycling shorts than first meets the eye. There's a huge variety of shorts available from baggy, casual, lycra, triathlon and other specialist shorts.
Choosing which to get needn't be complicated but it is important to find the right pair at the right price. So in this lens I'll be giving some tips and info on the types available and what they're suited for. As I go through I'll also present some of the best places to find cycling shorts as well as the highest quality brands.
Choosing which to get needn't be complicated but it is important to find the right pair at the right price. So in this lens I'll be giving some tips and info on the types available and what they're suited for. As I go through I'll also present some of the best places to find cycling shorts as well as the highest quality brands.
Types of Cycling Shorts
The score on what the different types are best used for
There's a few types of shorts and althoguh you may have chosen between the lycra and baggy already there's some important points to remember for each.- Baggy - the key to baggy shorts is whether you want padding built ina nd whether that padding is meant to be detachable. Many people prefer to go without padding if they're going over short distances or want them to be suitable for casual outdoor wear as well as out riding. A good half-way between these is padded cycling shorts with detachable padding that allows for the inner lining to be removed so you dont' walk like John Wayne after getting off!
- Lycra - some people don't feel comfortable in the tighter shorts but if you're a pro or want to get aero-dynamic for speed then lycra shorts are your best bet. They're a lot warmer than you'd expect too and with good support and padding. They don't make great casual wear though so they are best used only when you're going for some serious riding.
- Triathlon - these aren't strictly shorts or when they are they're normally part of an upper suit. Tri shorts are what you'd expect - for triathlons. So they're great for the 3 main activities - swimming, running and cycling.
Baggy Shorts on Amazon
Lycra Shorts on Amazon
Important Points
Remember these key points when buying
- Seams - Most good quality cycling shorts will have flat locked seems to ensure there's no chaffing during your ride. Be on the look out though when you get yours to make sure.
- Material - the best cycling shorts will use high uality man made fibres such as a mix of lycra, polyester, rayon, etc. Dependent on the type of shorts you get. These materials help moisture evaporate form your body as you're riding and keep you dry. There's nothing worse than riding in a pair of sweaty, wet coton shorts on a long ride. So avoid the majority of walk shorts as these are normally made of cotton.
- Brands - some people prefer to avoid brands when buying casual clothign which is understandable due to most of it being fashion-based. However, when it comes to cycling shorts the best thing you can do is get branded. Good quality branded shorts are built to last. They have to in order to keep the sponsorship deals they have with major pro cyclists. A large number of online retailers have their own perfectly good brands too. Such as DHB by Wiggle who have won awards for their build quality.
Chamois?
The chamois of a pair of cycling shorts is simply the padded lining.
Cycling Shorts UK News
by Ashiro
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