Road Bike Cycling Shorts Basics for Men and Women

QUESTION: Could you do an article on bike shorts? I’m doing longer rides and am often in the saddle for 3-5 hours. I also ride my age on my birthday every year, which this year will be 82 miles and almost 7 hours in the saddle. There are so many road bike shorts options from $30 to $200 that the choices are dizzying. Is it necessary to pay for expensive shorts if you’re in the saddle for many hours, or are the cheap ones just as good? Would love your opinion. Thanks! — Steve Jones

RBR REPLIES: Three of our contributors — Jim Langley, Sheri Rosenbaum and Stan Purdum — pooled their experience for a fuller response on the matter of bike shorts.

Thanks for your question, Steve. What we state here applies to the spandex type shorts made for road cycling, which is what you asked about. The riders in other cycling disciplines have different expectations and preferences for their shorts, and we’ll leave those discussions to others.

To some degree, finding the best shorts is an experimental process for each rider. Generally speaking, more expensive road shorts are made of higher quality materials with more attention to design and fit. As such, they usually will provide a bit more comfort than their less expensive cousins and will perhaps last a little longer. But the differences in top-of-the-line and lower-level shorts from the same manufacturer are often not as dramatic as the higher price of the top-tier versions would lead you to expect.

For example, Stan has two pairs of shorts from Specialized, purchased within a few months of each other. One is a higher-tier version, and one is an entry-level pair. Stan says the higher priced ones ($150) are his favorite and best-fitting shorts, but he also says the other pair aren’t bad. Both are eight-panel shorts (more about that below) and have a decent, though not the same, chamois (the padding, pronounced “shammy”). And Stan says he’s worn each pair on all-day rides, and each performed satisfactorily. He’s also got two identical pairs of Chinese-brand six-panel shorts that have an excellent chamois, fit well and are quite comfortable. At the time of purchase, those shorts cost less than $40 each.

Regardless of name brand, many shorts are manufactured in Asia, so you may find Asian brands made in the same factories as US brands. The result is that some Asian brands are just as comfortable but cost less.

Also, it’s worth checking on how your bike fit is affecting your ride. Since you’re now in your senior years, it’s possible that the bike you purchased 10 years ago and fit you well then is no longer adjusted quite right for your body configuration now. Or your saddle may have worn to the point that it no longer supports you as comfortably as it once did.

Since you’ve been cycling for a while, you probably already know this, but bike shorts are designed to be worn without underwear, which can wrinkle and lump up to irritate your skin, cause friction, trap moisture and lead to chafing. In effect, bike shorts are intended to be both outerwear and underwear. If you decide you want separate underwear, you should purchase the undies designed for cycling.

But assuming neither your skivvies nor your bike are the problem, here are some things to consider when shopping for shorts:

Construction

Bike shorts are made of a blend of synthetic fabrics with one of them being an elastane known as spandex (the generic term) or Lycra (a brand name version). This is the material that gives the resulting fabric the ability to stretch. Typically, the Lycra is blended with nylon or polyester, with about 20% being Lycra and 80% the other material, though that ratio can vary by a few percentage points.

Whatever the blend, the fabric is cut into panels to construct the shorts to conform to the human anatomy. The shorts can have anywhere between four and 12 panels. Fewer panels mean fewer seams to potentially cause chaffing, but good construction methods limit that problem so that seams in well-made shorts seldom chafe. Most riders usually find shorts with six or eight panels to be good fits.

The chamois is an important consideration. While some shorts come with padding that is uniform across their surface, you’ll probably be happier with a multi-density chamois that provides support on the sit bones without feeling like a bulky diaper. Thicker pads aren’t always better. Ultra-distance rider Lael Wilcox cuts the chamois out of her shorts. Her record-breaking around-the-world ride was in Rapha bibs without a chamois. But she’s an exception; not many cyclists have an iron butt.

How shorts should fit

Road shorts are meant to be snug and provide compression. But Sheri points out that cycling gear is cut for when you are in the riding position, not for when you are standing up straight. In fact, because well-designed bike shorts are longer in the back, when you are standing up straight, you will likely see a bit of bagginess in your butt area. But once you lean forward into the cycling position, the extra material should smooth out and snug up.

While shorts can be purchased online, it’s a good idea to make at least your first purchase of any particular pair in a bike shop, where you can not only examine the fabric and padding, but also try them on. Jim, who has worked in seven bike shops, says he always advised shoppers to sit on a bike in the shorts they were thinking of buying, to see and feel how they fit in the riding position and whether they cover the lower back and as much of the thigh as they would like. He adds “I was told by a coach once that the most important thing is that the shorts legs cover the quadriceps muscles. That’s pretty far down the thigh.”

Jim also says that a common mistake is to buy cycling shorts that fit too loosely. It’s pretty easy to end up buying a pair that are snug but not snug enough. “What’s important is that the shorts don’t bunch up anywhere or move around. They definitely shouldn’t restrict your movement or bind or pinch, but they should feel like a second skin to protect and support you fully,” Jim says, and he adds, “If you can’t figure out what’s right, the best thing would be to find a bike shop with a knowledgeable salesperson and a decent selection and try some on.”

Sheri offers the following additional tips regarding fit:

• The chamois touches your skin and should be completely smooth and seamless to prevent irritation.
  
• Look for shorts/bibs with flatlock seams, meaning the stitching lies flat against the skin rather than protruding, which eliminates friction points.
  
• Choose materials like Lycra, spandex, and nylon blends that pull sweat away from the body and dry quickly.
  
• Select bib straps that are wide, stretchy, and made of breathable mesh so they don’t dig into the shoulders or cause overheating.
  
• Inseam length is a personal preference, but it should be long enough to prevent the inner thighs from rubbing against the saddle or top tube.
  
• The leg opening should be tight around your leg so it stays in place (normally with silicon grippers), but not constricting like a sausage casing. If the leg opening is too loose, the shorts may ride up.
  
• The shorts material should have some level of compression and feel like a “second skin” to support your muscles, reducing fatigue as you ride. If shorts/bibs are loose, the fabric will bunch up and cause chafing.

Regular or bib shorts?

Shorts are available in regular and bib models, usually made with identical chamois and fabric. Since all road bike shorts are made from highly elastic synthetic fiber, they conform pretty well to your body, but regular shorts can sag a bit and even snag on the nose of your saddle. Depending on your body shape, the waistband may roll down a little. In contrast, bib shorts have built-in suspenders that help keep the shorts from sagging and keep the chamois perfectly centered. They provide more comfort and reduce the chance of chaffing.

Most cycling pros prefer bibs, since they bypass the sag and waistband problem, but the largest single disadvantage is when you need a nature break, especially in cooler weather when you are wearing multiple layers of clothing. The suspenders/over-the-shoulder straps are intended to be worn under the jersey, so to fully pull the shorts down, you have to remove the jersey.

For peeing, however, men can pull the front of the bib shorts down or roll up a leg of the shorts. Jim says he’s been told by a woman that they too can employ the rolling-up-the-leg method. He explains, “At the Stowe Road Race in Vermont, we caught the women’s pack on one of the long climbs. I was in a three-man breakaway. The women were cat-and-mousing — not yet attacking the climb, but watching and waiting to see who would jump or if anyone would. Betsy King was the strongest rider. She was at the back. As we approached, we suddenly realized we were getting wet and it wasn’t rain! Some years later I got a chance to ask one of the women from that group if I had imagined that Betsy King incident, and she said no, it’s easy to do. And without exposing herself, she demonstrated how she does it.”

Going number 2 can be an issue. We know of a male cyclist with a chronic bowel condition who sometimes has only a few seconds of warning and doesn’t use bibs because he says it takes too long to get them down.

Sheri, however, says she hasn’t worn shorts in years, only bibs. She explains that many brands now offer models with “drop tails” that enable you to pull the bibs down without removing your jersey or bib straps.

Sheri adds that bibs also eliminate the “muffin top” look for those who are heavier in the mid-section because there isn’t an elastic waistband. She also advises women NOT to wear men’s bibs. Men’s and women’s saddles and anatomies are different, so the chamois is shaped differently for each gender to provide targeted relief.

Color choice

Whether you choose bibs or shorts, Sheri advises that you choose a color that is opaque and won’t show sweat in the crotch area.

Jim says that regarding color choice, “we had a pretty funny thing happen with our team shorts one year. The clothing person ordered them in white. On the first training ride, we realized that you could see through the shorts! That might be true for other light colors as well, I’m not sure. All I know is that people don’t like see-through shorts, so darker colors are probably the safest bet.” (Even dark colored shorts, when they get worn, can become transparent.)

Stan says that for those who care about the style-opinions of others, “it’s worth noting that this year, when the professional bike racing team Ineos Grenadiers selected their new kit, they picked a light-gray bib, and the team took a lot of heckling from fans and competitors alike about their attire. At least they had the sense to wear black shorts for the races in the European spring, when getting their kit covered in dust, mud and slush was likely.”

Chamois cream

Sheri advises using one of the chamois creams and reapplying it for rides longer than 40 miles or if you go to the bathroom during the ride.

Stan discusses some of the available creams here, and reader comments following that article supply more suggestions.

Miscellaneous tips

Jim reminds us that shorts can have unique features built in, such as flaps for nature breaks, pockets for quick access to essentials, and reflective trim.

He also says “I ride a ton on the trainer. For hours-long rides, chafing can be a serious problem even in great quality shorts. To prevent it, I’ve found that wearing two pairs of shorts solves the problem because the inner pair acts as a protective layer. Ideally, the inner shorts will have a minimal chamois so that there’s not too much padding.”

Sheri suggests that for multi-day trips, wear different brands during the trip. If you stick with the same brand/model, the seams are in the same location day after day and can cause chaffing.

Stan says that if you find a pair of shorts you really like, you may want to purchase a second pair right away, because you may not be able to find the same shorts a year or two later. “I’ve had this experience with shorts from several brands. Though Specialized is still selling shorts, I have not been able to find another pair like my favorite ones. For many companies, the designs keep changing,” he says.

Readers, what are your favorite tips for picking shorts or bibs?