The Bottom Line on Bike Shorts

They're expensive, they look a little silly, and there's a bewildering array of them. Especially if you mostly mountain bike, you may have assumed bike shorts aren't for you -- after all, you're often out of the saddle, so you don't need the padding. But it turns out padding isn't what bike shorts are for.

Wicking
Bike shorts are made of a very stretchy, usually Lycra, fabric with a large pad in the crotch. The pad may be made of chamois, synthetic chamois, or another synthetic materials. That pad isn't actually for "padding" -- it's a superabsorbent material that takes moisture off your skin (as you sweat), and the tightness of bike shorts ensures that what seams exist around that pad don't rub into your skin.

If you just take the occasional bike ride, bike shorts may not be for you. If you do long rides or ride very aggressively -- particularly if you ride a road bike -- bike shorts are an essential piece of gear. They reduce the risk of saddle sores and keep your skin comfortable and reasonably dry, even during a long, hard ride.

TIP: Bike shorts are underwear. Sure, you can wear them alone, but if you have a "baggy shorts" personality, just put your baggies on over your padded shorts. Whatever you do, don't wear undies under your bike shorts, especially cotton undies: they'll get wet and their seams will rub against your sensitive skin: exactly what bike shorts are there to prevent.

Selecting the Right Pair
There are many styles of bike shorts out there, so keep in mind what the shorts need to do. They need to fit you very snugly, so the seams stay in place once you put them on. The pad needs to give good coverage and absorbency, and they need to be comfortable, of course, or you won't wear them.

In order to assure the best fit all around, higher-quality bike shorts have 6 or 8 panels. Yes, this means more seams, but the crucial areas -- the sections and edges of the pads -- should have minimal, flat seams. The way those multiple panels keep the fit snug far outweighs the extra seams (which appears in places where you don't place direct pressure, anyway).

TIP: Simple, thin bike shorts with a thin pad may be less expensive and seem like a good choice but they are often geared toward spinning-class use. They don't usually hold up well for road riding outdoors, where you often spend more hours riding and less time per session out of the saddle.

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