My older cycling shorts are really starting to wear out, and I need to buy two to three pairs of new cycling shorts. Tri shorts aren’t a problem to find cheap, but cycling shorts are, and those 100 mile training rides in tri shorts get old after a while. I want to find cycling shorts with an inseam of 6" or less (not to the knee like all the companies seem to be going toward), and a good comfortable chamois.
Any tips?
I’ve seen a bunch of companies sell for the $30-$40 range (discounted prices), and I know that people prefer different things, but I’m wondering which shorts are the most comfortable to you, and which ones can hold up over time?
good luck, cycling shorts don’t have a 6" inseam and the good ones cost more than your budget. A $120 pair is generally much better than a $60 pair, your best bet is to look for those on sale. You really have to try a few brands to see what works best for you.
I agree with previous poster…you get what you pay for (to a point). I used to ride in cheaper Cannondale “everday” shorts that I believe were under $50. They were nice enough in the beginning…but didn’t last. If you spend enough time in them…think of nice shorts as a saddle sore insurance policy.
You may be able to find some tri shorts with more padding…
FWIW - I actually like my desoto tri shorts a little better for 100+ mile rides over my $100+ PI’s…and just picked some up on super clearance for $20/pair!
I’ll give you a good answer…do you have a Performance Bike near you? Check out the Elite shorts. They’re on sale right now for $39.95 in store. On-line they’re in sale for $49.95. I’ve been using a pair for two years. I like them so much, I bought a second pair. They’re good for me up to about 3 hours, then I want my PI UltraSensors.
I keep two nice pairs of shorts for long rides, the rest are cheaper shorts that I use on my trainer(2 hours or less).
Hammer Nutrition (www.hammernutrition.com) sells the Voler brand top of the line shorts for pretty cheap…around $40 / $45 for bibs. Of course, they have the Hammer logo, but that’s a plus. I’ve had many pairs of Voler over the years and I’ve always liked them. I prefer the bibs for cycling by far. Use my customer number-68848 -and get a 15% discount on them too! BTW, the shorts are much better than their price reflect.
David K
Interesting… I would agree with you in that comfort is important. Longevity & comfort defines “Best” for me.
I bought a pair of Biemme Energy shorts that share the same chamois as the much more expensive sorts but lower quailty fabic. The fabric broke down very past a despite the low cost proved to be poor value. In the case of Biemme the Energy short was half the price of the more expensive short, but the more expensive short has lasted three times as long & still has many miles left in them.
I’ll look up the Biemme piece that still keeps going & gong & going. I’ve just started using De Soto’s 400 Mile short. How much are they in the US?
BTW - Did you check the De Soto “Clothing Specials” page?
My de facto favorites are the Performance Century shorts with the NORMAL artificial chamois pad (no gel, no fancy lumps, bumps, or cutouts). Just be sure you don’t get the cheap ones. Look for the ones with the flatlock stitching and the thicker lycra. Half the time when they’re on sale, they get cheap ones made somewhere – the sizing is off (usually on the small side), the lycra is thinner, and the seams are all turned in (and leave big divets in my skin).
I (now) only wear De Soto 400 mile bike short; they’re the most comfortable bike short on the market and are soo worth the $110. I was like you initially and looked for the cheapest “good” bike short- I ended up wasting money on shorts that weren’t “good” at all: didn’t last long and were uncomfortable. Do yourself a favor- buy the 400 mile bike short- you will be grateful in the end.
Another vote for Voler. Their mid range bib shorts are currently on sale for $49.95. I have 3 pair and they are very comfy and give every indication that they will last several years. I guarantee you will not regret stretching your $40 budget a bit to snag a pair.
i’ll 4th the voler. plus I think the hammer logo is well done, especially this year. take advantage of someone’s 15% discount. also, check out gearlink.com. I’ve had good like with their BCM brand stuff, and they ALWAYS have a great sale banner at the top of their page
Shop ebay for Pearl Izumis but don’t expect to find them for $40. Cheap bike shorts are a bad bargain and will wear out faster as well as being uncomfortable.
I’m really liking my Canari shorts They listed for a lot more than $40 but Campmor.com has some great prices and a good reputation for an online store. Was able to find more Canari cold weather riding gear there for next to nothing
Since you are looking for shorts with an inseam of under 6" I am assuming you are a woman. Pearl Izumi makes a short for women with a 5" inseam called “short shorts.” They are advertised in this months REI circular for 45 dollars. If you are not a woman, then i’d take something from the fact that PI makes the 5" inseam shorts only in women’s sizes.