# New love for bike shorts



## SpikedLemon (May 15, 2015)

You know, as a new roadbiker, I never understood the whole thing about bicycle shorts. The tight spandex look just didn't appeal. I never had the issue with my mountain bike as I moved around a lot more.

After a few, for me, lengthy rides I quickly realized what it's all about.


So I ordered a pair inexpensive bib shorts and had my first long ride (~2h) this weekend with them: These things are AWESOME!

The ventilation and the lack of chafe!
Not to mention the bonus: not pulling up your shorts to keep from looking like a plumber!


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Yeah, it's true. Genuine, stretchy, suspendered, padded, bona-fide bike shorts might be the single most efficacious component you'll buy. Genuine clip-in pedals and shoes (yeah, they're called clipless but that's a misnomer) ain't bad, either.


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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

Wait until you try some expensive shorts.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

skinewmexico said:


> Wait until you try some expensive shorts.



You will never go back once you get some very high quality shorts or bibs, IMO.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

I did my first century in cut-off Levis...

so, yeah, real cycling shorts are a definite upgrade.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

robt57 said:


> You will never go back once you get some very high quality shorts or bibs, IMO.


Prexactly !


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Oxtox said:


> I did my first century in cut-off Levis...
> 
> so, yeah, real cycling shorts are a definite upgrade.


I did my first Century in long-legged Levis. No gloves. I think I had toeclips and cleats by then, though. I know I at least had toeclips. And a water bottle cage.


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## SpikedLemon (May 15, 2015)

robt57 said:


> You will never go back once you get some very high quality shorts or bibs, IMO.


I'm happy with the substantial upgrade from without to with - let alone if they're "high quality". That'll likely be next year's upgrade.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

skinewmexico said:


> Wait until you try some expensive shorts.


High quality and high price don't have to go hand in hand. My current favorites are from Tenn Outdoors (vipers) and only go for about $40 a pair. De Marchi are also well thought of and are around $50-60.


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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

junior1210 said:


> High quality and high price don't have to go hand in hand. My current favorites are from Tenn Outdoors (vipers) and only go for about $40 a pair. De Marchi are also well thought of and are around $50-60.


I guess it depends on your butt. I have some DeMarchi shorts, and they don't hold a candle to any of my Garneau shorts with the Airgel chamois. If I'm going over 1-2 hours, its Garneau time for me.


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

Even the difference between good quality conventional cycling shorts and middle of the road bibs is a very noticeable step up for the rider. Once you get bibs you never go back for serious cycling.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

SpikedLemon said:


> I'm happy with the substantial upgrade from without to with - let alone if they're "high quality". That'll likely be next year's upgrade.



I bought a pair of Louis Garneau's top of the line shorts in 99. I found the same short on clearance later that year, I bought 3 more pairs. Some of the best cycling coin I have spent over decades of rolling frankly...

If you average the cost per year it was like 20 space buck per year [$5.00 ea./yr.] for as long as they were in service. Two pairs left, but they ain't pretty. Thus relegated to MTN use....

Taint no difference to me how you treat your nether regions....


I will add, gel pads are not a good idea in the warmer seasons as a side note.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

skinewmexico said:


> I guess it depends on your butt. I have some DeMarchi shorts, and they don't hold a candle to any of my Garneau shorts with the Airgel chamois. If I'm going over 1-2 hours, its Garneau time for me.


That's right, it all depends on your (my) butt. Otherwise everybody would wear Assos, and all others would be Assos rip-offs.


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## crbeals (Oct 3, 2012)

Mapei said:


> I did my first Century in long-legged Levis. No gloves. I think I had toeclips and cleats by then, though. I know I at least had toeclips. And a water bottle cage.


I did mine on a bike without a chain and square wheels. 

Que Gram-pa Simpson: We can't bust heads like we used to. But we have our ways. One trick is to tell stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I caught the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for m'shoe. So I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. "Gimme five bees for a quarter," you'd say. Now where were we... oh yeah. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. I didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...


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