# Advice on women's bike shorts please



## gthcarolina (Mar 3, 2005)

Hi, this is Jo. I'm posting from my husband's account because I don't have one yet!

I need shorts. Performance is having a really good sale right now and I ordered the "Century" model and hated them. I have an old pair of Tommaso (?) shorts that I like but they are worn out. I want shorts with shorter legs because I HAVE shorter legs. I also like a slimmer chamois that doesn't feel like a diaper.

Can any of you tell me about shorts that you like? I'm guessing this is a common issue for female riders. Are any of the Performance products recommended?


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## TreeSaw (Jun 29, 2005)

I personally didn't like the performance products that I tried, but have found a few that I really like. Unfortunately, they aren't inexpensive but I have really come to believe that "you get what you pay for".

My top 2 choices are:
Terry Bella Line: The Flex Chamois is not bulky and stays put; runs true to size and comes in a variety of lengths (I personally have the regular shorts, not the shorter ones, the knickers and tights). The link is for the short shorts.

LUNA Sport Gear: The Tranquility Base Pad is great, again it's not bulky stays put and the material they use is so luxurious...feels great in super hot temperatures and looks great on the bike even after several washes. I personally wear my ProTeam Shorts for the majority of my rides and multiple times per week (thankfully I have several pairs). These might be a little longer than you like so check out the Epiphany short or the Valtellina Short (it's shortest version). Also, the waist band on these shorts is awesome and so completely comfortable.

Hope that helps!


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Sugoi is awesome for me but I ride both road and mtb. Kinda spendy so I look for it on sale. As far as integrated mtb shorts, Fox works nicely, however, this is a personal thing.


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## Lucy Juice (Dec 29, 2010)

Are you looking for a chamois/baggy combo, or just spandex? 

I love my Swobo liner. Love it. Legs are short. But it's kinda mesh-y, so I wouldn't wear it alone.


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

I agree that with cycling shorts you "get what you pay for" and this is a lesson I've learned the hard way many times over. Get two or three pair of really good shorts and rotate them. You can get away with one pair if you don't ride often. Terry Bella shorts are awesome (regular length here) and the knickers are just as fabulous. The pad is comfortable and doesn't get hung up on my saddle. Bella fabric is silky & cool yet strong & supportive. I crashed hard in the knickers months ago; my bone contusion still hurts but the knickers are fine! 

I've decided to spring for a pair of Luna Epiphany shorts based on recommendations, expecting them any day.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

I was despairing of ever finding my perfect shorts: higher waist, no leg grippers, and longer inseam . However, the first Monday I had signed up for Terry's Pro Deal Monday, there they were -- the Euro short on sale for half price! No leg grippers, a comfortable waist (again, no elastic) and 10" inseam. I had to return the Medium and ordered two Larges, and have never looked back! These are a compression fit, so they felt like a sausage casing in a Medium, but the Lg is comfortably supportive. Their chamois is great as well.

At some point I'll also order the Liberty short, which is lycra but with a loose fit close to the knee and a more minimal chamois.

Terry in general has a pretty amazing selection of shorts. There are often good deals on women's baggies on ChainLove.com.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

I haven't had any luck with Performance brand stuff either.

How short are you looking for? And baggies or spandex? Personally, I'm always looking for longer (in fact, most of the time I wear capris now), but I'm sure I can think of plenty that I've tried on that I thought were way too short. If you're just looking for spandex shorts, try triathlon oriented shorts. The chamois is smaller and they tend to be shorter in general.


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## snowgypsy (Jun 5, 2011)

As far as shorts go, I love my zoots. Comfortable and functional. They dry off quickly, stay where you put them, and while padded, they aren't so padded that walking becomes an issue. All in all, I love them. they are triathlon orientated shorts meaning shorter and designed for a few more uses than just biking. I purchased mine at HucknRoll on sale (marked down from almost 100 to about 40). 

My general understanding of bike gear is that its pretty individual and specific. Try some on. If that's not possible, check the return policies and get a few different pairs and return the ones that don't work for you. 

But remember: Zoot.


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## 510667 (Oct 13, 2010)

June Bug said:


> At some point I'll also order the Liberty short, which is lycra but with a loose fit close to the knee and a more minimal chamois.


I have these, and the chamois is so minimal that I can't wear them for rides more than 45 minutes or so...

Terry has some lovely baggy shorts, though sadly I can't find them on the Terry website, which probably means they are discontinued. I've looked throughout their website and they just aren't there  They are gray, come down close to my knees, have multiple pockets, two with zippers and come with the chamois liner shorts that have the pink waistband and grippers. I love those shorts - and the liners even more than the shorts. While there are elastic and grippers in the liner shorts they are not overly tight at all.

The liner shorts are fantastic and I recommend them highly. I am just getting into mountain biking but I do longer rides on the road (3+ hours or so) and these are my favorite. Not too thick but does what I need it to do.


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