I'm in the market for some shorts (padded lycra) - any suggestions? My budget would be about £30/40.
Also, I've heard that you should wear nothing underneath cycling shorts (to minimise chafing). What's the general consensus on wearing normal shorts over the top of cycling shorts? Would the extra material cause any problems whilst riding?
Cycling Shorts
Re: Cycling Shorts
valley wrote:Also, I've heard that you should wear nothing underneath cycling shorts (to minimise chafing). What's the general consensus on wearing normal shorts over the top of cycling shorts? Would the extra material cause any problems whilst riding?
Nothing under lycra shorts AND I use the lycra shorts under normal shorts & 3/4 shorts all the time with no issues.
Re: Cycling Shorts
agree with Robbie no problem with ordinary shorts over cycling shorts and never underwear under cycling shorts. Your Price rnage is about right for a good compromise of value for money amd quality. there are many different makes and Pads to choose from. If you want bib shorts then the price is slightly higher. More panels = better fit. The choice is yours Wiggles DHB is usally not far out for the money. I personally prefer Funkier and treated myself to a pair of Funkier bib shorts last Friday first ride out was today.
Last edited by NUKe on 12 May 2014, 9:03am, edited 1 time in total.
NUKe
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Re: Cycling Shorts
I'm comfortable in the cheap shorts from Aldi or Lidl. I sometimes wear other things over my shorts, though mostly if I'm going out to eat or something. I have pair of 'baggies' designed for mountain biking that are lightly padded cycling shorts with another pair of baggy shorts that go over them. They attach to one another, but don't have to be worn that way. Specialized make some like that, but even on sale, they are probably a bit above your price range.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Re: Cycling Shorts
valley wrote:What's the general consensus on wearing normal shorts over the top of cycling shorts? Would the extra material cause any problems whilst riding?
It is permitted. If worn under something particularly inappropriate, such as jeans, the lycra shorts will improve matters, but maybe not sufficiently. The most likely "problem" will be the lycra shorts poking out of the end of the normal shorts.
Some baggy shorts (eg Endura Hummvee) come with a pair of lycra shorts as a liner (in this case, perfectly wearable on their own).
Re: Cycling Shorts
I'm a heretic! 
The nothing under shorts originates from when the "pad" of shorts was chamois leather and any underwear available would have been cotton
or wool 
and various creams would be applied to the pad, one's derrière or both. That's how it was when I started cycling & it worked OK.
I came back into cycling after a break and having been doing some distance running - half & full marathon - and had acquired some undershorts due to the fact that my thighs were tending to rub together when running in running shorts. I took to trying these under modern cycling shorts with a Coolmax (or similar pad) & found it worked well. Well enough to find that shorts without anything under were less comfortable. I've since picked up a stock of cycling underwear, mainly for Aldi. The big advantage I've found is that you can probably pack 6 sets of undershorts in the space needed for a pair of padded shorts and, particularly if your shorts have silver treated pads, shorts can be used for multiple days in a row with no adverse affect with the undershorts changed more frequently. The other plus is that I've never found any need to apply anything to my behind either.
The "nothing under shorts" can, & does work, for many but is probably like hikers arguments over should you wear more than 1 pair of socks or not - there are those who are adamantly in both camps. Maybe my backside is just different from most people's - I don't make a habit of comparing it
I have some Endura Zyme 3/4 (which don't come with click in undershorts) & find generally that the most comfortable combination with a choice of padded cycling shorts &/or undershorts for me is just the undershorts. The longest distance I've done like that is around 30 miles. Leaving out the padded shorts with the Zymes is also more comfortable off the bike if I'm "going somewhere" rather than going for a ride.
Those are my thoughts anyway.
Rick.
The nothing under shorts originates from when the "pad" of shorts was chamois leather and any underwear available would have been cotton
or wool and various creams would be applied to the pad, one's derrière or both. That's how it was when I started cycling & it worked OK. I came back into cycling after a break and having been doing some distance running - half & full marathon - and had acquired some undershorts due to the fact that my thighs were tending to rub together when running in running shorts. I took to trying these under modern cycling shorts with a Coolmax (or similar pad) & found it worked well. Well enough to find that shorts without anything under were less comfortable. I've since picked up a stock of cycling underwear, mainly for Aldi. The big advantage I've found is that you can probably pack 6 sets of undershorts in the space needed for a pair of padded shorts and, particularly if your shorts have silver treated pads, shorts can be used for multiple days in a row with no adverse affect with the undershorts changed more frequently. The other plus is that I've never found any need to apply anything to my behind either.
The "nothing under shorts" can, & does work, for many but is probably like hikers arguments over should you wear more than 1 pair of socks or not - there are those who are adamantly in both camps. Maybe my backside is just different from most people's - I don't make a habit of comparing it
I have some Endura Zyme 3/4 (which don't come with click in undershorts) & find generally that the most comfortable combination with a choice of padded cycling shorts &/or undershorts for me is just the undershorts. The longest distance I've done like that is around 30 miles. Leaving out the padded shorts with the Zymes is also more comfortable off the bike if I'm "going somewhere" rather than going for a ride.
Those are my thoughts anyway.
Rick.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Re: Cycling Shorts
I've given up on lycra for day rides under 60 miles. I find the extra ventilation helps keep the bugs at bay if it is warm. I'm in two minds as to whether to use some on this summers multiday trip, or a forthcoming century ride, probably not.
Re: Cycling Shorts
geocycle wrote:I find the extra ventilation helps keep the bugs at bay if it is warm.
Unless of course the bug concerned is a wasp up the (baggy) shorts leg
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fluffkitten
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Re: Cycling Shorts
andrew_s wrote:geocycle wrote:I find the extra ventilation helps keep the bugs at bay if it is warm.
Unless of course the bug concerned is a wasp up the (baggy) shorts leg
This maybe one of the most terrifying things I've read. Eeeeeek!
Re: Cycling Shorts
check out planet x i got a top ,shorts and a base layer for under forty quid http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/clothing/clothes