Cycling Shorts… Part 2 - Style

See part 1 here.

Disclaimer: I am writing this from the perspective of a male cyclist. If you are female or not a cyclist, i.e. you ride your bike sometimes, please disregard.

There are 3 different styles of short I’ll discuss.
1. The baggy short
2. Standard Lycra cycling short
3. The Bib short

The Baggy Shorts:
You would only wear these shorts for two reasons. 1. You are too concerned about the size of your posterior (eventually you will discover they aren’t hiding anything we can’t see). 2. You’re doing some hardcore downhill mountain biking through rock gardens, where if you crash you'll rip your shorts and have to walk home naked.

In my experience these shorts are not very comfortable as the extra fabric makes them too hot, gets hung up on the saddle and jammed into places I don’t want it. In addition they are like having a parachute attached to your butt... no good if you want to ride fast.

The Standard Lycra Cycling Short:
This is the workhorse of the cycling short. Everyone gets it… it’s a short. For the most part, this is a great choice to ride in. People tend to be a little nervous when riding in cycling shorts; they’re afraid their jersey might slide up and leave them displaying plumbers crack. This fact appears to inspire folks to get jerseys that are too big for them... to keep the crack safe.

The Bib Short:
To my amazement, these shorts appear to be under appreciated, at least in our racing club. The majority of folks get the cycling short, ignorant of the advantages of the bib. I have found bibs to be much more comfortable compared to the simple short. No need for a tight waste band to hold them up; very handy on long rides.

I have heard people complain, “how do I pee?” There are 3 holes in the bib, same as the short…. pick one. Another common complaint, the extra fabric will make me hot. Actually no, it’s a wicking fabric that helps you stay cool when hot and warmer when cool.

In addition to the added comfort, the bib gives you confidence. No more worrying about the plumper in the back. Thus you can wear a smaller jersey that actually fits. Again making you more comfortable because the fabrics are allowed to work the way they were designed, wicking away sweat next to your skin. Ultimately it makes you faster because you don’t have a jersey blowing in the breeze like a blouse.