Casual Cycling Shorts

by Andreas
on 02/10/2009
in Cycling accessories

A popular destination for cycling men and women alike is the pub for a pint and a catch up with friends. Upon arrival at the pub the last thing I ever want to do is walk in dressed in Lycra from head to toe. Luckily, I have a few pairs of casual cycling shorts that draw the right glances rather than the “Uuhh look at him he’s wearing Lycra” disapproving ones.

In this post I will go through what to look for in a good pair of cycling shorts and show you some highly recommended ones that you may want to look at.

What to look for in casual cycling shorts

A good pair of cycling shorts is all about comfort. This comes from many areas. First from a good fit. Most cycling shorts will have adjustable straps and flexible fabric that will create that nice comfortable feeling. Secondly, padding in the cycling shorts helps to reduce the strain on your body from frequent riding. Also, the right fabrics and design provide a smooth, comfortable feel that prevents chafing on the more delicate parts of the body. In-fact the shorts you wear often make more of a difference to this than buying an expensive new saddle.

Ventilation is also important and good cycling shorts will provide for this. The shorts should cope with the harshness of everyday cycling such as the stretching caused by the constant pedalling motion and the occasional scrapes. Finally they should have plenty of pockets for storage.

Ultimately you should choose a pair that feels comfortable to you both when you are in the riding position and when you are out and about.