Cham-Wow - Take it in the Shorts

This post goes hand in hand with You Betta Butta in terms of protecting your goodies. Shorts are important in two major ways:
1) wicking away moisture to keep you cool and dry while riding
2) having additional cushion protection for longer rides (known as the Chamois)

The Guy Version

All shorts are not created equal... lets be clear about that! I scrimped on my first set of riding shorts and you can to, but eventually you will notice that you need some extra help... and you'll fork out the bucks like I did. If you're just puttering around, then its ok to save on some shorts... just don't go without.

I think this is the better view :)

I know you think it's silly to wear those skin tight shorts (I'm talking to you guys)... but there is a method to the madness. Wicking is important or you will end up stewing in your own juices. The higher the performance, the faster and more efficient the moisture is removed from your body allowing for better overall cooling. Cool is always better and dry is important to reduce saddle soreness or chaffing of any kind. Aside from wicking qualities, inside the short hides the secret! The Chamois:

Women's Chamois

Mens Chamois

Note that padding is VERY different for men vs women. Also note the descriptions are different - the women's for intermediate use and the mens for pro use. The more often you hit the saddle, the higher level chamois short you want to invest in. Even if you can only afford one pair, you can hand wash and air dry for each ride. I use the speed wash on my washing machine for these and always air dry.

I finally invested in some Pro shorts, the brand isn't important... what you need to know is that the cut, fit, materials are different between brands and you should figure out which ones are right for you. To be honest, I haven't found the perfect fit for me yet... I do know I need to stick with pro performance chamois and wicking... but the brand of fit is still up in the air.

Some of the popular brands you'll need to check out:

Pearl Izumi
Louis Garneau
Castelli
Primal Wear
SHEBEEST
Sugoi
Gore

Make sure you purchase shorts for your sex (Male/Female) or you will feel really weird under "there"... just sayin.

Bibs look like this:

Men like these and they do help with fit and form... but women folks have to go further to undress for potty breaks in these. You know what I mean... don't get it twisted, they do make these for women too! I'm trying to get a set... hoping I don't have to potty on the side of the road.

In the end, your end that is...your body will tell you that you need some help... you can stumble into the store and say "help, my ass hurts" or... you can say "Can you show me your selection of cycling shorts for men/women with pro performance chamois?" It's totally up to you!

Once you have your shorts... try not to drown them in water when your hot because you think it will cool you off. Think of what its like to sit around in a wet diaper... oooo, yeah... sound good? Then go ahead and drown your shorts, genius.

Oh, and for goodness sakes don't wear these!