7 Tips for choosing the right cycling pants (2024)

FAQs

How to choose cycling pants? ›

Pay attention to the pants' legs

Cycling shorts come in different lengths, from short to long. Choose the length that suits your personal preference and of course the weather conditions. For warm weather, a short cycling shorts is ideal, while for colder weather, you're better off choosing a long cycling shorts.

Bike Pants, Tights and Warmers

An alternative to bike shorts, especially for cooler temperatures, many bike pants and tights also come with a built-in chamois. Front panels might offer wind protection, and some pants might be fully waterproof and windproof.

Fit. Cycling gear is cut to fit properly when you're leaning forward over the handlebars. That means shirts and jackets have a longer back to keep your lower back covered, and legwear has a higher waist at the back too.

When it comes to fit, the best cycling bib shorts should fit like a second skin. They should be snug but not too tight, and they should not shift or cut off circulation.

We'll keep it simple: don't wear anything under your bike shorts. The chamois inside of your shorts was made to fit next to your skin to prevent chafing, and it's built from fabrics that wick moisture and dry quickly.

The primary purpose of cycling shorts is to provide comfort. Designed specifically for men and women, cycling shorts make sure that padding is in the right places and seams are strategically placed to reduce chaffing, especially on rides in excess of 10 miles.

Cycling in clothing like jeans, or tight-fitting dresses or trousers, can restrict how you use your muscles. Some clothes have thick and bulky seams which can rub and make you sore. Also don't wear something with too tight a waistband. You need to be able to breathe!

Reduces Aerodynamics

To cycle faster, you should aim to reduce the aerodynamic drag on your body and as physics tells us, the smoother the surface, the less drag you might experience. It is found that clothing is a huge factor that increases the overall drag on a cyclist whilst riding.

The cycling pad is a padding made from a combination of fabrics and foams (sometimes even special inserts such as gel) that is placed inside the cycling shorts in order to protect the cyclist's groin area from vibrations and bouncing while pedaling.

When it comes to cycling and running, there is not nearly the level of scientific studies or standards in place for high-visibility clothing. The takeaway from the national standards, however, is that only three colors meet its rigorous criteria: fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, and fluorescent red.

How often should you wash your cycling clothes? ›

Wash your cycling apparel, certainly bibshorts and other bottoms, after every single ride. You may make an exception for raincoats, wind gilets, and jackets. If you don't have the time to wash your garments right away when you come home, hang them. This is more hygienic than throwing them in a pile (loved by bacteria).

Cost: Top-quality cycling clothing often comes with a price tag, particularly from premium brands and those utilising technical fabrics. Many cyclists will find the benefits of enhanced comfort, performance, and protection, outweigh the initial investment.

The Proper Cloth rule of thumb is that the waistband should fit firmly against the body, but still allow you to insert two or three fingers between the waistband and your body with relative ease.

A chamois generally last six months to two years, depending on how often and how far you ride and how well you care for your bike shorts. If your chamois has lost its oomph and feels like a flat and heavy slab of material, or if it's starting to unravel from your bike shorts, it's time for a new pair of bike shorts.

In a cycling compression study, researchers found a 1.2% improvement in 40km time-trial finish times after a 24-hour recovery period for cyclists who wore compression tights, when compared to non-compressive 'placebo' tights.

While you can cycle in just about anything, it's advisable to wear cycling shorts or athletic leggings for women when attending a spin class. These pieces of clothing are designed to provide you with comfort and freedom of movement, which you'll definitely need during intense cycling sessions.

A: The other users who answered this question are correct. The 4D means that different areas of the padding have different densities in the foam used to help reduce the pressure in areas where most of your weight is. Lower density foam in areas with little weight and higher density in areas with more weight. Helpful?

Despite Le Col's lovely cardboard presentation box, Rapha gear still feels more premium and better designed for longer hours in the saddle.

Good cycling bib shorts start at about £40 and we've reviewed pairs that are priced at more than £250. As you'd probably expect, more expensive shorts generally perform better in that they tend to be more comfortable for longer, but there are some bargain exceptions so don't rule out cheaper options.