Cycling Shorts

[graham jw]

As a fairly new cyclist and with the weather starting to improve. Can you give me some advice on cycling shorts please.

Sports direct (karimore stuff) sell padded shorts for less than a tenner, yet prices on the net and from cycling specific stores sell them at considerably more. Is there such a difference in quality between the two?

Thanks.

 

[Shrim]

To be honest, I always bought the more expensive cycle clothing but after seeing a thread on here regarding Sports Direct I went down there and bought a pair of Karrimor shorts (£5.99) and a pair of Karrimor leggings (£11.99 I think).

They fit great and are as good as what I have had previously (Endura, Altura shorts). Only time will tell of course but I am more than happy with them.

Excellent value for money!

 

[suecsi]

I'm with Shrim, I ended up with some Tenn Outdoors shorts and 3/4 length tights (I'm too short for full length tights) to wear under normal office clothes, between £12.99 and £17.99. I tried the branded, more expensive stuff on in Evans but bizarrely it fit worse than the cheap stuff.

 

[ohnovino]

My Karrimor shorts are okay, but I find the waist is a little low and so my lower back can get exposed. That's why I prefer the bib shorts from Tenn Outdoors (usually around £15).

 

[fungus]

Shorts like saddles are a suck it see venture, what suits one person may not be any good for another. At £10-£15 you can't really go wrong, I'd pay the extra £5 & go for bibs though. It also depends on how far you're riding, short distances will be bearable with cheaper shorts but start doing 200k + & you will probably want something a little better.

 

[festival]

As a fairly new cyclist and with the weather starting to improve. Can you give me some advice on cycling shorts please.

Sports direct (karimore stuff) sell padded shorts for less than a tenner, yet prices on the net and from cycling specific stores sell them at considerably more. Is there such a difference in quality between the two?

Thanks.

Do you mean Lycra or atb/leisure.
Either way, any cycle specific padded short will be better than none but you do get what you pay for.
Some will say things like, " so & so's are great and at a fraction of the price of a leading brand" these comments are generally from people that have never experienced top quality kit & are guessing.
I have used a lot of this horrendously priced kit , because I have fortunately, not had to pay for most of it and you do notice a difference.
Try the cheapo stuff to start with and see how it goes, I am sure you will benefit.
If you get a chance treat yourself to some good quality shorts from someone like Endura, they are excellent.
The law of diminishing returns comes into it, something for £70 is a world away in comfort,fit, durability than something for £25. but between £70 and £165 there is not so much

 

[david1701]

my only cycle shorts are the karrimor ones and a set of longs too, do the job nicely but never used anything dearer

 

[graham jw]

Thanks everyone.

I do have a couple of pairs of the padded longs.

I was just keen to hear from more experienced riders as to their opinions.

 

[ian turner]

I thought the forum motto was Lidl for everything and Aldi for the rest Hence an attributed quote on
one of those sites cycling products adverts.
Though their current cycling shorts look iffy to me but at £6.99 the local scarecrows will be kitting up.

 

[corshamjim]

Yep, I bought the Aldi padded underpants - they're quite fine for me under Ronhill tracksters. I only bother wearing cycle-specific clothing for longer rides (which for me means more than 30 miles or so).

 

[Cubist]

As a fairly new cyclist and with the weather starting to improve. Can you give me some advice on cycling shorts please.

Sports direct (karimore stuff) sell padded shorts for less than a tenner, yet prices on the net and from cycling specific stores sell them at considerably more. Is there such a difference in quality between the two?

Thanks.

They're great to start off with, but the pads are cloth covered, rather than articulated Coolmax, and that can make a difference. They are way better than nothing, and the Karrimor Waterproof I got for Cubester is proving to be great value for money.

The difference with a quality fit, well designed flat seams, articulated silver coolmax pad, etc etc is worth the extra up to a price point. I don't cycle enough to spend the price of a MTB wheelset on a pair of shorts!

 

[ramses]

I have a pair of Karrimor and a pair of Endura, and to be honest there isn't a lot of difference.

The Endura ones are better material, but no more comfortable than the karrimor ones. I would say that the Endura ones do last longer, but at £5.99 for the Karrimor it doesn't matter if they only last 6 months.

You could buy 5 to 6 pairs of karrimor for the price of the Endura ones.

I have a pair of karrimor leggings without pads which I have worn through out the winter, and they have been excellent, however the backside is starting to get a little thinner now, so will have to replace for next winter. But as above they are cheap enough, so it doesn't matter that they only last one winter.

 

[deggers]

i have karrimor shorts and padded tights and found them great value. however on long rides I've found the padding too thin. I bought some endura bibs for about £30 quid and I must admit now if i'm going out for longer than 30 miles I reach for them-even at the expense of cold legs-much more comfortable.

 

[valetillidye]

you cant go wrong with the Aldi ones IMO, especially for "shorter rides". I've about 4 pairs of Bibs and they are all spot on for what I paid for them, I only tend to rides of less then 15 miles but on the occasions I go further they start to be a bit less comfy

 

[Brandane]

If you are near a branch of Decathlon, they have cycling shorts which vary in price from the very cheap up to about £20.

I have a couple of pairs of the mid price range ones and they are very comfortable, and have lasted about 3000 miles so far with no signs of being dustbin bound any time soon.