Road bike shorts that aren't skin tight lycra

What are the options? There’ll be for my commute. Currently using mtb shorts but they are heavy and go almost to my knees, which makes them pretty hot in this weather. Is there anything out there that’s bike specific but made with lighter material and a bit shorter? A bit less über baggy wouldn’t go amiss either! 🙂

The point of tight-fitting shorts is that they don’t flap annoyingly in the wind and they hold the pad snugly in the right place.

Yeah… but he doesn’t want to look lke a sex offender, does he? 😛

Fox ranger shorts are a lot less baggy and a bit shorter than most, and made out of really light material. Great for summer riding, or indeed commuting

Vulpine?
http://www.vulpine.cc/Shop/Mens/Trousers-Jeans-Shorts/ICAT1005/MENS-SUMMER-SHORTS/ITM1161

Rapha?
http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop-/shorts-%26-trousers/category/shorts-and-trousers

I have a pair of Valine shorts – overpriced and stitching has come apart in the crutch area!! The Mar Endura shorts are a great slim fit – again expensive but tough wearing

Sorry Vulpine shorts and MTR Endura

http://www.swrve.co.uk/

I can recommend the Swrve shorts – comfortable, well made and smart.

Top Man

Giro New Road as well.

Lots of summer weight baggies around – they just aren’t marketed as road shorts.

I have some Gore ones that aren’t very baggy, and also Endura.

try your local Aldi. I got a pair pf their cycling shorts for the princely sum of £12. They are stretchy and tighter than MTB baggies and come with a reasonable liner. Had for a couple of months and no complaints so far.

I use rapha touring shorts over lycra bibs for commuting, they wear very well.

I wear them for various reasons – I like to have my phone in a secure pocket and the rear pocket on these is ideal, I like to look stealth and surprise people in full team kit tutting at me 🙂

There’s some Hoy shorts for sale with Evans that might be what you’re after – called urban ( or something along those lines )

Just buy light weight walking shorts from Cotswolds etc and wear those?

SWRVE cigarette shorts are fantastic ; but pretty heavyweight so are a bit sweaty for hard riding.

perfect for riding to the pub, the park the sea or a party though. which is what i got them for…

I do all my commuting in these (Bought at sale price!):

Touring Shorts

Good fit, no flapping and have worn well over the last couple of years. Going back to typical MTB shorts is painful in comparison!

Just wear any pair of road bib shorts with a lightweight pair of shorts over the top if you feel shy…inadequate 😉
Even a pair of old running shorts if you’re feeling cheap.

Commute in full team sky kit. its the only way.

mrchrispy – Member
Commute in full team sky kit. its the only way.

This made me laugh!

Thanks for all the suggestions, I look forward to investigating the options…..

Decathlon are good for this type of thing at the less spendy end of things.

Hilarious – I was going to recommend Surface Liquistretch shorts[/url] – they’re out of production but there were still some pairs floating around ebay recently. Had a quick search on ebay – nothing listed. Instead eBay suggested the alternative search of ‘Razzle Magazine’ 😯

Anyway seems like Triton Cycles and Winstanleys might still have some in stock. Or someone might leave some in a hedge for you.

Useful pockets, belt loops and a zip rather than stupid velcro. Very light weight, conventional cut but a very supple fabric so they feel right on the bike without having bike specific tailoring, slim-fitting enough not to flap in the wind. Wind and shower proof without being rustily.

This seems to work

Rapha Touring shorts here too – been using mine everyday for over 3 years and still going strong. No signs of wear which is really impressive.

I just stick on a set of undershorts (either regular or 3/4) for the padding.

I used to wear lederhosen as a kid owing to my German heritage. They’re great do-anything trousers, especially suited to high speed bannister sliding.

Just as an extra question – what do you guys normally wear along with your non-lycra shorts? I’m tending to favour a Howies merino top. And then a light shell jacket when it’s a bit drizzly.

On the warmer days I might put on a proper jersey – but I can never seem to find one with a decent length fit.

growinglad

I bet.

Get back to work.

has anyone said DHB?
dhb Navo shorts from Wiggle are £18, lightweight, slim fit, durable – mine are exactly 1 year old today, are used 5 days a week for 100 miles a week and are showing no signs of wear.

Commute in full team sky kit. its the only way.

Funnily enough I often see a guy on my ride home in ultra full sky kit including helmet and he even wears longs in hot weather so clearly pro. He’s bloody slow though – on a ‘recovery’ ride I guess.

Haglöfs Lizard shorts are brilliant if you can find them cheap – they’re very expensive at full whack – stretchy soft shell, good length, neat cut that’s not too loose or tight. Work great over liner shorts or bibs.

Shermer75 – Both have already been mentioned but Decathlon and DHB’s offerings are what I use for exactly what you’ve described, with liner short under.

Prezet – I favour running-type T-shirts, usually in Hi-Viz yellow flavour (I know there’s another debate to get into about hi-viz, but that’s my preference). Cheap, with enough of a ‘fit’ to not be flappng around, but at the same time not skin tight. Doubled up for those chilly spring mornings!

Get to TKMaxx and have a riffle through the “shorts” aisle. I’ve picked up a couple of pairs there that happen really good for riding in, for different reasons. £16 each.

It might be worth going back a couple of times, but if you want variety, there’s more in there than anywhere else.

these

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-alp-x-pro-2in1-shorts/

These:

http://www.rohan.co.uk/mens-travel-and-outdoor-shorts-Outrider-Shorts?ocode=03579550

I’ve been using these for the last couple of months. I’m very impressed.

dhb Navo shorts from Wiggle

That’s what I use, had them for 2 years. They get used generally a minimum of once a week up to a max of four times, and they are still going strong. The reflective strips are good, and yet not too visible when walking off the bike.

DNB Navo[/url]

What’s the sizing like on the DHB shorts? Normal / true? Or is Small for children and pixies?

I’ll prob try decathlon first as there’s one near-ish to me…

The Rapha touring shorts are really good. I used to use them for my commute to avoid the barrage of lycra comments at work. They’re not cheap but they were a good intermediate, for me, between lycra and baggies

What’s the sizing like on the DHB shorts?

I’m sometimes a medium, sometimes a large. I have these in a medium.

Ta! Taken a punt on the small, as it doesn’t sound Italian sizing.