On Shorts

Yesterday, I woke up and as usual turned on NPR.  Before I even had my coffee I was bombarded with one depressing bit of news after another.  Updates on court proceedings over the Norway shootings.  The riots in London.  The stock market.  The failure of the American government.  The killings one town over in Copley.  It was too much.  The whole morning I was depressed.  I don't know what it was about that particular batch of news that hit me so hard.  Perhaps it is because both Norway and England are special places for me and that shooting in Copley is awfully close to home.

So far, the news this week has been rather bleak.  I don't know
about you, but I need a bike ride.

I decided right then and there that I was never listening to NPR in the morning again.  I'd wait until later in the day to catch up on the news.  Mornings are irritating enough.

Immediately, my mind turned to what would make me feel better and that, of course, was a bike ride.  So, the Mr. and I decided that we should take the dog for his first trail ride that evening and eat dinner along the way.  There was only one problem.  We didn't have any clean shorts.

If it had been anything else it wouldn't have been that big of a deal, but when it comes to where the butt meets the saddle, you have to have the proper cushion.  Nothing ruins a ride (and the day after) more than a sore nether region. Around town, for rides to the restaurant or the theater, jeans work just fine.  Even the commute to work is short enough.  But, 10+ miles or so, we start to want some padding.  Therefore, we decided to postpone the ride until this evening and instead pick up some new shorts for both of us at the LBS.  Anyway, shopping is another good treatment for depression, right?

Typically, I have trouble finding cycling clothing and it usually take hours and trips to several different places to locate stuff I like.  Finding a decent jersey that isn't black or hot pink is an epic quest.  Yesterday, however, we were in the market for shorts.  Now, personally, I prefer the baggy shorts.  First of all, they have pockets.  Secondly, they don't highlight my flaws.  Thirdly, I can wear them in places without getting funny looks.  But, like a gender neutral jersey, they are a bit harder to find.

We went to Eddy's in Stow with a hankering for Poncho & Lefty's.  Yeah, they had racks and racks of black lycra shorts, but only one rack with baggies and a lone pair of knickers (I would like a decent pair of knickers).  None of them were cheap.  Oh well, bite the bullet.  I got a pair of Canari's with a foam chamois.  There was nice green jersey too and since an acceptable jersey is a rare find, I pounced on it.  Really, you can never have too many jerseys.

Next we went to our usual haunt, Falls Wheel & Wrench.  Typically, their selection is much smaller, but they are having a sale (20% off).  Never, ever, pass up a clothing sale.  And, man, did we luck out; they were loaded with baggies!  The Mr. found two pairs and I found a pair of Serfas with a gel chamois.  While we were looking at our options, Jim at W &W filled us in on the ins and outs of shorts.

So, according to Jim, he's what you need to know:

1.)  The tight Lycra shorts are best for really hot weather.  If its 90+ (or feels like it), they will keep you cooler than the two layer baggies.  Baggies work well for everything else (not just mountain biking).

2.)  A foam chamois is cooler than gel.

3.) But, if you are doing a longer ride, gel is far more comfortable.  Foam doesn't hold up much past 30 miles.

4.) For those that don't like strutting around in Lycra, its best to purchase baggies instead of layering a pair of regular shorts over Lycra.  Regular shorts will bunch up and be really uncomfortable.

5.)  Don't wear shorts that are too tight.  The restriction can cause serious issues.

6.) Don't stick a gel chamois in the dryer.

Gel Chamois

Foam Chamois

So, there's all you need to know about cycling shorts!  Thanks, Jim!