Road Cycling Shorts Buying Guide

Cycling Clothing gets a bad press here in the UK, with many non cyclists choosing to laugh and take the mickey out of road cyclists, adorned in lycra and tight fitting materials. At Westbrook Cycles, we understand first hand just how important cycling shorts are to road cyclists. Although new cyclists may at the beginning of their road cycling journey, try and avoid lycra - it does not take long for the advantages of dedicated road cycling shorts to be noticed.

One of the biggest reasons why riders need dedicated cycling shorts is comfort. Featuring different designs for men & women, cycling shorts have been designed to provide the right amount of padding and support, allowing for a comfortable riding position, especially for longer journeys and rides. Secondly, there are no seams or joins in the shorts - wherever irritation can occur, meaning a cyclist wearing the right shorts does not need to worry about chafing and associated discomfort.

Although lycra is still used by short manufacturers, cycling shorts today are made from a wide range of different, and technologically advanced materials. These advanced materials provide the right level of weather protection, including SPF protection, with comfort and the ability to wick sweat away. These shorts and materials, also allow the legs and body to move in the full range of motion for a successful journey.

One of the biggest decisions to make when purchasing a pair of cycling shorts, is to choose either waist shorts, or bib shorts. Bib Shorts are typically favoured by the more experienced rider, and have a number of advantages over waist shorts, mainly in terms of comfort.

Bib Shorts do a better job of keeping padding, also known as the Chamois - in the right place. This in turn, reduces the risks of rubbing and abrasion. Bib Shorts are also more comfortable to wear, with the fitting of the shorts being provided by the bib, across the full upper body - rather than just a waistband. One of the biggest advantages of bib shorts however, is the fact that they keep your lower back covered, meaning you do not show motorists and any other cyclists any more skin than you need to, and in the process - this coverage prevents any cold windchill as well.

Bib Shorts do however, have a few drawbacks. Bib Shorts are warmer than waist shorts, so during the summer months - you may want to consider a change, bib shorts also make stopping for a wee more difficult, being more restrictive than waist shorts.

Below, we run through some of our personal favourite and best selling road cycling shorts, that we have sourced from the world’s best cycling clothing manufacturers: