Test 2015: Road bike shorts for men and women - 32 cheap and expensive cycling shorts in a big comparison

The best cycling shorts are those that don't get in the way when cycling. But how do you find the right legwear for hours of carefree cycling fun? When it comes to looks, the choice is usually not difficult. Short black shorts are still very much in favour with cyclists. Black can be combined with most jerseys, is largely opaque even when wet in the rain and is resistant to dirt and stains.

How much you are prepared to invest in new cycling shorts depends on your personal budget and what the shorts are worth to you; if you also cycle regularly, you won't be able to avoid a second or even third pair of shorts to change - and then it makes a difference whether you hang four pairs of shorts in your wardrobe for 60 or 240 euros each - that's how much the top model from luxury outfitter Assos costs.

Less controversial than the prices are the requirements that road bike shorts should fulfil. They have to keep the cushioning padding between your bum and saddle in position without the shorts slipping or pinching while your legs are spinning. The straps should neither slip off the shoulders nor pinch, the leg cuffs should stay in place and not pinch. The padding must absorb pressure peaks between the bum and saddle and prevent friction. To achieve this, it must be positioned in the right place in the trousers and remain there when sitting in the saddle; if the trouser fabric is too elastic, the pad will constantly change its position in relation to the bum. Hardness, shape and size ultimately determine whether the pad and trousers fit the rider's individual anatomy and riding position.

Strengths and weaknesses of road cycling shorts

For the trouser comparison, we invited ten suppliers to send us one top model and one budget model from their range. With ten pairs for men and six for women, that makes a total of 32 different pairs of trousers. The spectrum ranges from straight, strapless women's trousers with shapeless uniform padding and narrow elasticated legs and waistband to quality products with wide, adhesive straps and leg cuffs, individual, brand-exclusive padding and a sophisticated cut.

You will find these models in the test (you will find the entire article as a PDF download below):

Women's trousers (expensive):
- Assos T Fl.Lady_S5
- Castelli Bodypaint W Short
- Craft Move Hot Pants
- Gore Bike Wear Element Lady Tights Short+
- Löffler Ladies Bike Pants Basic Gel
- Pearl Izumi W Attack Short

Women's trousers (cheap):
- Assos H.laalalaiShorts_s7
- Castelli Evoluzione W Short
- Craft Glow Bib Short Wmn
- Gore Bike Wear Power 2.0 Lady Bibtight Short
- Löffler Ladies Bike Bib Shorts HotBOND XT
- Pearl Izumi W Elite Drop Tail Cycling Bib

Men's trousers (expensive):
- Adidas Adistar Bib
- Assos T.cento_s7
- Castelli Free Aero Race Bibshort
- Craft Tech Bib Short
- Endura FS 260 Pro SL
- Gore Bike Wear Xenon Race Bibtights Short+
- Löffler men's bike bib shorts HotBOND XT
- Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Leader Bib Short
- Scott RC Premium 10 Bibshort
- Specialised Pro Bib Short

Men's trousers (cheap):
- Adidas Response Team Bib
- Assos T.neoPro_s7
- Castelli Evoluzione Bibshort
- Craft Move Bib Short
- Endura Xtract Gel Bibshort
- Gore Bike Wear Element Bibtight Short+
- Löffler men's bike bib shorts Winner
- Pearl Izumi Quest Bib Short
- Scott RC RC Team Bibshorts
- Specialised RBX Sport Bib Short

...

Interview with Marino de Marchi

Marino de Marchi is one of the founders of Elastic Interface, one of the world's largest manufacturers of seat pads. Under his direction, a team of several people develops the various pad models, which differ depending on the intended use, quality and gender of the wearer.

TOUR What is the first step towards a new upholstery model?
Marino de Marchi The drive to design a new pad can have different reasons. For example, it could be suggestions from our test riders or the development of new materials or foams from our suppliers.

How much time passes between the design and the first prototype from production?
This happens relatively quickly for us due to the close integration of development and production. Depending on the complexity, it takes between two and four weeks.

When a trouser manufacturer wants a new pad, do they already have a finished pair of trousers in their hands?
That varies. Some manufacturers come to us, tap a pad in the catalogue and that's it. Others send us their trousers, we sew a pre-series for testing and then a decision is made. For some brands, for which we produce the upholstery exclusively, the decision-making process takes much longer. You can recognise these brands by the fact that their trouser models are often available for several years without an annual model change.

What is more difficult: finding the right mould or the density of the foam for the degree of firmness?
Shape and size are crucial! Because this is where the differences between cyclists are so great. Men often have narrower sit bones than women - and women in turn are much more sensitive in the pubic area than men. If the shape doesn't fit, you can pad as much as you like.

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