How many pairs of bike shorts do you have?
 

The subject line says it. How many do you have that you use regularly? I'm thinking of padded cycling shorts if that's what you use.

Um.

That would require digging them all out and counting.

Wild guess ... there might be 40-ish "bottoms" in my cycling "bottoms" bag ... maybe 50. Not sure. That would include shorts, knickers, and tights.

Regularly, I might use a dozen or maybe up to 20-ish.

There are categories. Shorts for the spin bike or trainer. Shorts for shorter rides outside. Shorts for mid-length rides outside. Shorts for longer rides outside. And of course, knickers and tights for cooler weather.

Maybe not quite that many ... I can't remember if I got rid of half a dozen or so in one of our recent moves ... or not.

About 9 or 10. That allows daily riding, including commuting, without the need to worry about laundry. it also saves time and money by allowing a decent size load of bike clothes only.

Two pairs of bikey baggy shorts -- Pearl Izumi Canyon, Nashbar Lancaster -- which I wear year 'round (with knee warmers in winter). I need more.

Like the design of the Nashbar Lancasters, just wish they were better made with the attention to detail of the Pearl Izumi baggies. The Lancasters have a narrower thigh fit (perfect for my skinny legs); look good, with deep, narrow, reverse slash pockets, perfect for cycling -- anything worth carrying will fit. But the stitching is mediocre, the Velcro waist cinch straps have unraveled, the black lycra butt and back panels look cheap, and there's no liner. Pearl Izumi's attention to fine detail is outstanding, but the pockets are too shallow for cycling, and the leg openings are a bit drafty for my skinny thighs.

Three pairs of proper tighty shorts (Aero Tech, Pearl Izumi, Baleaf) which I rarely wear -- mostly because the newer style padding is way too thick. I wore a pair once this week and it felt like a diaper. I might try again with some thinner old style chamois, perhaps merino wool with real chamois leather like I had decades ago. But both my bikes have padded saddles so thickly padded shorts are superfluous and cause too much chafing. They might be okay with hard, unpadded saddles.

An odd assortment of non-bikey shorts, jeans, khakis, etc., for casual rides.

I wear Champion wicking fabric boxer/briefs under my baggies or jeans, whenever I ride. Another forum member tipped me to 'em last year. Very comfy. No accumulation of sweat, no chafing, fit like a second skin. I need more of these too -- I hardly ever wear my cotton Hanes boxers anymore.

Hmmm... I will have to do an accurate count, but off the top of my head... six Torpedo7/Route7 from NZ; two Cimas, also from NZ, six Pearl Izumi.

The T7/R7 shorts are for training and distances up to 100km; the Cimas for knocking around town; and the PIs for randonnees because they have been excellent, for me, matched to my Brooks saddles.

The Brooks saddles also allow me to ride unpadded shorts or underwear, so there are probably another seven or eight different varieties in the drawers.

Can you clarify this part

"...I might try again with some thinner old style chamois..."

It sounds like you mean you'll change the padding in the shorts. The padding in the Aero Tech shorts I have is part of the shorts.

I meant the older style sewn-in chamois, like the Kucharik merino wool with leather chamois.

I like the Aero Tech classic with tan microweave fabric liner, but the padding is still thicker than I'd like.

The multi-segment "3D" blue padding in the Pearl Izumi and Baleaf shorts drives me nuts. Feels like a soggy diaper midway through a summer ride.

Still not quite clear. The chamois on my Aerotechs are sewn in, but what it sounded like you were saying is that the chamois is changeable on the ones you were talking about.

Four; all baggy, mtb type shorts.




:)

I think he meant try again as in buy a different style/brand.

I have four. Two regular road style and two mtb baggy style.

Nine including three short liners that I wear underneath mtn bike riding shorts. As far as jerseys, I have, uh, more than I'll admit.

3.
2 for summer, 1 for winter.

I also have some older Castellis I am hanging on to, but the chamois are pretty shot. Handy if the other newer ones are in the wash.

I have about 8. But since I ride bents, and they do not require pads to protect me from my bike, they are inexpensive rugby shorts. ($15) They are multi purpose since they are may main summer attire.

Too many to count. I live in spandex!

Hmm. Pace, Specialized, Gore, canari, Bellweather, Craft, and Nashbar Shorts. One pair of Pactimo bibs. One set of Pearl Izumi tights. 9 total.

On a bike tour I bring 3, so every morning I have a clean Pr to wear.

Lined seat, but not 'padded', Synthetic Chamois.





....

Two pair of shorts, one pair of tights. Was one and one, just bought the second pair of shorts, mostly because I never really cared for the ones I had to begin with. They had a false button and zipper on the front that made them less than pleasant to pull on. They'll be retained as a backup pair, but I doubt used much. Both shorts are baggy MTB type.

I also ride frequently in regular gym and khaki cargo shorts, for what its worth.

That's a very personal question, don't you think.

2 shorts (1 Pearl Izumi, 1 Performance) and 2 tights (padded).
I tend to wash my cycling clothes right after my rides...I throw in a few other dark items, too.

Six, one for each riding day of the week. I replace them when they turn transparent, develop holes in embarrassing places, or the chamois wears out.

You want to avoid jock itch and infected saddle sores by only wearing shorts once between washings, and it's more convenient when you only need to do one laundry load a week.

Riding seven days a week you'd want more than six pairs because they last longer when hung up to dry, and some chamois take more than a day for the dampness to dissipate.

On cold days I wear thermal tights without chamois over shorts so I don't need as many pairs and can take them off if it warms up enough.

Yes, although the chamois is more for avoiding chafing than padding. Soft and thick padding you sink into can put pressure on soft tissues you don't want.

Apart from one pair I only use flat synthetic leather chamois like Boure makes, or Voler shorts with firm (120kg/m^3 beneath the sit bones) Elastic Interface Technology pads. Other brands (notably Rapha and Assos) offer EIT pads but are often double the $100-$140 Voler charges.

Squishier chamois get uncomfortable after 2-3 hours.

Two pairs of good road shorts, two pairs of road shorts that are a bit thin in the back I wear under other shorts, and two pairs of liner shorts

inner or outer?

I have a go-to pair of mountain bike shorts from REI. removed the bulky bad fitting liner
under than & under various fall / spring / winter pants, I wear thin-lined trishorts by Zoot. I have 3 of these

3 baggy shorts with chamois
2 lycra shorts with bibs and chamois
1 thermal tight pants with chamois and without bib... for 40°-50°
1 thermal tight pants with bib/chamois... for below 40°

2 pair tightie padded 2 pair jersey.
Ride almost every day, rinse them with a little shampoo when I shower hang to dry. If I skip a day they all go in washing machine then hang dry. Back in the saddle losing weight don't want to buy more yet.

Peace o/