Thomas15

I have a number of padded Baleaf underwear shorts and a few other makes of underwear shorts. I also have two pairs of Nashbar MTB shorts, these were quite a bit more expensive and have thinner (proper) chamois. I am a little bit of a fanatic about washing my shorts after every ride so I like to have multiple pairs available.

Even for road riding the Nashbar MTB paints are hands down more comfortable and offer more protection. Still, when I use the Baleaf underwear I put something over them and have found that the almost knee length shorts make by Russell and sold at Walmart for $10.00 make a good pairing. The Russell shorts are a light synthetic material and are lose enough to mitigate the "diaper effect" caused by the padding in the shorts.

I have never like the looks of tight fitting multi panel spandex road cycling shorts. However I picked up a pair with padding similar to the Baleaf underwear. First time out I put a pair of Russell shorts over them. Although they are not "high end" shorts the extra length in the leg and tight fit are much more comfortable. I'm putting shorts over the cycling paints in an effort to slowly get used to the idea of wearing those kinds of shorts alone someday in the very near future. I will probably purchase at least 1 pair of good high quality road cycling spandex shorts very soon and not worry anymore about how they look. This line of reasoning would have been unthinkable to me even 6 months ago.

As far as other accessories, yes get a pair of tight fitting cycling jersey. You can get generic shirts off Amazon for about $15.00 After the first time you use these jerseys you will never want to ride in a cotton t-shirt again. Long in the back with elastic to keep them in place and pockets in the back to store things, you will love them

Also, get cycling shoes. You will need new pedals if you are going to use cleats and a clipless pedal system, which you should. Since I have both mountain and road bikes I decided on having a standard so I use mountain bike (SPD) two bolt systems. You can get a pair of shoes for about $50-60 and pedals start at about $45 Shimano 520s. I use two bolt SPD systems on both my road and mountain bikes. In short you certainly will appreciate having the shoes and pedals. It just takes some time to get used to them.

I tell my 25 year old daughter that things like helmets, special bike clothing, gloves, shorts, jerseys and skinny seats are popular with dedicated cyclists for a reason. She is starting to ride her bike more and is resisting getting any of this kind of stuff. This can be an expensive past time but it doesn't have to be beyond the reach of most of us just look around for bargains. Remember though, quality has a price and you will in time appreciate the comfort and utility of good quality cycling gear.