Cycling Shorts for Men

One of the most important and easy way to improve your cycling comfort is getting a good pair of cycling shorts. Although simple-looking, these shorts actually have impressive features, such as, an anatomic fit, moisture-wicking fabrics and prevention against chafing and bacteria. The market is flooded with distinctive types of men's bike shorts, over a hundred companies manufacture cycle shorts and there are thousands of bike shorts in market, differing in quality and price range. However all may look same at first, actually there can be significant differences between them. Thus, you should keep in mind the tips given below while buying the cycling shorts.

Construction & Material
The first thing which should be taken care before buying a cycle short is its construction & material. Bike shorts are constructed of panels which helps the garment to fit the body in the cycling position. Always check out the number of panels in shorts. Cheap quality shorts usually contain four panels or six panels, but eight panel shorts are the best for your body. One way to look out for the number of panels is to pay attention to the way they are hanging. If they hang straight that means the shorts consists of four panels and curved hanging is an indication of eight panels which is the best preferred of all.

Fabric
Price for cycling shorts is usually based on the fabric and pad, which are used in the manufacturing of shorts. Shorts made of better materials usually cost more. Cycling-short made of nylon spandex fabrics has great stretch and durability, but they do not have the ability to wick moisture. Thus, spandex is now mixed with other yarns such as polyester to promote moisture transfer. Therefore, these special types of shorts are much more costly compared to the simple shorts made of nylon spandex fabrics.

Padding
The other feature which affects the price of shorts is the padding. Luckily fabric technology and pad construction have improved incredibly over the years and the pads inside the shorts are more comfortable and functional than ever before. It is important to understand that the main purpose of these pads is to wick moisture and to prevent chafing. Most pads have several layers. The top layer is usually made of a technical fabric that wicks moisture, breathes, and prevents bacteria growth. Thus, you should always ask the shopkeeper about the quality of pads used in the short you want to buy.

The Right Fit
The size of cycle shorts varies from one company to another, as fabrics and construction will cause each short to fit differently. So, it is recommended that you should try on several different shorts before buying. Also, when trying a cycling short put yourself in a cycling position. On trying cycling shorts should be comfortable with no bagging or wrinkles. It is also recommended that you should never wear underwear under your bike shorts as the materials used in pads are designed to wick moisture, breathe and prevent bacteria growth. Therefore, bike shorts are much more hygienic than your underwear.