831
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #14,762 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
Sizing guesswork? Yeah, me too... But at 5;5"/135lbs - here's what I got and why!
First - this is my first pair of "real" bike shorts with padding, and I absolutely love them!! For most of my rides I'm fine without, but I find that with hillwork or trying out singletrack riding the shorts are definitely the way to go! So there's that...
As for the padding - I saw a couple of people say they felt like diapers. Not my experience at all. It was barely noticeable. Now that said - I'm guessing it depends on your build. I am 5'5", 135 lbs, and pretty "athletic" in frame. I have a straight bust to hip line, meaning I am not super curvy in the waist. I have a fairly flat rear, and at 50 years old I am very fit but have definitely lost some of my natural padding. Again - the padded shorts are a big help for sure. I love them, and am buying another pair right now!
Ok... now on the whole sizing issue. I had a really hard time discerning sizing from the chart and the wide variety of sizing reviews. Again, I'm petitish, fitish, and compact. My normal pant size is a 6, small, but that can vary depending on the style and maker. After MUCH reading, reading, and re-reading I went with the medium.
The medium shorts are just fine. They are not tight, and also not loose.
They fit against my skin with no slippage or bunching and were comfortable during the ride.
I do think I could have gone with a small if looking for slightly more compression fit, but I'm sticking with the medium on the 2nd pair as well. My "size" does fluctuate across the month, so I don't want to have days where these pinch or bind.
Again, you need to read the reviews carefully, but also consider your shape and your fit preference. I do not like tight clothing. I do not like to feel anything I am wearing! ha! So at 5'5", compact body with a fit/athletic build (I do yoga 1-2 x week, ride 3-7 miles 2-3 x week, and walk about 2 miles a week), 50 years (meaning there is natural gravity effect!), straight build without much waist indentation and moderate hips/rear.... I got a Medium and am getting a second pair in this size.
