I rode more than 10,000 miles in 2012. Most of my shorts were Pearl Izumi, which has been my favorite brand for years. As they started to wear out, I needed to replace several pair. I bought more Pearl, but even the high end Pearl Shorts were not very comfortable to me anymore.
I’m not sure if they changed something, or if it’s just me. But either way, I bought cycling shorts from at least four or five different manufacturers over the past six or eight months to figure out which shorts are the best for me.
In a way, cycling shorts are a little bit like bike seats, where a lot of the difference between between shorts comes down to a highly subjective and personal opinion based on what is the most comfortable for you. Not to mention what looks good to you, which is even more subjective.
I’ve had good luck with Giordana jerseys, so I picked up a new pair of Giordana Silverline shorts on Ebay to see if they were comfortable.
I was just checking online, and it looks like it’s hard to find the Silverline in shorts only (not in the bibs form) in the men’s version right now in early spring 2013. I don’t know if they are in between year models, or if they are discontinuing the shorts for Silverline, or what.
But if you can find a pair of these shorts, they are good.
I wear medium shorts in Pearl Izumi, and also medium in Giordana. I have a 30 waist, and weigh in the low 150s, to give you an idea. The manufacturer says M is for 28 to 32 waist, L is for 32 to 36, and XL is for 36 to 40.
These shorts have a “compression” kind of fit around my thighs, which is just a little bit tighter than some of my other shorts. But they are not too tight, and I like the compression feature.
The chamois on these shorts is a very high quality one, and I find it very comfortable. The shorts are long enough on the thigh where they come down close enough to the knee that they look like pro cycling shorts, and not too short. They have held up well in the wash, and they are comfortable on long, 50 mile plus rides. As you can sort of see from the main photo, these shorts pull up pretty high. It’s a little bit too high for my personal preference. They tend to roll down a little bit in the front when I first start riding. Although after that happens I never notice them again during the ride, which tells me that they aren’t really bunching up.
I picked my pair up for around $6o including shipping on Ebay, and I think these shorts are a terrific value in that price range. I really prefer to spend in the $50 to $79 range for shorts, and when the price starts to get over $99, it is rare that I will be willing to spend that much.
The full retail on these is over $100, and I would say that the quality and fit lives up to that range for people who usually spend that much on shorts.
Here are some more manufacturer details about the shorts:
- Anatomically shaped to conform to the movements of a cyclist on a bike
- Moxie, a certified power lycra provides a high rate of compression that can create a massaging effect, delaying the onset of muscle fatigue
- Supplex has cottony hand and exceptional fit due to its 500% stretch rate.
- Feature Giordana’s new MC-3 OF insert, a seamless one-piece insert that stretches with body movement and returns to its original form at rest
- Reflective Giordana logo on front and back for added visibility
Got any questions or have an opinion about these shorts? Be sure to leave a comment.