Padded Cycling Shorts, Bike Shorts with Padding for Men and Women Bicycle Riding Shorts 4D Coolmax

This is from a road bike perspective. I am returning to the saddle after a long absence so I my backside has not been hardened. My saddle is a hard one, Selle San Marcos Aspide Arrowhead. My good pair of cycling shorts are an old Nashbar (pre-merger) with a faux sheepskin chamois (more like thin microfiber with a little padding). They do not chafe, and I wasn't all that sore after riding. I just needed a 2nd pair to use when the Nashbar's were in the wash.Spent over 2-hrs in the saddle with these Balnna shorts. Two sessions over 3 days, about an hour each.Likes:1. Generally well made. Material is good but with same 13% Lycra/87% Polyester as the Nashbar. Not as elastic as the Nashbar, so it stretches but doesn't compress very hard.2. Hidden elastic at the waist, which is an improvement on the Nashbars.Mehs:1. Fitment... I'm 170-175 lbs and wear 34" waist. Fit is okay, maybe a little tight at the waist. My thighs are ~18" and ~21" and the fit there feels good.2. Rubbery elastic at the thighs. Not sure what to make of this. They work for me and kept the legs in place.3. Stitching is not "flat". Can be a source of chafing.Hate:1. "5D seismic pad". This is not chamois. The extra cushion is at the point of greatest pressure. Instead of distributing the pressure, the cushion CONCENTRATES the pressure right at the base of my gluteus maximus. I am usually hunched over my bike so I am really feeling all the pressure from the last quarter of the pad.I think these will be good for a more upright riding style as when I am coasting and upright, they feel pretty good. But for a road cycling, I find these very uncomfortable for most of the ride.

I'm 5'3" and 126 lbs (size Small), and these shorts are one of only cycling shorts that fit me comfortably, plus the waist band sits just at or above the hip, unlike some which come up too high on the waist. The shorts also end right at the top of my knees. Beyond the sizing factor, the colors are sleek and vibrant, and the shorts provide padding in all the right places. Overall, A+ for size, comfort, color, and quality.

I wore these for indoor cycling and I'm glad I didn't have to leave my house in them. I understand padded shorts are not flattering, but these were worse than normal because the crotch is huge. Maybe meant more for men than women? The colors are really cute, but that's about it. The waist band is uncomfortable and the band at the thighs cuts off circulation (and I don't have big thighs at all). They're cheap and I really wish they were comfortable, because they are cute. Just not for me I guess.

First off, I bike on average 5,000 miles per year on my Salsa Vaya touring bike. I bought these as a couple pairs of Cannondale shorts were at end of life and I couldn't find them anymore. These are great for shorter and infrequent riders, but don't think they are that comfortable for 40+ mile rides. PROS: Light weight, gel pad and colorful. Cons: Pad feels "big"...seems to be bigger than what I'm used to. May not notice this once get more used to them. Also, light weight and not sure how they will hold up. Still, pretty good for the money.

These are great. They fit pretty perfectly. I ordered one size larger, but it turned out for this particular product; I could have just ordered my size. They fit as expected. Usually for some of these "asian" sized you have to go once size bigger. Not with these. I may or may not exchange for a smaller size, but they do it pretty well. I'm not sure if they should really be tighter for optimal comfort. I like how these are unisex. I may order another for my wife. She is quite a bit smaller than me, so she can't simply try on mine.

These are fine for the price. The crotch is weird-- like it's too big compared to the size legs that could fit in the pant legs. The weird crotch issue might have something to do with the excessively large padding area. Other than that, they look nice, and the leg seal is nice. I tested them on a 40 mile gravel ride, and aside from one seat hangup the trip was enjoyable.

I really liked these shorts, they are very padded and comfortable and the material feels high quality. The padding does feel very bulky but I wanted this for longer rides so it was exactly what I was looking for! I will say if you are looking for a more versatile bike short that you can where for running/triathlon as well I wouldn't recommend because they do feel a little awkward to walk in.

Good bang for your buck but be careful washing. The padding gets slights deformed. I have thicker thighs, but the bottom bands have tended to cut off my circulation after long rides. They have started to tear at the seams in one leg after 10 or so uses.