Cycling trousers

Nothing at all! Cycling shorts are made for direct skin contact. Underwear under your cycling shorts will slide around, get clammy, and means extra seams. This can cause uncomfortable skin problems: think abrasions, abscesses, and other discomforts. If you really want to wear something under your cycling shorts, for example because you find it more hygienic, wear a pair of special athletic underpants. 

The best cycling shorts are the ones with the best fit. Buying the first cycling shorts you come across or blindly taking the advice of a fellow cyclist is never a good idea. Factors to look out for when buying:

• Length
• Fit
• Size
• Quality
• The right chamois
• Comfort

It’s difficult to judge the comfort of a pair of trousers while standing because cycling trousers are not designed for walking. When you’re in the fitting room, try mimicking your cycling position: sink through your knees, bend your upper body forward and raise your knees a few times. It may feel crazy, but it definitely helps to make the right choice. 

It seems like a simple question, yet it regularly goes wrong. Once and for all: cycling shorts with chamois are worn without underpants. Underpants cause friction and eventually irritation and chafing. If you want to be extra sure, you can rub a chamois cream on the chamois. Don’t put it on your bum, put it on the chamois! 

Do you normally leave your bike in the shed over the winter because it’s too cold outside for you? There’s no need for that: long cycling trousers with chamois will keep you cycling all year round. You will find ones that are water- and windproof, trousers with a brushed lining for extra warmth, and trousers with a chamois that wicks away your sweat well, keeping you warm and dry. Don’t want to buy new cycling trousers or is it really still too warm for winter trousers? Then choose loose leggings! 

A good chamois in your cycling shorts is at least as important as a good saddle on your bike. A good-quality chamois wicks away sweat well, fits snugly to your body, and – most importantly – should never chafe. Moreover, a chamois for men looks different from a chamois for women. A woman’s pelvis is further out and the sit bones are further apart. Women should therefore choose a chamois that is wider at the back.