The best men's bike shorts
Eben Weiss
As anyone who spends a lot of time on their bike will tell you, it's vitally important to make sure your rear end is comfortable while riding — and that starts with the kind of shorts you choose to wear. Of course, you don't have to wear special shorts just to pedal a bicycle but the more time you spend on your bike, the more important short selection becomes.
How to shop for bike shortsWhether you prefer road or mountain biking, or just like to cruise around your neighborhood, the most vital considerations when choosing bike shorts are its breathability and flexibility. Shorts manufactured out of a fabric that won't accommodate your pedal stroke can easily cause discomfort, may tear your shorts, and just don't make riding a pleasurable experience.
Your shorts should also be fast-drying and breathable since moist fabric rubbing against your skin can cause chafing or even tinea cruris, otherwise known as jock itch. It's smart to pay attention to the seams, too. Riding in shorts with bulky seams can feel like sitting on a pencil, so if you're riding a lot, you either want flat seams or none at all.
If you're spending way more time in the saddle than you are out of it, you'll want to consider bike shorts with a pad in the crotch, which is called a chamois. Shorts with chamois are specifically designed to be worn without underwear, which eliminates a potential source of chafing and irritation. They're also more comfortable when riding bikes equipped with plastic racing saddles.
Even a reinforced crotch goes a long way toward your level of comfort because if you ride in casual clothing, this is generally the first place to fail.
Consider your riding styleThere are plenty of styles of bike shorts on the market but in order to find the right pair, you need to first think of the riding you plan on doing. To help, we've field-tested a group of stand-out shorts across a variety of categories. Those categories (and relative riding styles) are:
- Active lifestyle: A typical day might involve riding five miles to the park, hiking with friends, then hopping back on the bike and heading out for drinks before riding home. You want comfort both on and off the bike, and you want to look good no matter what.
- Urban cycling: You live in a city and ride everywhere. You're on and off your bike all day and want something durable that can hold up to that pace.
- Trail riding: You're riding your bike primarily for fitness or recreation, and you're spending most of your time on multi-use paths or dirt trails as opposed to an urban environment. You need extra padding in the crotch but you also want pockets and a little modesty for when you stop for coffee or to admire the view.
- Road riding: Not only do you ride for fitness but you're chasing speed and going for distance. Off-the-bike looks aren't a consideration for you and you don't need any pockets, either, because you carry your keys and phone in a cycling jersey or handlebar bag.
- Speed and endurance cycling: You ride a road bike or a gravel bike and like to go on long, speed-filled rides. You need a no-compromise, all-riding, all-the-time wardrobe. The bike is the only thing that matters.
With those in mind, we've found the best bike shorts to fit any lifestyle or ride preference.
Here are the best bike shorts for men:- Best bike shorts for active lifestyle: Duer No Sweat Short
- Best bike shorts for urban cycling: Chrome Folsom
- Best bike shorts for trail riding: REI Co-Op Link Double Bike Shorts
- Best bike shorts for fitness and road riding: Pearl Izumi Attack Short
The best for an active lifestyle
Finding a pair of shorts that work just as well on the bike as they do off it can be tough. If your shorts are too loose they'll snag on your bike's components but if they're too tight they'll feel confining. Cycling also puts extra strain on a pair of shorts — especially around the crotch, which is always the first place to go. Yet, if the seams are too bulky or the fabric too stiff, you'll feel like you're riding in sackcloth.
The Men's No Sweat Short from Duer strike the perfect balance in a garment you can wear all day long. The fit is snug yet the breathable, antibacterial fabric offers plenty of stretch. The seams are also extra-tough and there's a gusset in the crotch to reduce stress.
They look great off the bike, too, and have plenty of accessible pockets so you can carry your personal effects without having to rethink everything.
Pros: Tough yet comfortable, machine washable, look great both on and off the bike, will stand up to the rigors of cycling
Cons: More all-around than bike-specific
The best for urban cycling
If you're a city dweller who's hopping on and off the bike all day and night through a variety of weather, you want a pair of shorts that are as comfortable as they are durable. You'll also want some practical, time-saving, bike-specific features, which is exactly what the Men's Folsom shorts from Chrome offer.
In addition to stretchy, water-resistant fabric, these shorts feature a holster for a U-lock, as well as reflective details for enhanced visibility at night. Smart styling means they also work as casual wear but these are decidedly shorts for people who spend much more time on the bike than they do off of it.
Pros: Tough, comfortable, incorporate bike-specific features
Cons: Hardcore image may not appeal to casual cyclists
The best for trail riding
There's riding a bike to get places, then there's riding a bike just to ride. If you're biking purely for fitness and you're not planning to get off the bike until it's time to hit the showers, consider cycling shorts with a built-in padded crotch in lieu of underwear. This pad, called a chamois, is the perfect complement to the lightweight, minimalist plastic saddles often found on sporting bicycles. Not only does a chamois provide additional cushioning, but it also eliminates the chafing and irritation that regular underwear sometimes causes.
The REI Co-Op Men's Link Double Bike Shorts are an economical choice to fit this category, featuring gussets, zippered pockets, and adjustable waists. They also feature removable liners, which means you can still use them as normal shorts.
Don't let the mountain bike designation of these shorts throw you, either — they're a great choice for both trail riding and casual fitness cycling. Not only does the outer layer make them more durable than a single layer of Lycra, but the outer layer means you don't have to rely on a cycling-specific jersey with pockets in order to carry your phone or your keys, nor do you have to commit to wearing skin-tight bike shorts in public.
Pros: A padded inner layer for comfort and a pocketed outer layer for modesty
Cons: More complicated than a traditional Lycra cycling short
The best for fitness and road riding
If you primarily bike for fitness and your one and only sartorial consideration is comfort, you want a pair of traditional, minimalist form-fitting cycling shorts. These shorts allow you the full range of motion while integrating a chamois for comfort. There's no excess material to rub against your skin, snag on the nose of your saddle, or to flap around in the breeze. They dry almost immediately and they're the closest you'll ever get on the bike to wearing nothing at all.
My go-to is Pearl Izumi's Attack Shorts. The brand's made high-quality cycling attire for decades and these shorts deliver. Elastic keeps the legs in place, its seams are minimal, and the chamois is designed to promote airflow while keeping you cool and moisture-free. As a bonus, the shorts have reflective details for safety in low-light conditions, and the fabric is made from recycled materials.
Pros: Good value in a high-quality traditional cycling short
Cons: Waistband does not offer the fit and support of a full bib short
The best for endurance riding
Bib shorts (as opposed to regular cycling shorts often referred to as half shorts), don't have a waistband. Instead, they have integrated suspenders, like old-timey swimming costumes or wrestling leotards.
If you're ready to go bib, Assos, one of the most coveted brands in cycling attire, offers a great blend of performance and value in their Men's Equipe RS Bib Shorts S9. These deliver compression fabric designed to ease blood flow and reduce fatigue, as well as a low-profile chamois that won't feel big, bulky, and diaper-like, making them an excellent choice for putting in big miles all season long.
The advantage of bib shorts is that they fit better and offer more comfort on long, difficult rides. By eliminating the waistband, bib shorts not only help avoid a potential point of irritation but they also ensure your shorts won't ride down and that your chamois stays in place at all times. Of course, the disadvantage is that you need to get undressed in order to use the bathroom. This isn't a big deal to serious road cyclists who also wear special shoes or monitor their body functions, because bib shorts are undeniably better for that style of riding.
Pros: Helps reduce chances of chafing, compression fabric promotes blood flow, low-profile chamois
Cons: Not the easiest to casually wear, will need to take completely off to use the bathroom
READ MORE ARTICLES ON
Popular Right Now
Advertisement