Padded Shorts – To Wear or Not to Wear

As an avid mountain bike rider, I get lot of questions from women interested in mountain biking. "Should I wear padded shorts while mountain biking?" is the most common question that I get often asked by a lot of women. Many women believe that padded shorts are a safety gear meant only for men since they have seen photos of only men wearing them. Personally, I believe that wearing padded shorts is very important while playing adventure sports especially while riding bikes.

As far as the comfort issue pertaining to wearing padded shorts is concerned, I believe there is no definite answer for that. While some people feel it is extremely comfortable to ride a bicycle after wearing padded shorts, some others feel that it adds to their discomfort. The choice varies from one person to another. Therefore, it will be best if I provide a feedback based on my personal experience.
When I cycle casually for a small distance, I do not wear padded shorts .The thing that is more important to me while riding a bike is the comfort. On a regular basis, I do not prefer strenuous cycling and feel more comfortable to ride in my regular clothing. Although I do not find padded shorts as a medium of discomfort, but I prefer using it when most required.

I usually wear padded shorts when I have to ride for a long distance or while mountain bike riding. While riding for long distance, I find them very beneficial as they provide just the right amount of compression and cushioning. If you have never ridden a bicycle for a long distance, you will probably not understand the sense of wearing padded shorts. The tight fabric and the cushioned padding make my leg muscles feel better when I pedal vigorously for long distance. The padding reduce the stress that cycle seat would have otherwise caused on by butt and hips.

I have owned several pairs of cycling shorts so far starting from synthetic shorts to the cotton one. I am really happy with the manner some of the latest design from Demon, Pro Tec and Triple Eight turned out to be. Not only they are lightweight and breathable, they are so thin that I can comfortably wear them underneath my trouser and hop on to my cycle without looking absurd.

With what all I have written till now, you must have understood that I prefer wearing padded shorts in almost all scenarios except for when I am going for a casual bike ride. If as a woman, you are concerned about the fitting of padded shorts, you will be glad to know that most protection line now manufacture padded shorts designed specifically for women. So, now there is no reason for not owning a pair of women padded shorts. Go grab it and enjoy your first mountain bike riding today!