UKC

Anyone know of sources of cycling shorts without grip strips on the thigh hems?

My current pair are getting a little saggy, and it's proving very hard to find them without grip strips, which, having hairy legs, I can't stand. And no, I'm not going to start shaving.

I saw a pair of Endura W's shorts that didn't have them, but the men's pairs did...

I went into a shop at the weekend and was told that they didn't exist (despite the evidence of my previous pairs), and that the Ron Hills I'm currently wearing must be simple lycra shorts (when clearly I know they aren't). Great customer service; keep telling the customer he's mistaken. I don't think I'll be going back to that shop...

In reply to captain paranoia: Just wear normal jogging lycra shorts. I've never understood/got on with the whole padded crotch thing.

In reply to jules699:


I have; I find it's quite a lot more comfortable.

In reply to captain paranoia: not sure if these are but you could ask them - there is no mention of silicone grippers on the legs
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/asics-sprinter/#more

otherwise baggy mtb shorts?

In reply to captain paranoia: I dont like the feeling of having like what feels a huge sanitary pad between my legs.

In reply to jules699:

Friend of mine calls them "nappy pants"

OP: can't think of any "proper" shorts that don't have leg grips. However, you might have some luck with the padded "undershorts", although you'll probably need to wear something else over the top for decency.

In reply to jules699:


I have other things between my legs...

I've been wearing padded cycling shorts for about 25 years (they're starting to get a bit smelly now; maybe I should take them off and wash them...). I know what it is I've been using all those years, and what I want to continue using. It's just finding them today that I'm having trouble with.

Likewise, baggy MTB shorts aren't what I'm looking for.

In reply to sleavesley:

Cheers, I'll check out Wiggle.

I call them 'nappy pants', too...

In reply to captain paranoia: How about getting some lycra cycling tights and then getting them shortened? A professional clothes alteration place should have a machine that can deal with Lycra stretch.

In reply to Bob kate bob:


Hmmm... I'm sure I could turn up the hem. Not a bad idea.

Of course, I could always just rip the gunk off, as it's often screen-printed or nozzle-applied silicone. Or rubber-strip tape...

Hmmm indeed for the DIY option...

In reply to captain paranoia:

Yes search for touring shorts. They are the road equiv and mtb baggies

In reply to captain paranoia:

Or you could just cycle more. I have hairy legs and when I cycled twice a day every day I had two hairless rings around my legs where the grippers pulled the hairs out as I moved. My girlfriend used to call them my inverse stocking tops...

In reply to jules699: try riding 8 hours a day for a week and then you might appricate the pad.

In reply to captain paranoia: I have a pair of Castelli's with no the grip strips. You don't want to know how much they cost though...

The whole point of the gripper is to hold the shorts snugly in place so the pad stays in place, especially when you're in and out of the saddle. I can't understand your objection to the gripper. If you dislike the sticky grippy feeling just sprinkle some talc on the gripper, which will stop it gripping.

In reply to Nick Harvey:

Is that what the call the giro++ strip? Does it actually work?

If so then it's on the cheaper Garmin shorts as well:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Castelli-bib-shorts-Castel...

In reply to TimB: I have the Body Paint shorts that have "Giro3 Leg Grippers: instead of stitching silicone elastic to the short, Castelli knit the grip material directly into the short in a 5cm-wide band that gently compresses while securely holding the short in place. It lies completely flat for improved aerodynamics." I think this is the same as the one you link. And yes, they work (and are also the best shorts I have owned).

In reply to captain paranoia: Not sure if this is what you want to hear but Assos shorts have the grip strips on the outside of the lycra, with just little rubber dots at about 1cm spaces on the inside. This means if you do have hairy legs, check, then they don't catch on the hair.

In reply to Rigid Raider:


I've never had a problem with the pad moving about in the last 25 years...


I guess you're not me... I ride every day, so talc would be a faff.

In reply to captain paranoia:

My latest pair are Pearl Izumi and just have little dots of stickiness - about one every 1.5 cm