5 keys to choose a culotte

It is perhaps the most important piece of cycling clothing. The culotte is the key garment for any cyclist. Today we tell you much more about them and we give you 5 keys so that you always keep them in mind when choosing one or another model of culotte.

5 keys to choosing a good shorts

The shorts are fundamental because they mean the use of a garment that, first of all, will be the area of ​​greatest contact with other components, such as the bicycle in the saddle; secondly, because the culotte is the support area for our weight in the part of its pad; and thirdly because it will mean constant rubbing on the inside of our legs. For all these reasons, choosing a good short is essential.

Think that with a pair of shorts you can more than spare cycling several times a week, so they better be quality. To do this, here are the four fundamental aspects that you need to know and assess to make a definitive decision on the shorts you should wear. Take note:

1. The pad is the key point in this whole equation. A good short is defined as such above all by the quality of its pad. In this sense, in order to know which pad is the best, assess the following aspects. First of all, the design, of course: that it is not a tremendous pad that hinders your pedaling, but neither is it too small that it leaves you unprotected in some areas. The pad supports the buttocks, especially in the part of the ischine bones, and for this reason it is necessary that it have good padding and good absorption. But thicker doesn't mean better padding in a short, don't be fooled: look for high material densities, elastic materials that take the necessary shape. Therefore, the material of the pad of a short and its design are the key: if the material is also antibacterial and anti-odour, and anti-allergenic, then even better, it will be a good purchase.
2. If the pad has convinced you, the second point to value the shorts is the material, the lycra. There aren't that many types of shorts, so you're going to have to decide between 4 or 5 models of shorts in a short. For this reason, value in it its quality, its elastic level and the resistance it offers, so that it grants you greater freedom. In this case, the extras are whether the lycra in question of that short is more or less breathable and if it also incorporates sun protection, which are rarer qualities but must also be valued. There are even ceramic shorts for added protection in falls.
3. The size of a short should be the first thing you look at but it is so obvious that we have relegated it to the background. Wearing a large short will make it bother you and not fit well; Wearing a small short will constrict your circulation and worsen your performance, causing you even bigger problems. It should fit your legs and core well, but not too tight, not make a deep indentation, just maybe some small indentation after hours of wear. The manufacturers will provide you with your ideal size based on the diameter of your thighs or the length of your legs. One piece of advice: when in doubt, choose the larger panty size, never the smaller one.
4. Sex. Do not panic. But in case you didn't know, there are culottes for men and culottes for women. Its design has notable differences, although the three main ones are the pattern that takes into account the greater female curvatures, the pad that conceives the different design of the hips of men and women and the design of the straps, which for women go crossed in the front part so that it does not bother them because of the female breasts and fits their body better. Of course you can ride with any short, but if you want a better fit and comfort, this factor also matters.
5. The season of shorts. A no-brainer, but there are winter shorts, summer shorts and mid-season shorts. For long tights, there is no doubt, but for shorts, a tight for regions or seasons of extreme heat is often confused with others for mid-season, whose thickness, lycra weave and sun protection are different.

Why it is important to choose a good shorts

Not only for comfort, for the protection of the sitting bones, but a good shorts will protect you from numbness especially in this zone. In addition, the prostate area, which also causes a lot of headaches and long-term discomfort, mainly for men, is much better protected with a good cycling short.

And by the way, one last point that we see necessary from the comments: with shorts it is not necessary to wear underwear. Many of you will already know this, but everything is heard, so what remains to be said: the designs of the culottes already consider their use without underwear, with equally comfortable and hygienic materials, and not wearing underwear will prevent greater chafing problems.