Bike Shorts I Like (So Far...) - Performance Women's Elite Shorts

The multiple panels mean the shorts stay put while you ride

Purchase here!

Pros:

• Comfortable chamois, especially for the price (~$50)
• No uncomfortable and/or annoying movement during rides. This can be attributed to the stretchy material, multiple panels, and comfortable leg grippers.
• Wider, "yoga" style waist means no muffin top.

No muffin here :)

Cons:

• Sizing runs small to what is shown on the sizing chart. My hips are about 36 inches in circumference so I got a size small. The sizing chart said the small would fit 37-38 inch hips. The shorts fit me, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't had my hips been any bigger.
• Limited color options: Your choices are pretty much black, slightly less shiny black, and black with a small silver accent.

My Thoughts:

So I have a confession to make: I am a sucker for anything that Bicycling magazine puts its stamp of approval on. So when I saw their article "The Best $100 Kit We've Ever Tried" pop up on my Facebook feed, I immediately clicked on the link and read the review. When I saw that the kit was made by Performance Bicycle, I checked my Team Performance points and was happy to see I had enough points to cover the purchase of the shorts. I didn't go for the matching jersey, as it was a little too plain for my style. 

By the way, Performance Bicycle's loyalty program, Team Performance, is totally worth the annual membership fee, especially if you use it to buy a bike and/or make purchases during their double and triple point promotions. We may or may not have just purchased two bikes for the price of one after getting triple points on the first one... =P

Substantial chamois vs unsubstantial chamois (Pearl Izumi Symphony Shorts)

Anyways, my first impression of the shorts was that the chamois was quite substantial. It is quite large, especially in the front area. I was worried that this might lead to chafing issues, so I made sure to to apply extra Chamois Butt'r before suiting up and heading out for a ride. It turns out that my fears were completely unfounded. The larger front area actually helps to prevent friction issues in the upper inner thigh area.

The mesh vent area helps things stay cool and dry down there

All told, for $50 or so, these shorts are great! If they were $150, I probably wouldn't think so highly of them, as at that price point, my expectations are much higher. I've gotten two rides in them so far - a 16 mile ride and a 32 mile ride - and I have no complaints. They are comfortable and fit well. Plus, I have an assortment of colorful jerseys from charity rides, and black matches every single one of them. 

So far, Bicycling's recommendations have not let me down, and it seems that these shorts aren't an exception. Since I only have two rides in these shorts so far, I'll be updating this post periodically with more long-term observations. :)

Thanks for stopping by! This is not a sponsored post – I purchased the above item(s) with my own money and I am reviewing the product(s) because I like them a lot. :) There may be Amazon Affiliate links, but I am not compensated by or affiliated with the manufacturer of the product(s).