Men & Women’s cycling shorts look very similar, there are very few differences which I am going to cover in this article.
As a cyclist, you should buy that one cycling shorts that fit comfortably to you. Because while riding the clothes you’ve worn should feel comfortable so that you can easily ride your distance.
And these simple-looking shorts are one of the high-tech cycling gear with features such as moisture-transferring fabric, anatomic fit, padding for top comfort, and preventing against bacteria. So, getting a perfect fit is an essential part of a cycling wardrobe.
Difference Between Men’s And Women’s Cycling Shorts?
The difference between men’s and women’s cycling shorts is in padding or chamois used in the crotch area. Cycling shorts are made anatomically shaped different and padding also for both genders. Along with these differences, there are more in cycling shorts:
Padding (Chamois) Difference
Paddings in cycling shorts are made for relief from saddle sores while cycling. These are places in different places in both shorts as both women and men have different structures so they require different padding and support.
Leg Length
Generally, men’s cycling shorts are going to be longer than women as men prefer a little longer pants, on the other hand, women prefer shorter pants.
Waist
Mostly, women have a longer waist than men and so is the difference in their shorts.
Construction
Cycling shorts are made of panels that allow the cloth to be contoured to fit properly while sitting on a bicycle. These panels allow the shorts to be more curvature. The more panels they have, the better and more comfortable they’ll fit. However, the style of these shorts is cut anatomically, like 6 or 8-panel shorts, so there will be some differences in men’s and women’s shorts.
The Difference In Standard Or Bib Shorts
Along with standard designs, cycling shorts are made in bib designs also. Bib shorts have breathable elastic straps that go over your shoulders. And these shorts are available for both men and women both. But these are more expensive than the standard ones.
Can Women Wear Men’s Cycling Shorts?
Men’s shorts tend to have a longer inseam and are tighter in the hip area. The chamois padding is designed to be narrower in the bum region with less padding in front. Wearing men’s shorts will be uncomfortable for women. And there’s a lot of variations between brands also.
Cycling shorts are designed according to body shapes. If a women wear men’s shorts, she has to make sure that there is no seam on the pad in the center. And make sure to try before you go for a long ride, as shorts should feel more comfortable while cycling otherwise you’ll end up with saddle sores.
If you feel like you’re a big girl and feel more comfortable in men’s cycling shorts, then it is okay but I would really suggest using both of them, in this case, to actually find the best fit or you can simply try the unisex versions of shorts which I am going to mention at the bottom.
Il Sogno (a female cyclist) said “I rode with men’s shorts for 5 years until they started to make woman-specific shorts and honestly, I didn’t found many differences in them both.”
Can Men Wear Women’s Shorts?
Men cannot wear women’s cycling shorts or other shorts that are made in women’s patterns because there is a difference in the sizes of both patterns. Women’s patterns are a bit smart than men’s whereas you can demand from your suppliers for unisex patterns that can be adjustable to both. And all the above difference of padding, it seems for you to have cycling shorts that are made for men only.
Bottom Line
Although there are no major differences between men’s and women’s cycling shorts buy it is still recommended to buy the one in whatever gender they fit in. Women shorts are going to feel more comfortable than men shorts for most women, I recommend testing both if you feel you’re a larger woman to find the best fit for you.
