Bicycling shorts. 

Historically, cycling shorts were made of knit wool - black (to hide oil / grease stains) - with a chamois leather patch in the crotch aimed at reduction of saddle-chafing. today, shorts are often made of spandex  with a synthetic lining, produced in a variety of shapes and styles to suit the needs of different riders. The shapes used for the pad on women's cycling shorts tend to different from those used for men's.

In addition, the hem of each leg is usually lined with a "ring" of material that clings to the skin and may have Velcro attachment strips for leg-warmers.

Bicycling shorts don't like underwear. Its intended to 'wick' moisture away from the crotch area, and works much better when worn without underwear.

When you do wear underwear with your bicycling shorts you end up sitting on the underwear’s seams that can cause numbness, chafing and pain, the very things the short is trying to eliminate. In addition, the extra clothing prevents the short’s cooling features from working, which means you're sweatier and more susceptible to chafing.

Choose shorts based on the quality of materials and construction, and how well they conform to your unique anatomy. In truth,  - sometimes - a relatively inexpensive pair may work better for you than a high-end model.

Shorts, like saddles, are tough to recommend because of differences in butts, crotches, seats and riding positions. Every rider has to try on shorts, buy the model/size that fits snugly but comfortably, then hope for the best on the bike. It's hit or miss, and some luck is involved. Just as with saddles, there is no universal answer.

That said, here are guidelines that'll point you toward better choices.

Price. Generally, the more expensive the shorts, the higher the quality. Avoid cheap shorts because they probably won't give you the best anatomical fit. The padded liner may not be large enough, soft enough or sewn with irritating seams. Cheap shorts aren't as durable, either, and in the long run they really aren't a bargain.

Panels. The more, the merrier. 8-panel shorts conform to your body better than those made from fewer pieces, and better quality pants use flat-seam stitching.

Liner. Crotch liners are synthetic nowadays (unlike "chamois" leather used previously). A large, smooth, absorbent, one-piece liner probably has the best characteristics. Beware of thick padding that can bunch and chafe. Gel inserts are also problematic, as they are in plastic compartments blocking moisture transfer, causing excessive dampness and skin irritation.

Leg length. It goes up and down. Long, "Belgian" shorts will be in style for a while, but then the pendulum swings the other way.  Sensibly speaking, they shouldn't be so short that the nose of the saddle can rub on bare skin.

Waist length. Proper shorts are cut high in back to keep skin covered in the bent-over riding position. Likewise, they are low in front so you can bend forward without restriction. The front shouldn't be so low, though, that it's below your hip bones with nothing to help hold it up.

Waist band. The elastic should be wide enough that it doesn't feel like a cord around your middle. Some manufacturers add a drawstring, but  just elastic is fine. Just a drawstring is not.

Leg grippers. Nothing is more frustrating than shorts that ride up and let material bunch in the crotch. Check the leg grippers to be sure they're wide, made of "sticky" rubber-like material and securely sewn in. The legs should feel comfortably snug, not tight.

Stretch. Most shorts are made of spandex or lycra, but you may come across shorts with fabric that purposely resists stretching. The idea is to provide help to your pedal stroke. The fabric "stores" kinetic energy on the rear part of the stroke and releases it when you push down. This concept is also used in competition suits for weight lifters, but remains inconsequential.

Bibs. Shorts with built-in shoulder straps can't sag, and they keep the wicking pad snug against the crotch to limit movement and irritation.  However, the high front makes it more difficult to urinate. Serious riders tend to prefer bibbed shorts over non-bibbed shorts, due to the discomfort that often occurs with an elastic waistband. The bib part of the short is made of spandex and polyester with large sections of netting to help cool down the rider.

Bibs stem from suspenders used to hold up old-fashioned woolen shorts. Bib shorts are more suited to tall riders or riders with protruding stomachs, because regular shorts can tend to sag in the back while riding.

Size & overall fit. It's best to try on shorts before buying them, as sizing always varies. Whilst you don't want any uncomfortable restriction, the shorts must stay in place. Bicycling shorts do look a bit baggy in the butt, but  moulds to your body when assuming the cycling position.

Baggy  shorts

For modest cyclists everywhere the inherent concern of “painted on shorts” has led to a new type of bicycling short called the "baggy". It looks like a hiking short, with most of the benefits of a body hugging cycling short.

Pads. Baggies also include liners / pads (originally called a "chamois") sewn into the short. It adds softness and wicks moisture, aspects that guards against chafing. However, ALWAYS get a short that fits your anatomy!

Gusset. Most baggies have an internal nylon gusset that protects against seams snagging, and it adds to your ease of movement.

Adjustability. Some shorts allow 'closing' the 'legs' in order to prevent the short from flailing / catching onto anything. Similar to leg grippers, and sensible stuff!

Pockets. Pockets are handy for carrying stuff while riding, but need velcro / zipper / buttons to 'secure' closure.

Fly. A  fly does add convenience...

Bicycling Shoes

Cycling shoes come in a variety of designs, and is sed depending on the type and intensity of the bicycling intended. The shoes include hollowed or perforated sections for clipless pedal systems, thereby attaching the rider to the pedal.

The stiff soles of bicycling shoes are designed to distribute the pressure from the pedals over the entire surface if the bottom of your foot, thus reducing the incidence of foot problems. Even so, pressure from the hard moulded synthetic soles of some modern bicycling shoes on the small digital nerves in the feet may result in numbness of the toes and pain in the feet. This tends to happen on long rides on flat terrain, and especially if your shoes are too tight. Your feet may swell on long rides and aggravate the problem.

Some brands run wider than others. Some sole shapes may fit your feet better than others. Some brands run big and some run small. No matter how much you like the look of a shoe; a lousy fit will ruin your outing. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and do not pull laces / velcro too tight. It may also be necessary to use an insole to spread the pressure over a wider area.

Most modern bicycle racing shoes can be adjusted while in use and use either velcro straps or even more complex straps in place of laces. Road shoes normally have a protruding cleat that makes them unsuitable for walking. Larger road-specific cleats are attached by three bolts, though two-bolt attachment of mountain-style cleats is also supported on some shoes.

Road bicycling shoes have a  smooth, rigid and inflexible sole, bent slightly at the ball of the foot to allow power to be transferred and focused in the toe. The quality of the shoe depends upon the rigidity of the sole, its material of construction, breathability and  weight.

Shoes for mountain biking have recessed cleats with studs along the sole, to allow  riders to negotiate difficult terrain off their bikes. Mountain-style cleats are smaller than road-specific cleats and are attached to the shoe with two bolts.

Touring shoes offer some limited flexibility and traction on the sole. They are developed more for the casual, non-competitive cyclist in mind so that the rider can both walk and cycle effectively.

Spinning shoes are a recent development. With the popularity of organized spinning, these shoes are a hybrid of road and touring shoes, with a firm sole and limited traction. The material of the spinning shoe is lighter and thinner, to maximize comfort, coolness and breathability for the often hot and under-ventilated conditions found in some spinning classes.

Float and flex. "Float" is defined as the degree of movement offered within the pedal before release begins. This can assist in the prevention of damage to knees, as most peoples' pedal stroke does not occur along a single axis. Many road pedal systems include a degree of float in affixing the cleat, varying from 0 to 6 degrees, but cleats (in any event) develop float as they wear out.

There are pedal systems which allows for adjustable foat to enable restriction to any outward movement. This prevents the heel of the foot from swinging inward towards the bike, but still offers 3 to 6 degrees of outward float. Most road pedal systems also have tension release adjustment screws, which can be used to tailor the amount of effort needed to release the cleat.

Some mountain bike shoes have a slight amount of flex engineered into the toe area forward of the cleat mount, as it assists in walking and climbing obstacles. But generally speaking, the less flex the better.

Sole material and quality. Soles for bicycling shoes can be divided into three categories. Inexpensive shoes mostly use an injection-molded plastic sole, which is economical but heavier and prone to flexing. Mid-range shoes may use a combination of plastic and carbon fibre, plastic and fibreglass, or an all carbon fibre sole. All manufacturers' high-end competition level shoes manufactured use carbon fibre soles, as the material and amount of tread used in a shoe can dramatically affect its weight. For example, an expensive pair of road shoes with carbon fibre soles can weigh 650 grams, while a budget-priced pair of mountain bike shoes might weigh 850 to 900 grams.

Have a look and see what shoe matches your riding, but when shoe -shopping, NEVER underestimate the importance of trying them on!

Riding style &  Shoe required 

You're a casual cyclist:
   Tekkies will do just fine. 

You love touring:
   Touring footgear should be fairly flexible with rubber soles and recessed cleats (for walking).

You love racing and hang out a bit off-road:
   You'll appreciate a lightweight shoe with a lugged sole and recessed cleat, around a not too stiff sole.

You've been MTBiking, but plan to get a road-specific bike:
   Stay with your MTB shoes. Switch pedals on your road bike to something similar to your MTB.

You ride social MTB & group rides:
   Go for a more comfortable, mid range MTB shoe.

You enjoy hammering the tar:
   Go for a lightweight, high-end road shoe with a super-stiff sole.

Cycling apparel 

Once you've rounded up the cycling essentials, consider these additional accessories that can help make your cycling even more enjoyable:

Gloves are very important safety equipment as they protect your (outstretched) palms during a fall. They also feature patches of towelling, that acts as a hankerchief whenever you need to wipe your face.

Helmets are made from Styrofoam with a thin PET or PBS shell - not very good at blocking out UV rays – that has to be specifically coated to prevent UV A & B penetration. The shell contributes to impact absorption in holding the Styrofoam in place for the maximum time during an impact. A helmet is not only exposed to UV but also temperature fluctuation that change the structure of the Styrofoam over time. 3yrs is the recommended lifespan of a helmet in a Southern African climate. A 3-year upgrade window  - in the light of advances in technology – will also mean that a new helmet could be safer, lighter and perhaps even more comfortable. Use your head – you’ll only be issued one for your entire life…

Socks. Designed to provide low-friction comfort, to wick moisture  and to ensure our smelly feet from breathing whilst on your steed.

Reflective vest.  It’s essential safety equipment. A bicycle is silent, has no indicator lights, hooter or mentionable road presence. Help motorists to see you – under any condition - by riding with a reflective vest be it early morning, midday or late afternoon.

Saddles. Regardless of riding style, a saddle needs to fit YOUR body. The factor to figure out is the width of  ‘dem bones’ (the sit bones: the bony protrusions that bear seated weight), as it determines the width of the saddle.

A saddle that’s too wide will put pressure on the sensitive area between ‘dem bones’; too broad gets in the way of pedalling. Cut out saddles are sensible and effective. Gel saddles tend to be spongy & generally regarded as not too good an idea. There are numerous women specific models available, and it makes sense to try them all out.

The best saddle? When you do find one that fits YOU, buy 2!

Saddlebag. They are incredibly handy to carry tubes, tools and tuck neatly away under the saddle. Don't go too small! Detachable ones can - over time - loosen offroad, but allow unprecedented ease of access.

Eyewear. Protect your eyes with proper sunglasses. It's not just the glare you should be concerned about, as debris from passing vehicles is hazardous as well. Quality (cycling) shades provide increased safety and slightly higher brow coverage (for when you're bent over), and UV protection means less eye-strain at the end of a long day in the saddle.

Cyclingcomputer. One of the joys of cycling is being able to tell how far, how fast and how long you've ridden. Some computers have extra functions such as heart rate, cadence (how fast you're pedalling), altitude, and temperature gauge facilities, all adding up to measuring your ride. Speak to your LBS what they have on offer, and shop around for the best price. Department stores offer very usefull entry level devices.

Hydration system. Water bottles and cages are adequate for carrying drinks, but a backpack hydration system is a great alternative. Insulation keeps your beverage cooler longer and the drinking tube makes sipping more convenient. The capacity on larger systems is almost twice as much as you can carry in two large water bottles, and the pack provides pockets to stash food, a camera, tools, keys and stuff.  A hydration pack’s mouthpiece is also not subject to the same amount of dirt, mud and poo that might splatter onto the water bottle’s spout…(Man, you're going to wish you'd rather missed that hump...)

Flashing rear-light.  It’s essential safety equipment. A bicycle is silent, has no indicator lights, hooter or mentionable road presence. Help motorists to see you under any condition.

Bike lights. If you plan to do a significant amount of off road riding in the dark this is a bare, basic essential. Check out department stores’ camping sections for LED headlight alternatives!

Bar-ends. They offer more variety of hand-positions, and greater comfort on long rides.

DID YOU KNOW?

World Championship events take place annually and are organised around nations, rather than professional teams. A discipline's winner is regarded as the world's Cycling Champion, for which i) they receive a gold medal and ii) earn the right to wear the "Rainbow Jersey" during their reign.  The jersey is predominantly white, with five horizontal bands (in the UCI's colours) around the chest. From the bottom up the colours are: green, yellow, black, red and blue (it's the same colours of the rings on the olympic flag).  After the rider's reign, they are eligible to wear kit with collar and cuff - piping in the same "rainbow" pattern for the remainder of their career. (Such piping may only be worn in the same discipline in which the title was won.) The kit will often sport the rider's national colours as well. 

The "Curse of the Rainbow Jersey" refers to a superstition within cycling that World Champions often have bad luck follow their achievement...