PEARL IZUMI Men's Escape Quest Shorts

I'm not an avid cyclist, but early in 2014 I decided to do a charity bike ride. My original plan was to ride 50 miles, but as I trained, I ultimately decided to up it to the 100 mile ride.Having never ridden much more than "around the neighborhood" before, I didn't see much point in getting biking shorts. But as my training rides got longer, I found that wearing regular athletic shorts was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I found there was a big difference in riding my mountain bike around the neighborhood with the kids in the trailer than there is spending hours hunkered down in a road bike.I was wasting a lot of time tugging regular shorts down as they started to ride up and bunch in the crotch (which happens more and more as the sweat gets in them and they get more clingy). By the time I was regularly riding 40+ miles, I decided to give in and give a pair of biking shorts a chance. But I really didn't want to drop $80 or more on something untested.You *might* be thinking that you need to buy these for the padding. I don't really think that's true for most people. Don't get me wrong, padding is nice, especially when you first start riding, but you can get your sit bones used to sitting on a saddle. For me, the biggest difference was the reduction in friction that comes with moving up to dedicated shorts. From a guy's perspective, cycling shorts keep things where they don't rub up against other things. And I'm not just talking about your delicate unmentionables, it also helps reduce thigh-on-thigh friction, but-on-seat friction, and the inevitable clothing-bunching-up-in-uncomfortable places friction.The elastic dots inside the hem keeps the legs from riding up. The sleek material makes everything move smoother, and the fabric itself does a nice job wicking away moisture.I've never worn a pair of $100+ cycling shorts, so I can't say whether they're worth 2x-3x the cost of these. What I can say is that I rode numerous 70+ mile practice rides and the 100 mile main charity ride in these. They were super comfortable, and totally worth the investment. I would honestly be hard pressed to imagine that doubling or tripling the cost would double or triple the value (although, maybe these will wear out faster than the more expensive ones, I guess I'll find out next year).For reference, I'm 5'8", 170lbs, with a 33" waist. I got these in Medium and they fit perfectly. My wife wore the women's version of these and loved them. These were easily the best investment I made in getting read to ride my first century ride.

I am not an avid biker but I do enjoy a good 25-50 mile bike ride. I am 6 feet tall with a waist size of about 31 inches. As far as the waist goes, these fit great. I would say that my thigh muscles are just above average as far as diameter goes. These are a little tight around the thigh but not tight enough where I can not wear and bike in it. I have worn them a handful of times and the tightness after a bike ride has not bothered me.Pros:One of the features on these bike shorts that I really like is the silicon lining on the end on the thigh which prevents the bike shorts from riding up your leg. I do not know if all bike shorts have this but I would image the cheap brands probably do not have this.The seat pad is probably the main reason you would consider buying bike shorts. I think the seat pad built into these shorts are great. It is thick enough to provide enough comfort for long rides but it also does not look ridiculous when you are walking around. If you have never worn bike shorts before, the pad will feel a little awkward, but it sure beats having your underside be sore for a couple days.Overall: Comfortable bike shorts that do their job of cushioning your behind. Lots of avid bike riders swear by Pearl iZUMi which is why I decided to go with this brand. It have been over a year since I have had these shorts and they are still in great condition. I would recommend these to other bikers.

This is my first pair of cycling shorts, so I can't compare them to other products. But after reading the reviews on these, I decided to purchase them. I have a 33 waist and therefore bought medium. At first, I thought they might be a tad small, but medium is perfect. These hug the body and there is no draw-string, so you don't want something too loose.Taking the advice of others here, I wore them as is, without underwear. That was the right choice and I don't even think an under-liner will be necessary. The fabric 'held' what it needed to in place, without tightness, rubbing, or discomfort. They were also fairly comfortable to walk around in after the ride, and unlike other cycling shorts I have seen, they don't look bulky and odd.Even though these shorts hug the body, I didn't experience any rash or chafing after wearing them for a 10 mile (leisurely) ride in 82 degree heat. For what they are, they 'breathe' reasonably well. My rear didn't feel padded during the time I wore the shorts, and at the end of the ride, there was no soreness. Thus, the padding does what it is supposed to.As others have noted here, it would be nice to have a key pocket, so make sure you have a fanny pack or something to carry your key in.Anyhow, I like the product and recommend it. Do note that they are made in China, if that is an issue for you.June 1 update: I have now worn these on multiple rides, upwards of 10 - 12 miles each time. Again, I have no basis of comparison, but these are consistently comfortable, with no chaffing or discomfort. I stand by my initial review and recommend these. In fact, I'll have them on for tomorrow's ride .... if these spring Albuquerque winds ever settle down.

I ordered these to use on my mountain bike and they are awesome, very comfortable just right on the leggs good padding making seat comfortable and plenty of room around my 36 inch waste as I don't like nothing tight on my waste due to stomache problems, They kept me warm and free from sweat which was a concern, they washed up really well quick drying, The pre-shaped and breathable 13mm thick Tour 3D Chamois© optimizes riding comfort and athletic performance is well designed and made and I'm 100% happy with my purchase a very very good buy for the price and would highly recommend them as I can see them lasting a long time.Please click on the “Yes” button below if this review has been helpful thank you.

I love these shorts. They are slightly shiny, fit very well (I'm 5' 10" and 34" waist). I love Pearl Izumi stuff and these are great value!

Excellent shorts have tried loads of them over the years spent hundreds on supposed good quality shorts which would not provide the necessary comfort required on my 60 -90 mile touring rides these do would recommend highly I am 32-34 waist Large size fit nicely very comfortable very little to no chaffing.

Comfy and gives the rider a nice angular look. Happy with purchase and would buy another if need be.

Long lasting, I bought these as a replacement for the original which I wore for several thousand miles of riding both on and off road.