About Bike Shorts
You've probably seen them just about everywhere. Cyclists dominating the road, racing on closed-off streets, or just going for a ride. The more serious cyclists are wearing clothes specifically meant for the sport. The most common piece of clothing that relates to biking is the bike short. It comes in many colors and is manufactured by various companies that each claim to offer something different than the rest. Bike shorts make racing and riding bicycles easier in a few ways, and they also help protect the rider from heat and sweat.
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Identification
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Bike shorts are pretty easy to spot, as they differ from regular shorts in some important ways. First, they reach to a point a few inches above the rider's knees. They are skintight in order to be aerodynamic and to absorb sweat better. They are also generally brightly colored, or have a mix of colors in different patters. While some bike shorts are solid colored, most have patterns that relate to the manufacturer and its logo.
Function
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Bike shorts have a number of functions that make them unique garments. First, they function as an aide to bike racers because they lower the wind resistance of the rider. Since they are tight against the rider's thighs, they also help to prevent muscle fatigue. Chafing and rashes are also prevented because the tight fabric draws sweat away from the legs, spreads it out and increases its surface area so that it evaporates faster.
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Features
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While most bike shorts are made of spandex, some of the more traditional ones are actually made of wool, which is able to absorb grease stains as well as sweat. Elastic bands run around the bottom of the shorts, which pull them tight against the rider's thighs. On these bands there are strips of Velcro. This is here in order to attach leg warmers that can be purchased separately. These leg warmers are made of similar tight material and are perfect for riding in the winter.
Types
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There are two types of bike shorts--those made for men and those made for women. While they function the same and have the same components, they do differ enough so that they can be distinguished. The difference lies in the padded chamois that is added to each bike short. This protects the groin areas from damage that can be caused by the bike seat after long rides. Because women and men are different anatomically, the chamois for each bike short is patterned and padded differently.
Significance
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Bike shorts are such a significant piece of clothing for professional riders that there is not one that will go into a race or training ride without them. Bike racing is an intense sport that causes sweating and friction to occur on the thighs, and without a pair of bike shorts protecting that area, rashes and blisters are likely to occur. Without the padding that bike shorts make available, even more damage can occur.
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