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Best Bike Shorts, Tried & Tested By A New Mom!
Just as yoga pants have become a staple in most women’s wardrobes, bike shorts have made a name for themselves as a must-have item. The 90’s have come back in a big way, and bike shorts are among the lineup of trends, layered with oversized crewneck sweatshirts and tees. Although I am far from a trend-chaser, I do find that the little sister of the legging has a definite purpose and place in my closet.
Just like the aforementioned yoga pants, it can take much trial and error to find the brand and style that fits each body type “just right”. Finding the perfect leggings has been difficult for me as I am somewhat tall for a female, 5′ 8″, but bike shorts don’t come with that hurdle!
The specific things I look for in a pair of bicycle shorts are a little different. The material is still a variable, as well as the waistband, rise, length and leg opening. I set out on mission to find my “perfect” pair of bike shorts online to fit my new “mom bod”, and I’m sharing all of my findings with you.
I am giving you all the nitty-gritty, the good with the bad, and the unflattering with the flattering. I am sharing these photos with real life reviews with you so that you don’t waste your money while on the search for the best bike shorts for you!
NORMOV Seamless High Waist Workout Shorts – $12.95
These shorts are one of my favorites from the bunch. The material and style is unique compared to the typical bike shorts, and they are stretchy and flexible without falling or rolling down the minute you start moving. The ribbed waistband is close fitting without being tight, and the 4-way stretch material doesn’t cut into the thighs. These shorts come in 25 colors, and have a flattering dot pattern to accentuate all of the right areas.
The NORMOV Seamless High Waist Workout Shorts are comfortable enough to wear around the house, lounging or for sleeping, but also compressive enough to wear during a workout or chasing after your kids. You won’t have to constantly pull these up or adjust the legs. These were one of the first pairs that I decided to keep, and I am DEFINITELY going to be buying more colors! (I purchased the Dot-Gray color in a size large).
Top – Similar Style here
BALEAF Women’s 8″/ 7″/ 5″ High Waist Biker Shorts – $24.99
The BALEAF shorts come highly reviewed and and are a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. I will say I did not keep this particular pair of bike shorts. My issue was not so much with the shorts themselves, but the pattern. I tried to step outside of my box here and get something other than my usual black bike shorts, but the pattern was not flattering in my opinion.
The material on these shorts was very nice, thick and comfortable. I love the pockets, and the high waisted cut is super flattering. The length is good, and these were pretty decent in terms of camouflaging any lumps and bumps compared to some others below, but in the end the pattern just didn’t work for me.
Sunglasses – WearMe Pro in style Nevada in Blue & Gold – Use this link for 20% off or use code CC20!
Top – Similar Journey Tee here
Colorfulkoala Women’s High Waisted Biker Shorts with Pockets – $16.99
I love a love/hate relationship with these shorts. I love the color, and I generally like the Colorfulkoala brand for their full length leggings, but these are not my favorite. I did end up keeping these sheerly for the army green color alone – that’s my vibe these days!
To be frank, the proof is in the literal pudding. I’m sorry but it’s true. These bike shorts were not particularly flattering on me. The fabric is thinner and has almost a slight sheen to them which shows off every bit of cellulite and postpartum mommy “pooch” that I am trying to work against. Don’t get me wrong, I am trying every day to embrace my body as it is right now, and love that my amazing body allowed me to become a mother. BUT… I would be lying if I said I love the photos of me in these shorts.
Are they comfortable? Yes. So they pinch a tiny bit in the thighs at the leg opening? Yes. Could that change as I slim down a bit? Probably. Do they have a cellphone pocket? Yes. At the end of the day, I kept them anyway. Would I wear these with a sports bra and go out on the town? No. Use your judgment with these. They come in 20 colors, maybe try one of the darker shades if you are self conscious about any lumps and bumps you may have going on.
Sunglasses – WearMe Pro in style Remy in Gold & Brown – Use this link for 20% off or use code CC20!
Top – Similar Cropped Hoodie here
All in Motion™ Ultra High-Rise Bike Shorts from Target – $20.00
Whenever I am in need of something, the first two places I check are Amazon and Target. Look, I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth! While on my search for awesome bike shorts, I scoped out Target’s app and found these high rise shorts in the Black Swirl pattern. I thought these were funky and different, so I gave them a try!
I really like the fabric, it was thick and supportive, they have pockets and they were comfortable. I definitely felt like I was looking nice and smoothed out by these, which makes them perfect for any Mom looking for the Best Bike Shorts! (Or any woman to be honest). At the end of the day, I did return these because I didn’t think the pattern itself was super flattering on me. I may look for another color or pattern to try out though because these were great!
Sunglasses – WearMe Pro in style Lola in Black & Gold – Use this link for 20% off or use code CC20!
Top – Old Navy Active Tie Tank here
MOMOPUNCH Women’s Solid and Printed 7″ Inseam Yoga Shorts – $16.99
Right off the bat I was attracted to the gorgeous sage/teal color of these shorts. The color is super unique and pretty, and totally different from the stack of black bike shorts I already own. With this sort of lighter color though comes some issues. The light tone seems to show EVERYTHING through the, also very thin, fabric. The fabric was soft and comfortable, but I felt really awful after wearing these.
Look, I am not naive here. I know I had a baby 16 months ago, and I have never really be “thin” but these just made me feel really yucky about myself. Just as the case was with the Colorfulkoala ones, I’m not sure if a darker color would be more flattering, but for me these weren’t worth the money.
Sunglasses – WearMe Pro in style Lola in Black & Gold – Use this link for 20% off or use code CC20!
Top – LOFT Black T-Shirt here
Fabletics On-The-Go Ultra High-Waisted 7″ Short – $44.95
As you can see, these shorts are already pretty well loved. I have been a HUGE fan of Fabletics leggings for years, and when my quest for the best pair of bike shorts began, I knew I had to see what this brand had to offer. Now, these are not quite as inexpensive as the other options, and you can’t get them from Amazon or your local Target, but they are worth it. The fabric is super thick and supportive in these shorts. The length is good, the waist is high enough and a wide enough band that it doesn’t roll, and they have pockets.
I also got these in the Trinity Mid-Rise Pocket Short 5″ style for something different and a bit shorter, and I love them also. Of course you can still see some sign of my mama pooch in these, but I feel much more comfortable and confident in them.
Sunglasses – WearMe Pro in style Drew in Beige Tortoise & Black – Use this link for 20% off or use code CC20!
Top – Similar Tie Dye Shirt here
HONORABLE MENTIONS
*This article contains affiliate links. Your purchases made using these links may results in a small commission which supports my business and family! Thank you in advance for your support!