Firstly, let me confess to not being a Pelotonian (did I make up that word?)Got a bike last summer to get moving and healthier, rode it twice and put it away for the winter. Swore this summer I would put that bicycle to use and challenge myself.I'll share details about my experience with the pants first and then you can read my adventure that led to these pants at the end if you're interested.If you've never worn padded biker shorts before (the case for me) You might notice it feels like they're not all the way up into position against the undercarriage. And it might feel like things are sagging down, but when you view yourself in the mirror from behind, things are in the right place if you have the right size. I am 5'3, 180 lb and got XL since I've got some booty and thighs, and figured they would be pretty tight given what they are. One side tends to feel more out of place than the other side underneath for me, but we are not a symmetric species so I talked it up to that. And wouldn't say I got used to it, but it all seemed to work out.Washed them right away as I do most clothing I purchase. Think I washed them in like lukewarm, hung them to dry. Worked well. After my event, washed in warm to hot, and still were okay. Unsure how many times I could get away with that with the rubbery padding. So perhaps warm is enough. Might need to read other reviews for details on that.Thankfully the thighs came down low enough, landing 3 to 4 inches above my middle knee. I would say for someone taller, this is may indeed be short, but again I take up some space with thighs and booty. And while they were a bit snug where they landed, it was not uncomfortable or cutting.The silicone lining at the leg 100% prevented roll up. They were high enough at the waist to prevent roll down even with some belly (I'm trying to change a dessert habit). But I wear a moisture wicking cami untucked under my main top, so it's possible this helped keep the waist up.I am a general fan of Baleaf. Although the thermal tops have changed a bit and sadly not as robust, are thinner and some other things, but that's a story for another day. The Baleaf logo on the thigh is stamped, but is a nice touch and looks of quality overall. Think it is meant to be a bit reflective, but it's small and not likely to catch the eye at night.Why the five stars? Well, all of the things above as well as two more things. 1) I didn't think in a million years this little, angled hip pocket was going to hold my giant phone with its protective case. I ride (listen to me sounding like a cyclist) with a small crossbody. But when I finally made it to the event, I did have music playing in my pods because frankly I wasn't sure that without distraction I would make it through lol! But ended up shoving the phone into that stretchy little pocket for accessibility versus the crossbody on my back, and it totally fit! And seemed secure. Did not fall out once because the pocket was deep enough.2) I had bailed on conditioning for a 9 mi bike fundraiser which may seem short to some, but was the longest I would have ever ridden considering I had been on my bike twice, and had only ridden around my neighborhood about one to three miles.Even though I signed up 2 mo in advance intending to condition for it, 3 weeks loomed before the event and I finally decided to start riding through the neighborhood again, but my undercarriage was so tender for a week after one ride! I bailed from conditioning... again.That may be TMI but I figure we get these pants for a reason. That soreness talked me out of getting on the bike until a week prior to the event. Soreness? Laziness? Let's call the whole thing off!A little over a week out from the event, I ordered these pants hoping they would be a game changer. And they were! Essentially I did a bike cram session at a local bike trail, but now with a little cushioning. I overdid it of course, clocked 12 mi by accident. Story for another time. But was somehow in less discomfort than when I would just ride 1 to 3 mi!As far as breathability, I wear under cotton underclothes beneath these. I don't know what others do. But let's just say I'd be surprised if anything's really "breathing" where the padding lives. But since I shower right afterwards anyway it's been a non-issue.There may be a higher-end brand for more serious riders. And again, I have no basis for comparison so these could be as amazing as it gets, or as terrible as it gets. But what I know is when I finally made it to my 9 mi event, at a group pace much faster than expected, where I popped the chain off of my gears and was in one speed the whole time grunting it out, I was at a level of maybe 1-2 out of 10 discomfort at the end where I used to be 15!So for someone, these will resolve any discomfort. And I believe with time it will continue to improve for me. I did read somewhere that undercarriage discomfort is not something you are supposed to just wait to fade away. You may need a better ...
