DeSoto Women's 400 Mile Bike Shorts

I have been looking for a pair of tri shorts that have enough padding to ride 112 miles. I swam and then rode 95 miles in these the other day and, while they won't be my new favorite long-distance short, they were much more comfortable for that distance than other tri shorts I have tried, and I plan to wear them for my race in a couple weeks. The pad did not absorb water on the swim. Definitely order one size larger unless you want them super-tight. And, the side panels seem to be see-through, but my riding partners tell me that they really don't look see-through.

But beware - these fit super tight. DeSoto says that proper compression gear should take up to a full minute to carefully inch on, and these do. I am 5"8 145lbs and originally bought the L (which should have worked, based on my measurements) but they were uncomfortable if I was even a little bloated, so I bought the XL. I love the pad on these - just enough padding, but not so much that you feel like you're wearing a diaper. I also like that the chamois extends a bit down your thigh so your sit bones are completely covered, reducing any chance of chaffing. These are the best tri OR bike shorts I've owned because they seem to get more comfortable as the ride goes on, and I've done multiple 100+ rides plus brick runs in them.