Save that bummy...
Written: Jun 15 '07 (Updated Jun 15 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent padding with breathable material made for all weather conditions
Cons: padding is obvious and not very becoming
The Bottom Line: Buy it. The large padding is well worth the comfort you will feel on your bike
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| doglover's Full Review: Novara Mezzo Capri Women's Tights |
It is spring time in San Diego and great biking weather. There is nothing better than taking a bike ride on a bike that is comfortable on a nice spring day. I have a Trek 520 touring bike with a bike rack that I have had since 1999 and I love that bike. Here's a review of it:
http://www.epinions.com/otdr-review-77E1-11C632A0-39C78E99-prod3
Now, the comfortable part of the ride was at first not that easy to achieve. I started seriously riding my bike when I decided to participate in the MS 150 bike ride last October and knew that I had to cover 100 miles in 2 days. The ride goes from Irvine to Carlsbad and the the next day, after a nice party and sleep-over in Carlsbad, down to Mission Bay. It is a grueling ride with the second day having to bike up Torrey Pines but MS is a terrible disease and I wanted to help them in this little way.
Throughout the ride, there are multiple changes of weather, from the morning cold, riding through fog banks along the coast, and warm temperatures as you get riding through Camp Pendleton. I needed to be dressed in clothes that could withstand these extremes of temperature without having to change during the ride. Another factor that I had to consider was that, after sitting on my bike for an hour during my endurance conditioning, I was sooooo sore around the part of my body that was sitting on that streamlined, performance based bike seat! After weeks of trying different options and not wanting to change my bike seat to one of those big padded seats, I ran across the Women's Novara Mezzo Capri Tights at REI. I have since seen them on sale at REI.
They were not cheap, let me tell you. It was $70 for a pair of these tights. However, before I even tried them out, I was impressed with the light-weight material. It is made of Lycra, a material which I use for working out and helps absorb the sweat. I also like the fact that it is capri length so that I do not have to worry about getting sun-burned on a long bike ride. Then when you add to it that it has elastic grips around the legs to keep the capri from catching on the bike chains and riding up the leg I was sold.
Pants Features
* moisture wicking material that helps control your body temperature on warm days and is made of breathable material that is not stifling while riding after an extended period of time and is quick-drying
* the wicking material also provides support for muscles in the leg area around the upper thighs
* extra coverage for cool weather with a non-chafing 8-panel construction and a capri-length so covers more of the leg during a ride
* Shaped for women in the padding area and around the inner legs
* Elastic grip leg grips which keep the capris from not riding up your leg but are not too tight around the leg to cause pressure on the leg
Could be Better
Padding
I feel self-conscience because the padding is thick and it noticeably makes your butt look bigger in the lower part of it. OK, I'm a woman. What can I say, I'm vain. ;-) I wish it was not so obvious. Also, you need to wear underwear because the material is not very soft and has a tendency to be raw against your skin after about an hour ride.
Conclusion
Yes, I would recommend buying these pants if you are a serious bike rider. They are well worth the money. I have had the pants for almost a year now and they still look new and have saved my legs from having muscle cramps during riding.
But do not forget these safety tips when bike riding ...
* Wear a helmet
* Know and observe your local bicycle riding laws
* Avoid off-road riding
* Avoid jumping
* Ride defensively
* Watch the road
* Watch the cars, dogs, roller bladers, etc that you are preparing to pass
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 70
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Epinions.com ID:
doglover
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Reviews written: 74
Trusted by: 121 members
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