Wolaco North Moore biker shorts: I wasn’t the biggest fan of this Wolaco style because this short was reminiscent of a traditional compression short. It has a nylon elastic waistband and I found myself adjusting it more than I liked. It also seemed to ride up in the crotch which was uncomfortable during testing and something the Distance Half Tight did not do.
Alo 3-inch high-waist Airlift shorts: Not only were these too short for my taste, despite having decent compression, it still rode up and down too much during testing. I think if this short were a little longer and used different materials that it would be a better pick since it’s already well-lined.
Janji 3-inch AFO-Vent multishorts: I expect track shorts to be short and airy, but I found these too short, and the split short made me feel too exposed. I think they would’ve benefited from having a built-in short rather than a brief because of the length. The outside material also felt paper-thin and made me question the overall quality of the shorts.
Koral Alice crepe shorts: Although these shorts were plush and comfortable, the track short style was not as functional as the Under Armour Fly-By 2.0 shorts. These shorts are better as athleisure wear because they’re more stylish. When I tested them during a run, the pockets were too shallow and couldn’t hold my phone, and the built-in shorts sometimes rode up against my thighs.
Athleta Salutation Stash Pocket II 5-inch shorts: This style of bike short did not make my top list because the other styles fit more comfortably and seemed to be designed better. Although the compression and material of the shorts were good, I found these shorts rolled down in the waist during most activities.
Baleaf The Laureate UPF 50+ high-rise board shorts: These initially looked like they could be a good pair of midrange shorts for hiking. They ended up being bigger than my normal size and seemed more appropriate as a swimwear cover up than for exercising.
Baleaf Flyleaf compression two-in-one shorts: Of the track shorts I tested, I found this design to fall short. The pockets on the built-in shorts seemed great at first, but they were not secure enough to hold my phone, which fell out at one point.
Baleaf Flyleaf high-rise seamless shorts: I thought these would be similar to Athleta’s Transcend shorts, but they were too thin and see-through.
Baleaf Flyleaf high-rise padded shorts: Serious cyclists like bike shorts that offer plenty of support and cushioning to withstand long bike rides. These shorts had the right idea, but the padding on the crotch is too thick to be worn comfortably.
