Cycling shorts are personal but I think you’re going to love these shorts. The fabric is wicking and supportive at the same time. The chamois pad is wide enough at the contact area to cushion on very long rides but not so thick that it chafes in other areas. These aren’t shorty-shorts but they aren’t super long granny shorts either. And, my absolute favorite feature: no elastic in the front of the waist! So, when you are in the drops for hours, you don’t feel like the waistband is squeezing the breath out of you. Gore makes wonderful stuff! Bonus: they come in colors that can coordinate with your jerseys and I think the pattern might make you look narrower from the back side! (via Team Estrogen)

I’ll admit that I don’t send out greeting cards as much as I ought to. Yes, Mom has gotten last minute, hand scrawled cards for her birthday! Official occasions really sneak up on me and those optional events, like thanking a personal trainer or congratulating a friend on her first triathlon just slide right by, with me smacking my forehead and saying “I should have gotten her something!” But having a stock of “athletically-minded” cards on hand is going to save me!

These cute cards from Skeese Greets have all sorts of cleaver shapes made from bicycle chains on the front. You can choose different greetings or go for blank cards and they can be purchased individually or in boxed sets. I love the packaging on the boxes - tied up with a silver bow and a chain link!

So, when my friend at work finishes her very first charity ride this summer, I’ll be ready with a “Congratulations!” card!

Skeese Greets available from local bicycle shops, www.endurancezone.com, www.TheTriathleteStore.com, and www.skeese.com. Mrsp $2.95 for individual cards and from $13.95 to $14.75 for boxed sets of 10 cards/envelopes.

Sometimes even the most advanced, cushy, channeled chamois isn’t up to the job of protecting your undercarriage on really long rides. Chaffing and saddle sores are always lurking and they can keep you off your bike while you heal up. “Off the bike” is a sad place we want to avoid!

Since most of our body weight rests on that area, we are always looking for something to reduce friction and stave off any potential sore spots. If you Google “chamois creme” you’ll come up with commercial products and home preparations aplenty. Just like shorts, everyone has their favorite — some as thick and gooey as axle grease, some lotion-y, some so high tech you don’t know what they’re made of.

So I was really interested in trying this new product I’d heard about. It’s a spray-on oil called Ultra Pure Crotch Guard and it’s supposed to be especially good at preventing saddle sores. An antibacterial agent helps with the saddle sore element but I was skeptical that an oil would provide adequate slip-ocity on a long ride with lots of sweating going on.

Seventy miles later, I’m convinced there’s some sort of magic going on. It’s very hard to find something that keeps you comfy for that many miles. Intuition tells me the thicker the better, but this stuff really does work! No saddle sores, no irritation, no discomfort while riding. How can an oil do that?!?

Never mind, it just does, and I didn’t have to reapply (granted my rides were 40 miles one day and 30 the next). On those longer rides, like centuries, it’s probably worth carrying a bottle with you, although the 4 oz. bottle will take up some valuable seat bag real estate. I hope to see the individual towelettes, which are available only as free samples right now, for sale in multi-packs soon — they are perfect for a jersey pocket or seat bag!

Dermatect Ultra Pure Crotch Guard 4 oz bottle, mrsp $20 www.crotchguard.com

There was a thread over at the Team Estrogen forum asking who would consider buying a pair of these shorts. To tell you the truth, I was scratching my head over “thermal shorts.” If it’s cold, why would you want shorts? If it’s marginally warm, would you be comfy in thermal shorts after you warmed up and peeled your leg warmers off? They just seemed to be a niche product without a niche.

Boy, was I wrong! If you’ve ever ridden in the cold and gotten a chilly backside from the swirling eddies of cold wind, if you’ve wished your ultra warm tights had some wind block on the butt as well as the thighs, if you ride with thermal leg warmers on those early spring rides but found your shorts lacking in insulation, give these a try.

The chamois is PI’s 3D Pro, which is only 8mm thick, doesn’t overwhelm you with padding — a perfect thickness for commuting and moderate length rides. Silver ion technology in the pad keeps bacteria down, which is another plus when you are riding to and from work and have to stow your duds until it’s time to come home!

I liked the extra leg length, too. No leg warmer gap! And when it warmed up on a ride and I was ready for shorts to be shorts, the MicroSensor fabric had terrific moisture transfer and I didn’t get too steamy.

Pearl Izumi gets it just right with the MicroSensor Thermal Shorts. msrp: $140 www.pearlizumi.com

Okay, I can no longer keep quiet about this bike. We nicknamed it “The Precious” here at the WA testing grounds because our riders were fighting over who got it on every weekend outing and who got left behind in the cold - it’s that fast!

Let’s get the facts out of the way first. The OCR CW (Composite Women’s) is a full carbon-composite compact frame with Shimano Ultegra shifting and a compact crank. The “women’s” part of the name means a smaller handlebar and short-reach brake and shifter levers, as well as a frame build for the slightly shorter reach women usually have. You can drool over all the details at www.giantforwomen.com.

Now, I’ve never thought of myself as a small person who needs scaled down parts to make me more comfy riding. I’m five-eight and Seinfeld’s “man hands” episode comes to mind when I look at my paws. So, I was blown away at how much more confident and comfortable I was handling this bike because of the all around fit. I loved those short-reach shifters — no more rotating my hand out and over to grab the lever to brake! Maybe we don’t need “women’s” bikes but we do need bikes that fit us, so don’t be afraid to go out there and ask for what works for you!

This isn’t a competition bike. If you want to win races, you will probably want something more aggressive. But if you’re like a lot of riders out there, taking long weekend rides with groups or participating in charity rides, a blend of speed and smooth-riding comfort is the holy grail, and this bike does all that, with classy good looks to boot. It has a black/pearlized cream color with the carbon fiber artfully peeking out in spots. Makes you want to buy a new pair of shorts and jersey, so you’re not underdressed while your riding it!

Treat yourself to a test ride and ask the shop if you can take it out for a longer spin than just around the parking lot. That’s where you’ll feel how buttery the ride is and how responsively it handles. Go on, it’s spring and you deserve it!

Giant has this bike very nicely priced for a full carbon bike. Giant OCR CW $2300