I am not a triathlete nor aspiring to become one, so I really just bought these shorts because I needed some decent cycling shorts and they were some of the least expensive on Amazon. I commute work on my bike, but have been trying to do longer rides on weekends and thought these would help ease some discomfort I feel doing more than 7-8 consecutive miles. Having never owned or worn cycling shorts before, I was really amazed by these. The material is substantial but feels amazing against the skin. They have strategic mesh parts that keep them breathable and help moisture escape. And they are soooo comfy! I have thick thighs and my complaint about wearing bike-style shorts (or shorts in general really) is that they always ride up. It seems a standard feature on true cycling shorts, but the grippy strips along the hem of each leg really do keep them in place! I made almost no adjustments during a 15-16 mile ride. They are also short enough for me to wear under skirts & dresses w/out really being seen, but long enough to cover most of my thighs and look good (avoiding a muffin-top situation on your legs), and I'm 5'11". I know the padding isn't substantial in these b/c they are tri shorts, but it wasn't quite enough for me. I probably also need to invest in another saddle for longer rides but that's a separate issue. I love love love these shorts and if they ever drop to $20 or less again, I'm getting all of the other colors and I would highly recommend doing the same! Totally worth it for such a high-quality product!I had the 2XU tri top and really liked it so when my friend pointed out a great deal on these shorts, I jumped on it. I'm glad I did because I really like these tri shorts. The length is great and my thighs do not chafe. The bottom band on the shorts is tight enough so they don't ride up but don't dig into my skin and create the dreaded thigh bulge. Plus they have grip material on the bands to help them stay down. The amount of padding is great too. A little extra compared to a few of my other tri shorts which is great for longer races, but not too much so that it still dries quickly. I like the small side pockets too and they are great for holding a gel packet or two.bought these for my first upcoming sprint triathlon. i have only tried them on so far, but they look fit and feel good. they have several little pockets(do not secure though) and a drawstring. i like fun colors and these are that. i am 5'6 1/2" and weigh 140, lots of muscle from weight lifting, i ordered a Large and they fit well, not too tight. the padding is hardly noticable as well.I have several triathlon shorts - however my favorite is the 2XU . The padding is just right - not too bulky but enough for comfortable long rides . I like the the slight compression on your hips that keeps you going and more important the elastic margin is not too tight. I am allergic to the elastic material so I always, have to fold out the elastic band - if that become too tight may cause problems especially in longer rides followed by runs.Great Tri shorts! The inseam is long enough to manage chaffing without being most the way down to my knees. The Chamois is very thick, not quite as thick as, say, bike-specific shorts. I have no problem running in these shorts, but if you prefer a very low profile chamois you might not like these. And the multiple panels provide moderate compression support (not as good as my CWX running tights, but much better than my pearl izumi bike shorts or tri shorts). Perfect combination of quality for the price.I was not expecting the shorts to be primarily for biking. I have 2XU shorts which I use for running. They do not have a seat in them.The shorts I received from Turgeonator were padded. I think that the description was not clear.Great cycling shorts, true to size, and comfortable to wear. I went on a bike ride with it & I stayed dry throughout.I usually wear size small, but this is too small. I couldn't wear it.