Bikewa 3D Padded Review

Frankly, we didn't have high hopes for these shorts. When you're pitting them against high performers like the Rapha Core Bib or those with price tags higher than two bills like the Louis Garneau Carbon 3 Bib, bias sets in a bit and lowers expectations. However, we were pleasantly surprised at the comfort and features, and we found they performed similarly to shorts that cost three times as much. Sure, they fell short in some substantial ways that likely make them undesirable for cyclists looking to spend long days in the saddle or who need a close-fitting chamois for high-performance riding, but there are instances in which they make more sense than some higher-priced options.

Comfort

Where the Bikewa 3D Padded shorts excelled over other lower-end options was in the chamois. Many cheap bike shorts just throw in a stout piece of foam that feels like wearing a diaper, but this one has a pad divided into three pieces (butt cheeks x2, perineum) that settles well onto the bike seat. Being cheap foam, it compresses substantially, so we found these are suited best for short rides, not all-day epics. For anything under a couple of hours, like a before-work spin class or mountain bike ride, they stayed comfortable.

Two problems arose when spending more than two or three hours in these. As mentioned, the foam compresses, leaving you much closer to the bike seat with less suspension. Also, they are not breathable (more on that later), and all the sweat generated needs to go somewhere. That turns out to be into the chamois foam, so the pad becomes a sweaty, slippery, kinda gross mess after too long, which is not enjoyable to sit on. On cold mornings, we found this did not happen, so they might be suited to longer rides in the fall, when temperatures result in far less sweat production.

Fit and Pedal Friendliness

Like with the comfort metric, these shorts performed best in cold weather and on short rides, situations that mitigated their shortcomings. The fabric is stiff but stretchy, so it moves well with you during fast maneuvers, and the leg hems, a smaller, less tight version than the ones found on more expensive shorts, didn't get hung up, either. The hems are not as tight as in other options, but we found they stayed in place mostly due to the heavy-duty nature and weight of the shorts.

The biggest drawback, and the one serious cyclists might find most egregious, is the absolute void in the crotch area. They are baggy like a pair of JNCO jeans. Once you find your place on the saddle, we found this to be less noticeable, but for any out-of-the-saddle riding, the chamois pad flops around and makes getting back into your position in the saddle difficult. For town riding or easy road biking, we found these did everything we needed, though the demands for that style of riding are obviously much lower.

We did love the pocket configuration, however. Most low-price bike shorts don't come with a lot of features, but Bikewa's 3D Padded shorts have three pockets, including a zippered rear one along the tailbone that is perfect for a small tool or keys. We wished the zippered pocket were big enough for the latest generation of smartphones (it's not), but the elastic side pockets are. With one on each leg, we could carry a phone and snacks easily, and the shorts still moved comfortably, even loaded down.

Breathability

Bikewa doesn't provide much information on materials, so we assume these are made from Tyvek. Just kidding, they're a roughly 80/20 mix of nylon and elastane, but they breathe about as well as house wrap. No venting along the chamois and extremely thick fabric make for a hot short best suited for cold-weather riding. We put these through their paces in warm weather, and, as we alluded to above, the chamois turns into a kitchen sponge after a while.

Quality of Construction

On the breathability flip side, the fabric being so thick and dense means it can take a beating. We're not convinced the thread in the flatlock seams will hold up long-term, given the small bit of fraying we're seeing already, but they won't rip if you clip a car mirror or take a digger in a rock garden.

Where we could see these wearing out first is the waistband. A thick piece of elastic is sewn into the band, rather than that tension coming from the fabric itself. Over time, that elastic seems as if it may lose structure. We didn't see that in the first couple of months, but having grown up in the '90s and worn many pairs of cheap basketball shorts with similar waistbands, our tester predicts impending floppiness. The same goes for the leg hems. These features aren't given the same attention to detail as in a short like the Endura Pro SL Bib Short, and they don't appear built for the long haul.

Style

On the positive side, the Bikewa 3D Padded short comes in a range of colors. We tested the black and red version, a favorite of our tester, a Portland Trailblazer fan, but you can buy almost any color to match your kit or bike, if that's your jam.

They're not sleek in the same way some of the more expensive options are, so it depends on what you're looking for. Especially if you plan to wear shorts or pants over these, as commuters or mountain bikers might, the lack of sleekness may not concern you, but with the pockets and bulky material, it's clear they are made to be worn as a standalone short.

Should You Buy the Bikewa 3D Padded?

As we stated from the outset, these aren't the go-to for specific types of riders. They're not winning any IPSO awards for innovative materials or design, but they do an effective job at a fraction of the cost of other shorts in our review. We wouldn't recommend them for high-performance riders or those spending all day in the saddle. We would steer you toward them if you only ride a couple of hours at a time on your local cross-country trails, greenbelt, or quiet, two-lane highways. If your budget is tight, these are a great choice for an entry-level bike short, or they could be a solid second or third option to keep in your luggage on a bike trip.

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