These Soft And Supportive Bike Shorts Are My Summer Wardrobe MVP

A cropped version of Lululemon's beloved Align leggings, these bike shorts are soft, stretchy and light enough for hot weather.
My beloved Lululemon Align high-rise shorts in 8 inches, 6 inches and 10 inches.

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More than a Myers–Briggs test or an Enneagram profile, knowing what items someone is willing to splurge on tells you a lot about their personality. While I’ll wear basic sweatpants from Walmart and sports bras from Amazon, I’ll drop money on a good pair of leggings. And Lululemon’s pricey-but-worth-it Align high-rise leggings in black are the only pair I wear.

You can imagine my excitement, then, when I learned Lululemon makes a summer version of my beloved tights: the Align short. It’s everything I love about the Align leggings re-imagined in bike-short form, available in inseams of 4, 6, 8 or 10 inches.

Like the Align leggings, the Align shorts are super soft and light. They’re definitely intended more for yoga and stretching over, say, super high-impact cardio, but I’ve worn them for whole days at a time without experiencing any rolling down, wedgies or the need to adjust. They’re moisture-wicking and don’t make you rub or chafe, so they’re perfect to wear under skirts or dresses in the summer.

All but one of these shorts are available up to a size 20, and many of the 5-star reviews of the 8-inch length come from customers that wear a size 16, the clothing size of the average American woman. “Love these shorts,” wrote a reviewer named Samantha. “I never knew Lululemon would ever make shorts that are comfortable for a curvy size 16 girl like me.”

As a person who stands about 5’ 9”, generally wears a 12-14 at Lululemon (and a 14-16 at other retailers) and has tons of cellulite, I find that these bottoms are both physically and mentally comfortable for all-day wear with a T-shirt or hoodie. Truly, they are the lightest, airiest, comfiest shorts of all time.

A friend recently referred to these magic shorts as “cozy,” which I’ve always associated with winter items like fuzzy blankets. But upon further consideration, it’s actually the perfect word. They keep you dry, covered and supported — but still free and unencumbered.

To help you fall in love with your own Align shorts, here’s a spread of the four different lengths and some of the colors they come in. All sizes mentioned are in women’s.

1
Align 4-inch high-rise shorts
These 4-inch shorts hit right under your booty, giving you extra mobility for running and yoga. They come in four colors in sizes 0-20.
2
Align 6-inch high-rise shorts
My personal sweet spot when it comes to hem length, (for reference, I'm 5' 9") the 6-inch shorts give you plenty of butt coverage without taking over your whole leg. They come in 19 colors in sizes 0-20.
3
Align 8-inch high-rise shorts
Hitting around mid-thigh, the 8-inch shorts give you more coverage while still showing some skin above the knee. They come in 16 colors from sizes 0-20.
4
Align 10-inch high-rise shorts
Finally! Full-coverage bike shorts that are still sleek and cute. These 10-inch shorts come down to the knee, without being too restricting. Options for this rise are limited by comparison, with two colors (cerulean blue and a light lavender) in sizes 0-14.

Here are some positive reviews from Lululemon’s website:

“The comfiest biker shorts. have another pair of biker shorts from another brand, but I wanted to try Lululemon’s biker shorts because I heard they’re amazing & wow they are so worth the buy! They are super comfy!” — Brenda

“Super comfortable- these don’t compress anywhere. A nice close fit without any of tight feeling I get when I try on all other tights. The align fabric is great!” — LeeDavey

Softest most comfortable bike shorts I’ve ever worn! Will absolutely be buying more.” — Farren

“Love these shorts! I never knew lululemon would ever make shorts that are comfortable for a curvy size 16 girl like me. I will definitely be purchasing more.” — Samantha

Buttery soft and perfect fit. Doesn’t ride up or fall down while I am running. Great purchase!” — Julia

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