Bibs

[Squirrel 2]

I love riding in bibs -- for those of you who haven't experienced the great feel of no-more-sweaty-waistband, give it a try. The straps keep the short up & in place. But fit is crucial, as is strap location. Most of the women's fit bibs eliminate the strap-placement problem & any potential rubbing. Castelli is great for taller riders as the straps are quite long. Louis Garneau is great for those of us who are shorties, and Descente is somewhere in between. Bibs also tend to use a company's finest chamois.

Assos is a world unto itself with that front single strap design. I do not have the bib shorts, but I do have the winter bib tights using that same strap system. It takes a little getting used to because the straps seem backwards at first, but if you step into it first & then just pull up the straps over each shoulder it works fine. It keeps me warmer than anything else because there are no gaps for cold to get into. (ps--the strap goes over the sports bra)

And the bathroom mechanicals are not bad at all in the bib world -- ever notice that the pro riders wear full-zip jerseys? Unzip & hang the jersey on your bicycle handlebars while you use the porta potty. It's that easy. I try to avoid partial zips on bib short days -- hauling a jersey over your neck to pull down the straps risks dumping your pocket contents all over the floor of the facilities or, worse yet, right down the toilet. Not a pretty sight...

[RoadRaven]

Squirrel, thanks for that excellent feedback on bibs...

I had never thought about the full length zip - of course! That would make it so much easier to attend ones "ablutions"!

And good to hear about the ASSOS bibs... I think for bigger busted women a strap over sports bra/crop top might be uncomfortable? But I have smaller breasts (and they seem to be getting smaller as I get more time on the bike done) and I think that it won't be a problem...

[7rider]

I had picked up some Castelli bib shorts from Sierra Trading Post last year when they had them on closeout (50% off - yay!). I find they are great for short bursts and wear them on the weekly shop ride, where I know p-breaks are not an issue. They are very comfortable, provide good coverage for shorter jerseys, and I've never had any problem with rubbing, chafing, or falling straps. Sometimes I wear an underlayer, sometimes not.
Are they better than regular shorts? Not necessarily. I wouldn't keep only bibs in my closet, but they have their place.
R

[Grog]

I just got a pair of PI 3d sensor bibs. Scarily expensive. Quite comfy. Chammy is not my favorite but quite nice.

But the best thing is how comfy it is when it's hot. Nothing at the waist. Fabulous.

So I wouldn't get all bibs, they're too expensive for what they bring. But they do have some advantages...

[grrrlpwr]

Cari-
re- Bib straps (men's ofetn too long )

This might seem wierd but with my Garneau bibs i crossed them in front - ie: pull the right side over your head to the left and the left over the head to the right . kid of a "cross your heart bra" effect. its kind of odd but it works - eventually i'm just going to alter [shorten] the straps, but i LOVE bibs--- so much more comfortable. much easier on my body. i hated the tight waist line. i feel like i breathe better. in BIBS

[mimitabby]

the potty thing did it for me. I have lots of comfy stuff that does not cut into my waist.

I remember being a little girl having these stupid one piece outfits that my mother used to buy for us. Had to take everything off to go to the bathroom. I don't like it anymore now then i did when i was 6.

[Pedal Wench]

the potty thing did it for me. I have lots of comfy stuff that does not cut into my waist.

I remember being a little girl having these stupid one piece outfits that my mother used to buy for us. Had to take everything off to go to the bathroom. I don't like it anymore now then i did when i was 6.

I used to love my bibs. Said so further back in this thread. After Sunday, not so sure.

I did route safety for a charity walk. It was cold. And wet. At one point, to use the potty, I had to remove: credentials and walkie-talkie hanging around neck, reflective safety vest, rain jacket, crew tee-shirt, and cycling jersey. I was smart enough to put the straps OVER my base layer and sports top.

I'm not gonna make that mistake again any time soon...

[aicabsolut]

I've mostly seen them for men too. Are they problematic for someone with a long torso? I can't wear single piece bathingsuits and such as I'm pretty tall from crotch to shoulders. Should I maybe try a men's pair?

[GLC1968]

I've mostly seen them for men too. Are they problematic for someone with a long torso? I can't wear single piece bathingsuits and such as I'm pretty tall from crotch to shoulders. Should I maybe try a men's pair?

This is exactly one of the reasons why I haven't tried them. My torso is longer than most women but larger sizes usually mean larger chamois (a problem I've had with regular shorts) and that won't work for me either.

Most of the guys I ride with love them because they don't fall down (most guys have no hips) and because they don't bind at the waist. 1) I have huge hips (and butt) so there is no way my shorts would EVER fall down and 2) most of my bike shorts are already too big in the waist (again, big butt and legs) so the binding at the waist has never been an issue for me.

One of these days I'd like to try them just for the experience...but they are so expensive that it's not likely to be anytime soon!

[Meaux]

The only bibs that I've seen for women have been the ones that zip up in the front. Do they actually make the ones with the straps for women? If so, who makes them? Can I get them in a plus size? Let me know. I've been wanting a bib for a while and would definitely like to get some knickers/capris for the colder months. (Colder being relative, as it never gets below 40 degrees in Houston....*sigh*)

[aicabsolut]

One of these days I'd like to try them just for the experience...but they are so expensive that it's not likely to be anytime soon!

That's kind of how I feel at the moment. My shorts are always much tighter around the quads than at the waist, though I do sometimes have but sagging too. I have curvy-ish hips or larger upper thighs for some boyish cut brands, and I agree that sizing up sometimes creates chamois issues.

With my long torso, though, I don't have a long rise.. my waist is low. So I do sometimes feel like cycling stuff is binding at the waist even if it's not super tight on me, because it comes up so high--makes it hard to bend over comfortably. Lower cut in the front would be more comfortable. Or eliminating the waistband issue. I'm tempted to try bibs but not THAT tempted yet.. one day I first need to find a jersey with which I could cover up said bibs. I have fit issues there too with my long, skinny torso and broad shoulders. I'd need a men's XS or something..

[yellow]

I just got these. I LOVE the way they fit and they are veryveryvery soft. But they are not for riding in temps above about 45-50 F (for me, anyway).