Bibs

[pooks]

Why?

What are the benefits of bibs? When would you wear them?

[KnottedYet]

I hear they're good when eating lobster or crab...

[pooks]

Grrrr.

[KnottedYet]

hee hee!



It looked like a lot of the boys in TdF were wearing them. Are they a boy thing? All I know is that I don't need suspenders to keep my bike shorts up.

[Eden]

They are not necessarily a boy thing
advantages:
no waist elastic to dig in or give you a "roll"
no cold patch on your back where your shorts and shirt don't meet

disadvantages:
have to remove your jersey to take them down to use the restroom
nipple rub! (though odd as it sounds this is a guy problem - women don't place the suspenders there)

[wavedancer]

I got some PI micro sensor bibs and really like them. I especially like them if I am wearing tights. No elastic at the waist is much more comfortable.

Linda

[Cari]

Why?

What are the benefits of bibs? When would you wear them?

I think pretty much all pros wear them. If you missed the riders with unzipped jerseys at the Tour, check any webstore that sells authentic team uniforms. They usually come with bibshorts, not regular shorts.

In addition to what Eden mentioned...

They allow you to have a snug (yet comfortable) fit on your shorts, which is important so your chamois pad will remain in place. I think most pros also wear base layers under their jerseys (thermal base layer in winter and cooling/wicking base layer in the summer) so the bibs help to keep that in place as well.

Regarding nipple rub: I've heard male riders complain about this when they wear jerseys alone, too. I think base layers are the only solution, if they have that problem.

I also think that they're more flattering than regular shorts, especially if you have any kind of pudginess to hide.

I would wear them anytime... if I could find them! Well-designed women's bibshorts are hard to find. If you do decide to go that route, just make sure that the straps are set wide enough apart so that they go around your chest, not right over your boobs. I have some men's Louis Garneau bibshorts (part of a team uniform) and the straps go right over my boobs. It looks really weird and isn't very comfortable.

Cari

[RoadRaven]

I have two pairs of bib shorts which I got by default as my partner didn't like the chamois.

I use them on cooler days - they keep my lower back warm and because they are higher over my waist they often give enough extra protection on my lower chest to mean I don't need a wind breaker.

I do find they tend to slip off my shoulders... I think they are too long for me and I am going to alter them so they cross over at the back.

I have dropped numerous hints that I would like the bib shorts for women... I forget who makes them but the front straps are actually one that run down between the breasts...

I don't use bib shorts for races simply because I always need to pee before the race, and as Eden says, its a bit of a hassle for us gals!

Re the nipple rub - I think because the straps are lose this hasnt been a prob for me, but the way I am going to alter them I dont think it will a hassle anyways...

My partner has lots of pairs of bib shorts, and does several 90-130km training rides a week, most of his training rides are at least 2 1/2-3 hours long... he rides 6/7 days when well... he has never had a prob with nipple rub...

[Grog]

I have dropped numerous hints that I would like the bib shorts for women... I forget who makes them but the front straps are actually one that run down between the breasts...

Assos.

[RoadRaven]

Thanks Grog

I leave a mag with a pic of them strategically "accidentally" lying about, open... well whaddayano? on the page with that pic in it (where she is posing soooooo weirdly) - its my birthday REAL soon!

Anyone else tried the womens Assos? (lol, typing that makes me think of the assne discussion...)

[Pedal Wench]

I LOVE my bib shorts. They are really comfortable, especially on long rides. I don't have a problem with them rubbing anywhere, because I always wear a sports bra. Also, the straps kinda stay off to the side. The lack of a waistband is so comfy, and it might be imaginary, but i feel like it helps my breathing. They are also much more flattering.

HOWEVER, they are a pain during 'nature breaks'. During the summer, I prefer to wear them with my sleeveless jerseys, because I can slip the straps off through the armhole of the jersey. With a long-zipped jersey, I pull the jersey down with the shorts. But, that two minutes of hassle is well worth it for hours of on-bike comfort.

Verge makes my team shorts, and their women's bibs are really nice.

[chickwhorips]

my bf says he wears them to help keep them up because regular shorts fall off seeing he has not hips, imagin that.

i've tried to invest in a pair because i hate a cold draft up my back, but i haven't found one that i like the chamois pad or that was in my budget or many in genearl.

[spokewench]

What a pain they are. I ride a lot where there are no bathrooms! Okay, let's see, let me take off my shirt and then pull my bibs (now I'm almost naked in the woods) off while I'm going to the bathroom behind that tree or in the ditch or behind the cactus! They are just not for me.

[snapdragen]

I like my bibs, although potty breaks can be a pain. I just ordered a new pair from Voler - they have a new chamois (compared to my old ones). I'll be curious to see if I like them as much.

[Cari]

Those Assos bibs look interesting, but they make me wonder... what do you do with that wide strap going right down between your boobs? I think if I wore it over my sports bra it would press down on my boobs. So then what, wear it underneath my bra, so that I have to take that off as well when I need to pee? Um, no.

I really liked a pair of women's Castelli bib shorts that I got here, but I had to send them back because they were too big - XL was all they had left and I usually wear L - the straps were too long and also the legs were kinda short and I like about an 8" inseam on my shorts. But the straps were set wide enough apart so that they fit perfectly *around* my boobs, and not over them.

By the way... most guys I know who see the pic of that Assos model don't really notice the bibs -- they just stare and wonder what her boobs look like. If your current method isn't working, you may want to try another approach to hint-dropping.

Cari