Bib shorts! Who else loves them.

[flirtees]

Hi Everyone,

This summer I received 2 kits. The predictor lotto and giro liquigas. They both came with bib shorts. At first I was a little skeptical about wearing them because I've only seen men wear them. I have to say I love bib shorts! They don't cut into your belly. There's no excess somethin hanging over. No gaps in the back to let cold air in. They are so comfortable. I hope they starting making kits for women. The only drawback was the chamois was designed for a man. Any thoughts?

Tanya

[SadieKate]

Um, buy women's bib shorts?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/categories.asp?catID=104

[mimitabby]

um, how do you go to the bathroom?
you have to take your jersey off?

[SadieKate]

I just pull the jersey up around my neck.

A search will turn up all kinds of stuff on bibs. Here's a start:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=bibshorts

[flirtees]

I feel sort of stupid. I didn't even think to look for bib shorts on this website.
However, I'm looking for matching jersey/shorts. They should make women's kits.

Thanks for the help.

Tanya

[RoadRaven]

I really like them too... but not on looong rides as they can make toilet stops a bit complicated.

I don't have any women-specific bike shorts. I don't have an issue with men's chamois, or how they are positioned.This is personal choice - some women here are adament that they find men's shorts uncomfortable for several reasons.
But a some (like me) don't have an prob with them.

What I really really want is a pair of Assos women's bibs... you know, the one they advertise in almost soft-porn pose... I WANT those... mostly because they seem much more logical in shape.

The main prob I have with men's bibs is the shoulder straps always feel like they are going to slide off...

[Velobambina]

I love bib shorts. Rarely wear "regular" ones now.

Wish they'd make affordable, good quality bib knickers and tights for females. All the ones I've found are outrageously expensive.

[ehirsch83]

I have a pair of LG bib shorts that I love! The straps clasp on, so you can undo them in the need of a bathroom break!(no taking off the jersey)

[spokewench]

Shorts are fine with me. Bibs are too much to mess with - I live in the country where there are no convenience bathroom stops, it is behind the tree for me!

[aicabsolut]

I finally got some bibs with my last team kit order. I <3 BIBS. Mine are men's XS because those fit better than the women's bibs, where I was kind of between sizes and the chamois was soo wide. The men's chamois doesn't bother me. I find I need fewer nature breaks, because there's nothing binding on my abdomen. They can be a little tricky, but they're so worth it.

[JTri's]

Um, heck yeah, I LOVE bib shorts. I love how there is nothing cutting into my stomach at all, etc. On long rides, I won't wear anything but my bibs. I have two pairs, and the men's fit really doesn't bother me at all. Neither does the bathroom. I wear a sports bra underneath my jersy anyway, so I whip off my jersey, do my business and then get dressed again. Doesn't even give me pause.

[Aggie_Ama]

Love them!! I only have one pair of Primal Wear bibs I picked up just to try bibs. The chamois is surprisingly good and they are my favorites now. I have worn them for all four of my centuries this year.

Potty- If your jersey is sleeveless (which I am still wearing here in TX) you can pull the bib straps out of the sleeve hole. Think of how you take a bra off when you don't take the shirt off. I can also do this on some of my jerseys with sleeves but it takes a little more effort.

[SlowPoke2320]

I am a 100% full-time bib girl. I refuse to wear anything else. Right now I rotate between my team bibs (special order for Velo Bella through LG) and my Assos women's bibs. I also have some Castelli full-length bib tights from 2006-2007, which are wonderful. I was really disappointed to see they did not make them this year.

The bathroom thing is not really an issue I find having to stop mid-race to pee a huge pain in the butt to begin with and try to avoid it anyway. Full-zip jersey's help in a pinch, since you can take them off without disturbing your helmet and glasses.

Someone commented on how expensive women's bibs are and I agree, so I was really happy when I saw these:

http://www.castelli-us.com/pc-788-5-...bshort-18.aspx

Hopefully, they will be available on TE soon. I'm really excited to see what appear to be pretty nice women's bibs for $100 MSRP. I believe it's a step in the right direction for spreading the big-gospel to women.

However, the trend that I don't like is how many manufacturers are copying the Assos "boob-buckle" as I call it. The between-the-boobs straps seem pretty impractical to me, although I've never tried a pair on. It just seems like something that a man though would be a good idea, but really isn't. I mean, do you have to pull them over your head? How can that be a good thing? I'm fairly small-chested 34-B, but have never had a problem with regular straps on women's bibs. The reason that men's straps fall off is just because they are designed for taller people and therefore are too long.

[koala]

Well, if you haven't tried on the monobib style, you'll just have to do that. It happens to be a very good idea, very practical & comfortable. I love bibs but won't wear the traditional style anymore with the dual shoulder straps. The front straps hit me in all the wrong places. No, you don't pull the monobib over your head. You step through it, or into it, like a bathing suit, then you slide your arm through each strap & pull it up over your shoulder. Done! It is very easy, & the strap doesn't rub or move around. The newer ones have a buckle that removes for bathroom ease. You pull those on the same way, then pull the single strap over your head & fasten the buckle. No problem, and goodbye to elastic waistband.

The reason women's bibs tend to be expensive is because they tend to be the manufacturer's top-of-the-line model in fabric, cut & chamois. This is because the market for women's bibs is fairly small, so the manufacturer is not going to take the risk of developing an extensive selection in bibs that might not sell.