Ugh! Laundry Disaster.
 

So my cycling clothes are the only laundry I do in the house (wife handles the rest). I wash just the cycling clothes together on the gentle cycle and air dry them.
Today, the straps from one of my bib shorts got tangled and this happened. Said bib shorts are ruined (luckily it seems like the other stuff is ok). Expensive accident that could have been worse. Too bad; I really liked that pair.
Do you guys put your bib shorts in a bag before you wash them?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ee0166701.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ada66d444.jpeg

That sucks, was is torn/stretched after untangling?

I've never had that issue, I wash everything loose on gentle and air dry.

Jerseys hit the washing machine/air dry. Bibs get worn into the shower post ride and air dried afterward.

The bibs were stretched. Luckily the other set of bibs (same brand) seem OK, although they were tangled too. My wife suggested I get a laundry bag (she uses one for clothes with straps). I'll try that.
The bibs are so much more comfortable for me over normal bike shorts, so I'll be sticking with them.

This must be a top-loader thing, because I've never had anything get tangled at all, much less like what's pictured above-- and some of my bibs have been through the (front load) washer 100+ times.

I wash socks/gloves/arm warmers/skulllcaps/etc in a delicates bag because it's a pain in the ass to try to find them after the wash cycle is done.

Without the bag, a glove or sock always seems to glue itself to the inside of a shirt-- or worse, find it's way into the rubber sealed gap between the door and the drum. Where the gunk lives.

Interesting... is it because they are hard to wash?

Exactly what it is. This is why you can't wash down in a top loader, and anything with a draw cord needs to go in a bag.

Ask me how I know.

How do you wash the part that's been running against your junk for hours? The inside, I mean.

Yeah... you're right. I now remember the draw strings from athletic shorts getting tangled as well. The funny thing is we are shopping for a new washer, so in a way, it's good this happened now.

Yep, the cheap solution is laundry bags. (Some bibs come with them -- presumably yours didn't.) The more expensive solution is a front loading washer.

Ditto. I mean, I've had some twist-ups in our front-loader, but nothing nearly this bad and never any resulting damage.

Just habit. My jerseys outnumber my bibs, so I wash the bibs in the shower and they're ready to use the next day with a new jersey.
With soap? You do take the bibs off at some point in the process. I don't live in bibs.

If it makes you feel any better (misery loves company) I put an expensive goretex jacket through the wash. The draw cord for the hem got caught on the agitator, and tore the hem apart. Jacket probably cost more than the washing machine.

Use laundry bags. Or those net bags you use for shells and stuff while snorkeling/scuba diving. Though my son uses bibs and I don't know that he has any issue with a top loading washer. He doesn't use laundry bags either, but maybe I'll tell him about your troubles and suggest he starts.

I've had it happen a few times, but it never damaged the bibs.

Apparently newer washers don't have agitators, but honestly, there doesn't seem to be a reason not to use the bags. I just wish someone had warned me before I lost a pair of $60 bibs :/ (of course, they were 1/2 off and are now $120).
I remember when I thought golf was expensive...

I've had it happen a few times too - with a front load washer. It didn't ruin the bibs. But if you are concerned, a laundry bag is the solution.

Email the manufacturer a picture and ask if you can pay to have it repaired.

I guess it couldn't hurt. It's Bontrager/Trek.

Alternate thread title:

"What's bad about bib shorts"

You have to set the spin speed down. That looks like it was on high. I've never had that happen on my stiff but then I am usually careful to set the spin speed.

I have bad luck. I tore up a $350 Arc'teryx jacket (goretex shake dry) in a ski crash, sent it to the factory to see if it could be repaired even though I knew it couldn't, and they offered to replace it for $50. I haven't dealt with Trek, but I'm assuming they like having happy customers too.

Decades ago North Face replaced a tent that was shredded in a wind storm(sun rotted).

North Face isn’t the same company they used to be, but Trek might help you out.

Never had that happen ever. Top loader, agitator, delicate cycle, small load, sometimes throw a coupe of other items in too.
Laundry bags are for gloves to stop the velcro sticking to things it shouldn't.

Yep. Stretched the straps of bibs once. Once.