rbrides

I seem to be right between the medium and large size for bike shorts, with or without bibs. Sometimes I get chaffing with either size but I'm in the market for new ones this season. I wonder, which is LEAST likely to produce chaffing; shorts that are a little too large or a little too small? I average approximately 100 miles per week, road and gravel. Sometimes 150+ miles if there is a big weekend ride. I don't race, just ride, and want to help minimize the chaffing by selecting the more appropriate size. Chamois Butt'r is great and I use it. But still, want the best size shorts/bibs.

MRT2

This is so personal. Trial and error. The cut of the bibs or shorts, and the sizing varies a lot by brand. As does the shape of the chamois. One of the things I find a bit frustrating is, sometimes when your favorite shorts wear out and you go to replace them, the brand has switched its design and you are back to square one. And in general, I don't thing too loose or too tight is optimal.

Oso Polar

Short answer: given everything else equal the ones that are too big will be much worse.

Now, long answer. To minimize chafing shorts should move as much as possible together with the body as a single unit, so that friction happens between the shorts and the saddle, and not between the body and the shorts. Obviously, to achieve this shorts can't be any loose, they should be skin tight. As I started cycling in 2017, I lost a lot of weight in the first few months, so experienced this first hand - as I was becoming skinnier, I needed to change shorts to a smaller size as they start to chafe.

"A bit too small" part is IMHO quite difficult to achieve because cycling shorts are usually very stretchable. I guess you mean something that doesn't rip apart right away and you can still wear, but it is stretched to its limit? My guess will be that you'll not experience excessive chafing but overall comfort may not be too great and shorts will wear much faster than usual - e.g. seams will start to rip apart etc. The thing is that it is pretty much impossible to be between sizes in cycling shorts because, as I already said, they stretch a lot, plus pretty much every manufacturer has a few lines of cycling clothing with different fit, plus clothes from different manufacturers have different fit! For example, DHB has at least 3 different fits: active, performance, professional - and the "same" size (e.g. M) will be very different between them. I mean you should definitely be able to find a size that fits you just right - sits snug but not too tight. Order a couple that should fit you according to the sizing chart, if some will not fit - return them.

Apart from this, construction of the shorts matters a lot for comfort: the way how chamois is attached to the shorts, type of seams (seems that are not flat will rub), fabric of the shorts and chamois, a pouch for the private parts (or lack of it on all cheap shorts). This last feature in particular makes a huge difference for me personally.

hrdknox1

[QUOTE=Oso Polar;21419923]Short answer: given everything else equal the ones that are too big will be much worse.

Now, long answer. To minimize chafing shorts should move as much as possible together with the body as a single unit, so that friction happens between the shorts and the saddle, and not between the body and the shorts. Obviously, to achieve this shorts can't be any loose, they should be skin tight. As I started cycling in 2017, I lost a lot of weight in the first few months, so experienced this first hand - as I was becoming skinnier, I needed to change shorts to a smaller size as they start to chafe.

I second Oso Polar's comment. Get a quality pair of shorts that fit snugly....the tighter, the better.

Drew Eckhardt 

A small with normal stretchiness, a little large with very tight stiff shorts or a different brand that fits better.

Start with the manufacturer's size charts - they're usually accurate.

Drew Eckhardt 

I'm really irritated that Voler shorts lost an inch of rise which puts the waist on top of my hip bones instead of above where my circumference is smaller.

rbrides

Thanks. And, yes, I've experienced variation in actual size of some manufacturers' stated sizes.

rbrides

Great info. I appreciate it.