Craptacular8

Just a curiosity question. I don't have a tummy, and thus far, my shorts have always stayed put. I've seen people mention the comfort of bibs, or reference the bibs staying in place where they otherwise had experienced issues with their shorts rolling down. Aside from comfort/performance in those mentioned instances, is there some other benefit towards switching from shorts to bibs?

If one does go with the bib style, I'm guessing it would be best to have a base layer on under the shoulder straps, or is that not a universal need?

I've thus far shied away from bibs because I started out in shorts, and figured it would be a pain in the behind to answer the call if I had to deal with the shoulder straps...maybe I'm missing out?

caloso

They're more comfortable and they stay in place. That's all I got, but those two reasons are all I need to prefer them over shorts.

As for a baselayer, you don't need one if it's warm enough.

As for answering nature's call, if you're a male, the material is stretchy enough to just pull down to urinate. Otherwise, you'll have to take off your jersey and pull down the straps, whether male or female.

bogydave

Mostly personal preference.

Bibs stay put better .... for me.
When below 65° I wear a base "T" under the bib straps,

true, they are a PIA for a crap

bbbean 

Google is your friend. You'll have to dig and dig, but you'll eventually find the thread where we talked about this once before.

RonH

All the pro riders wear bibs. And I wear them too (and have been since 2004) so I guess that makes me a pro.

The main reason is because they are much more comfortable the shorts.

Digital Gee

Without a doubt!

DiabloScott

I still have a pair of bibs that I bought in 1987 - they're a little thin and the pad is flat, but they still work under my tights. Never bought another pair of shorts after that.

badger1

Don't know. No idea.

Never felt the need for bib shorts, so I've stayed with NOT BIBS (infamous BF thread allusion; feel free to ignore).

In 'short': if you're fine with regular NOT BIB cycling shorts, why change? If you find 'em uncomfortable, try bib shorts. Seems pretty simple to me

Digital Gee

Ditto. I have a tummy that's too big.

ZIPP2001

Been wearing bib shorts forever it's a comfort level for me.

Garfield Cat

With shorts the padding will shift as you ride for a while. Then you need to stop at the light and adjust it. Usually the adjusting is to realign the shorts so that the padding moves forward.

It seems to me that the "fixed point" is the saddle and the "variable" is you. Ideally, it should be the other way around. But there is no immediate solution to this, unless some clever engineer would think outside of the box to get it.

A lot of design efforts seem to be for the bike and its parts. But not directed towards the rider first, then the bike.

So where does the pro-fitter do its thing? Some to maximize effort and some to fix problems but in a compensatory way. not really contributing to anything new.

2ering

I incorporated bibs into my wardrobe when I began riding in cold temperatures and got tired of the base layer(s) pulling out of my shorts/tights. I don't find them more comfortable than shorts in moderate temps so if shorts work for your riding I don't think you are missing out on anything (except the aforementioned hassle when nature calls) by not wearing them...and you probably save a few $$$.

Bob Ross

^^^This.

Folks who say they're more comfortable than shorts, eh, who am I to argue?
Folks who say shorts "roll down" ...da fug u talkin' 'bout, Weezy? I've never had a pair of shorts "roll down"

Good shorts are nice to ride in. Good bibs are nice to ride in. I have a closet filled with both.

But the one time I agree bibs>shorts are when there's a chill in the air, and keeping that base layer tucked in is just a simple sublime solution.

tigat

When I started riding again in 2010, I was shorts and only shorts. With one arm and trashed fingers on the remaining hand, me and starting zippers don't mix well. I am also fairly trim and the shorts stayed up fine.


A few years in, someone loaned me some bibs for a ride. It's hard to describe, but I instantly felt more put together, like when I strap on my helmet, cinch down my shoes, pull on my glove, clip in and go. Shorts now feel sloppy and incomplete.


So now I ride almost exclusively bibs, even on the trainer, and use my zippered jerseys as pullovers when needed.

Biker395 

Advantages of Bibs:

Tummy control
Keep chamois in place
Warmer in cold weather

Disadvantage of Bibs:

Doing #1 is a PITA
They cramp the boys
Typically a little more expensive

I have and ride both, but prefer shorts, because for me, the disadvantages significantly outweigh the advantages.

indyfabz

Once you go bib you never go back.


No trouble with either No. 1 or No. 2. For the former, simply pull down the front and bend your knees a bit if necessary. For No. 2, wear full zip jerseys. Takes 10 seconds to remove your jersey and pull down the straps. If I can manage in the woods while on tour you can manage in a bathroom stall.

pesty

I wear bibs as I find them more comfortable and the pad stays in place better. Wish I had discovered them 20 years prior to when I did. As for the straps, base layer not required, but I always wear one as nipple chafing from a jersey 3 hours into a 5 hour ride sucks. But that's just me, and has no bearing on the comfort of the straps themselves.

Only downside I've found is if you have a "Tom Dumoulin at the Giro" incident, it's a real pain to get the backside down in a hurry.

79pmooney

Or ... wear shorts and use clip-on suspenders'

At events, suspenders are a huge plus. Much nicer in the porta-potty! (and more courteous to those still waiting). Another plus - the common suspenders out there have the colors of the rainbow. Almost the world champion strips but OK for us imposters because they aren't quite and the pros never wear suspenders. Mid-day clothing changes are also a lot easier. You can clip the suspenders to both your shorts and tights.

Ben

love2pedal.com

I switched to bibs about 15 years ago and haven't returned to regular bike shorts since.

I just hook a thumb inside the front of the bibs and pull down to take a leak. Never had a problem.

No binding at the waist with bibs like with an elastic waistband in regular shorts.

I would say we sell 5 pair of bibshorts for every pair of regular bike shorts. The hive has spoken.

Hypno Toad

<pic deleted by a moderator>

This is my answer too.

For reference, I'm what most would call skinny (standing in the water with a beer), and shorts will roll down in the front. Bibs don't and are very comfortable

14088569_10154368773516878_9198440549620976549_n.jpg

Sorry for the shirtless pic - I'm not exactly proud of that bod, but not ashamed either

CadenceCrazy

If you're really in a hurry, bibs are a lot harder to put on backwards! But it would really bite if you were successful!

cb400bill

The next person who posts the picture of the Lampre kit wearing fan will get a week off. You know the picture that I am referring to.

cyclist2000

^^too funny

KraneXL

I can wear a tie all day with no discomfort whatsoever. However, my friends say they hate ties. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that most guys that complain about tie discomfort are also guys with short necks.

Answer: bibs offer an additional point of stability, but it depends on your anatomy. Some folks benefit from them more than others.

GlennR

It's a classic... like the Polish cycling team.