Vexxer

I have a question about cycling bib's... Hopefully someone can help. Are they simply not made for big and tall people? I am 6'5 and hover between 210 and 220, with a gut Im trying to get rid of, and I just bought my first pair of bibs.. admittedly they were cheap ones... but I ordered a size larger then I wear in shorts to be safe... they were still a bit to snug in my opinion, but the biggest problem I found was the padding which covered way more in the front then where I needed it in the rear... I felt like with the straps up, it was actually pulling the front of the bibs higher up, therefore pulling the pad forward. I do not know if the pad was positioned poorly to begin with (like I said, cheap), or if my height caused it. Just wondering if anyone else found this problem.

Shimagnolo

Aero Tech Designs | Cycling Apparel, Bike Shorts, Bibs, Bike Jerseys

Click on the Big/Tall menu near the upper left corner.

Vexxer

This are out of my price range right now, thank you though. Im interested though if anyone my size has found the same issues with regular sized bibs.

donalson

since my return to cycling as a big/fat guy I've had a similar issue finding shorts/bibs that fit... the rear seam fit nicely under my sit bones which isn't exactly comfortable and it has been shorts ranging from cheap/inexpensive falconi bibs on up to arotech designs (which sucked because they had some great chamois and material... the return policy was painless and they shipped quickly... I honestly wish the bibs had worked :-/

I finally found a pair that fit me with a good bit of extra when I went to Home Page - Bouré Bicycle Clothing with the classic bibs... spending over $100 for a pair of bibs hurt... but they fit well and still have a few inches of chamois going beyond the saddle... they also have a great return policy... before I bought from them I talked to them about the size and my issue, for a bit of extra $$$ they will build you a custom pair, we ended up going with off the shelf and if I needed some adjustment i could send em back and pay the little extra for the custom versions... I highly recommend them especially with the chamois placement issue you're having

*edit* note that I'm nearly your height but have about 100lbs on you... but I think boure uses the same chamois for all it's sizes (based on the model, some have different chamois)

1loosemoose

I have the aerotech bibs and I'm 6'4" and about 250 lbs.

I really like them but have not tried any other make of bibs. If your budget eases I'd give them a try.

Jimbosays

Good quality bibs aren't cheap . . . But worth every penny (investing in your comfort!)

I've enjoyed my Aero Tech Designs shorts and will be trying their bibs soon.

But, have a pair of bib shorts from Performance Bicycles are my current favorite (and most comfortable) biking apparel:

Performance Ultra Bib Shorts - Lycra Cycling Shorts

gsa103

I think your problem has more to do with cheap shorts, which fit everyone equally badly. The ATD designs stuff is decent quality for the price. They're about the cheapest of the "decent" bibshorts. If you've got a Performance Bike near you, you can try the house brand stuff. You might even find a XL or XXL on clearance for cheap.

fietsbob

With suspenders/braces (on regular shorts) you can answer nature's bodily function calls easier ..

jaxgtr

I personally like the Performance Ultra Bibs and buy them when they are on sale. I find them as low as $59 here and there and then buy a couple of pair at a time, but then they feel good, last a while and fit great.

Jimbosays

+1 on the Performance Ultra Bibs - Get on the Find Bikes, Cycling Clothing, Bike Parts & Bike Shoes Or Your Local Bike Store at Performance. e-mail list, they offer sale pricing pretty frequently.

Bib shorts are something I never thought I would wear . . . Till trying them - Now they are the only shorts I WANT to wear (especially on longer rides.)

brawlo

I'm your height, but a bit bulkier at 115kg. For what it's worth, I'm fairly evenly proportioned legs/torso.

In my cycling experience, shorts are really one thing you can't go cheap on. I've been on the bike for around 8 years now, and been on road bikes for around 6. I started off buying cheap or what I thought was expensive at the time. Cheap stuff is ok if you're not riding for anything longer than an hour. As soon as you plan on going longer than that, then you really should spend wisely, not necessarily spend a lot.

For us in the south part of the world, our seasons work really well in being the opposite of the northerners. When we come into summer, then the northern hemisphere online stores are running out summer kit in readiness for their winter and vice versa. I have gone through a number of brands of kit from China (Monton, Mupi), Euro (Castelli, DeMarchi, Campagnolo, Assos winter kit), US (Pearl Izumi) and most likely some rebranded Chinese offerings from Uno and Crossroads. Hands down, the best bib shorts are the Campag ones. Following that, my recent investment in Castellis has proven a winner for comfort. The PI ones are also good, but I gambled on size and they're still a bit tight to be comfortable on longer hikes, but I ride track as well and they see some good use there. My Assos winter bib longs are absolutely great. I got them becasue it gets windy and cold where I live without snow. So I was after some quality winter kit that I could be sure would be a good investment to keep me going through the cold months.

So after all that, just to add to the value factor, I have never paid more than half retail price for any of my quality kit, generally buying from European online stores. As I said, that is the advantage of being off season to the north hemisphere. So if you can, buy some kit that is being run out for the next season. It means you may have to wait, but you will save a lot of money.

I know it doesn't help in the short term, but hopefully I can assist you in terms of some brands to keep an eye on for specials.

bigfred 

195cm (6'5") 115kg (252lbs) here, I manage with standard (non-tall) bibs. But, I'm typically purchasing Pearl Izumi(XXL), Campy(XXXL), etc. I do have a cheap pair of Netti(XXL) that seem o.k.

Cycling sizing can be all over the show. And, even from a single manufacturer there may be two or three product lines, each with it's own 'cut'.

One thing to keep in mind, is that bibs are typically cut for comfort while bent forward at the waist. They're not designed for standing upright and can be down right funky feeling in that position.

WEK

I'm 6'10" and 350, and I run Aerotech bibs exclusively now. This model specifically: Aero Tech Tall Man Cycling Bib Shorts - Extra length and Long Inseam It took me some time to get them, but they're absolutely worth and I'm really happy I bit the bullet and bought them. And frankly, there are much MUCH more expensive bibs out there. By comparison to some of the high end bibs, the Aerotech's are a great deal. Good luck and happy riding!