evan938

well, the search function here sucks...lol

"The following words are either very common, too long, or too short and were not included in your search:
"shorts bibs""

so since last year when i decided to dress the part and ditch my gym shorts and running tshirt to ride, i've went from cheap bike shorts (Canari brand from Dick's) under my gym shorts, to canari shorts under cheap ebay kit bibs (both with chamois) to a pair of shorts from performance (store brand, but still light years ahead of what i was using) with a pair of performance brand bibs, both shorts and bibs have a chamois, so basically doubling up. during the winter, its performance brand tights w/ chamois with same bib shorts over top.

does anyone else do this? am i overdoing it? when i switched to this set up, i was much more comfortable than before, but i noticed i still get some numbness in my lower region, it just takes longer to set in than before. could this be from too much padding? i tried just bibs once with no shorts underneath, and it felt really awkward, but then again, this was with the cheap ebay knockoff kit.

with the shorts and bibs, it seems to "hug" my legs a lot better and i felt like i was getting better support of the muscles in my thighs.

just looking for opinions.

StanSeven

Just wear one pair of whichever. The idea is not to cushion your ride but to avoid friction. The padding should be minimal.

whitemax

The numbness can be due to your bike set up so roll in to a bike shop to have someone take a look at you on your bike. Get a quality pair of cycling bibs or short (bibs preferably most would say) and wear only those or you'll wind up chafing. Do this and say goodbye to the world of the freds.

jaltone

evan938, I totally agree with whitemax, you probably should get a good pair of cycling bibs. If you've already come to the point where you realize you like biking so much, the investment in good cycling clothes makes perfect sense and will give you much happy returns. To add another piece to consider, think whether a saddle with a cutout in the middle could relieve you of perineal pressure. In my case it did.

Lastly, check whether your sit bones are wider than your current saddle. It might be that you need a wider saddle, and if so, that could explain the numbness. (Put a blank sheet of paper on a rung on your staircase, if it's carpeted. Sit on the paper and make sure you make indentations with your sit bones. Measure the distance between them. If they measure more than 130 mm and you currently have a narrow saddle, you'll need a wider 145 mm saddle. Good luck.)

evan938

Whats funny is i went to a shop a couple years ago, got measured for a saddle and picked one up with a void in the middle. My newer bike came with a fizik arione i thought id try, same width, and i actually prefer it more

robbyville

Hi Evan, I can't imagine that double dosing would be good for you, especially from a heat stanpoint (I always think about people wearing two pairs of socks in a ski boot, bad thing to do cause you just sweat and then the sweat freezes).

Like others have said, if you're comfortable on your saddle but are still facing any type of numbness then you should consider going to a fit specialist. It does cost a bit but well worth it, you'll be able to ride for longer periods of time and enjoy it a lot more while feeling less tired in the back, shoulders, and nads.

good luck,

bikerjp

Get one pair of nice bibs/shorts. Then check you saddle to make sure it's level. Some argue a slight up or down tilt works but it depends on you. Start level and maybe even just a slight nose down. Too much down and you start to slide forward and cause other issues. If all that is good then focus on how you sit. You should be on your sit bones. If the saddle is too narrow then you need a wider one. Make sure you rotate the pelvis rather than rolling forward onto soft tissue.

caloso

You only need one chamois at a time. If you have bib shorts and need more warmth, wear leg warmers or regular running tights over them. If you have padded tights or roubaix knickers, stop there.

Beneficial Ear

Numbness is cured with fit, I've definitely been there . Between a good set of bibs, learning how to find a comfortable spot, and setting things up to totally suit me... I've eliminated all the issues with numbness/pain and can focus on the riding. I've had 2 days over a century now, and both included some pretty challenging group rides for the majority of those miles, and I can say with absolute certainty that the main thing that kept me in the game was my prior dedication to getting the fit of the bike to a point where I can ride painfree. Fitness is irrelevant if your boys are numb.

Cookiemonsta

Instead of trying various knock offs, you would be better off just buying even just one really good bib. They dry fast after washing them, and wearing them a second time (though I would not like to do it) is probably not too big of an issue. So one good bib will probably be enough for all your cycling. I think it would make a difference. I have never worn shorts+bibs, and to be honest, it does not really sound all that comfortable.

WC89

I have at least 13 pairs of bib shorts, some with quality padding, some not, (padding too thin). When wearing the too thin ones, I wear a pair of the padded liner-shorts that come with MTB cargo shorts, under the bibs. At 50 - 70 miles per week, 12 months a yr, works just fine for me, more comfortable for my sit bones than just the thin padded bibs alone, and no one can tell the difference just by looking.

mpath

Never had to "double up" like the OP did, but as a runner I do have a couple of compression tights by 2XU that are notorious for irritating the crown jewels in anything more than a 15k run. The solution was a pair of compression underwear by Nike underneath. They are super thin and supe comfy, and relatively inexpensive. Problem fixed. Just a suggestion.