bib shorts - are they $211 better?
 

My n=1 ( personal experience ) - nope.

$047.00 The Black Bib *
$072.00 The Gray Bib
$258.00 Assos FF1 RSR
$125.00 Redwhite
$225.00 De Soto Sports 400 mile

* most comfortable on ~ 1 hour daily ride.

It's hard to figure out your size using their sizing charts. I have large and medium The Black Bibs and medium for me is more comfortable than large (The Black Bibs or The Gray Bib). I got a large De Soto Sports 400 mile and had to exchange it for a medium - which now fits just right - but it's not $178 better than The Black Bibs. Assos fits well (medium) and it not not equal $211 more comfort.

I've had many high end bibs. The $40 ones from theblackbibs are all I buy now. The padding stays padded for a long time and the lycra doesn't get any see through stretch spots. Excellent durability. And no logos that start peeling off.

You answered the question for yourself, but the equation may work out differently for others.

I'm like you, the most expensive bibs I ever bought were a disaster for me (they actually rubbed me bloody on 2+ hour rides) and I've had a lot of success with cheap bibs. But, others love expensive bibs (of various brands, but I've heard Assos mentioned most). I have no reason to doubt their experiences. So, if the point of this thread is that cheaper bibs can work, then I'd agree. If the point is that expensive bibs are not worth the price then, based on a lot of opinions I've read over the years, I'd have to say that may not be true for everyone.

Another vote for the black bibs. I have a pair of all that they offer and 2 of the $65.oo bibs. They're fantastic. The $85.00 needed a couple rides to break in and are great after that.

^^ this, and I/others typically don't have to pay full price for the name-brand stuff. eg. the Assos bib shorts I bought I paid $85 (Mille GT)

Your thread title makes no sense, as none of these bibs cost $186 more (or anything close to it) than the same company's standard shorts.

I just got one ride on he black bibs and I don’t think you can beat them for the price.

I have a 37" waist most of the time. Sometimes down to 36" as measured. Assos Large fits me perfectly. I buy them on sale and have never paid more that $140.

I had a bunch of Rapha shorts, but when I decided to try bibs I decided to try the black bibs. Super happy with them for the money. I bought several of the plus model and they are pretty good. Sometimes I feel like my butt starts to get sore if I do more than 1.5-2 hours though.

I’ve used Nalinis for the last few years - work well for me (just did a 156mi ride with no problems - for my arse, at least). Depending on sales, I’ve paid between $65 and $120.
good shorts are worth their weight in gold - price may reflect quality of construction, but fit and comfort is completely individual - I tried a pair of well-regarded Pearl Izumis once and they nearly gelded me - never again 🙁

If you don't have any issues with what you use now, then you might be hard pressed to find the value. If your butt has issues with your current shorts or bibbs, or there is some other issue, then you might find the price more than worth it.

Another +1 for Black Bibs. Assos too, but they're a little short in the inseam for me these days. I have a bday gift from Band of Climbers coming. Will report back.

I tried a pair of the black bibs, and they were ok, but not great on longer rides for me, which is most of my rides, 2 hours is usually my minimum. Absolutely love the Castelli Free Race Aeros, can usually find them around $100 on sale, I've done 10 hours in them with no issues.

I suspect that almost ANY shorts/bibs are fine for "shorter" rides which I would define as <3 hours.

I think that a pair of shorts/bibs really need to be tested on a century or longer ride to pass muster. Which one is best for a long day in the saddle is very personal.

My favorite bibs are my Castelli Aero Race 4.0. Despite being one size too small and really expensive they are very nice. They are a bit hard to get on but once on I don't notice them and they are very comfortable. My second favorite is my one pair of some mid-range Assos.

Neither are cheap but at least they do the job they're supposed to do.

I tried The Black Bibs $65 bibs. For me, the padding is too thick and too localized, and the fabric is too slick, so I slide around on the saddle. The saddles I ride aren't flat, I guess they call them 'wave saddles' these days, and my butt keeps sliding down the wave into the trough. After an hour or so on this, I find my sit bones actually ache.

By contrast, my 4 year old Louis Garneau Fit Sensor 2 bibs, with a thinner, more uniform pad and non-slick fabric got me through a 4 1/2 hour ride yesterday with no discomfort. The only thing that hurt was my leg muscles.

For 1 hour rides I barely even need padded shorts. When I used to have a 1 hour one-way commute pre-pandemic, the best bibs for my rides were the least padded ones that cost me $10-20 from Love2Pedal.

Alternatively when riding Seattle-to-Portland in one day I wore Assos T.cento_s7s that cost $160. I wouldn't even think of trying the cheaper bibs for STP, while for shorter rides the Assos weren't any more comfortable and were slower to dry so not as good for commuting. Doesn't mean they weren't worth 10x the cost of my cheap bibs. It's much trickier to nail bibs that are still comfortable by hour 10 than to be good enough for hour 1, and buying 10 1-hour bibs for the equivalent price ain't any kind of viable alternative.

+1 for bf. I needed a new set of bibs and was thinking about forking over the cash for Assos. But I did a bf search, read this thread, and decided to try some Black Bibs. $40 plus shipping, they arrived today, just a few days after I ordered them, and I took them for a ride this afternoon. They're great. I'm going to order another pair and a pair of shorts (for the trainer).

Thanks all - this is how bf should work.

I find the Assos Mille chamois a bit big / "in the way". The bibs fit great but the chamois is a bit discomforting. Wondering if these would fit better.

The best bib is obviously the one that fits. I have a cheap pair ($60) and not as cheap (+/-120) of Pearl Izumi bibs. Same size, different material. At this point, the cheaper pair is more comfortable. Although both are fine at 20-30 miles. Unfortunately, it cost some $$$ to find one that works.

Nope. Your criterion is necessary but insufficient. There's better and worse chamois padding. There's better and worse wear. I'm tired if bibs that after a year or two become translucent peep shows for those in my draft.

I got some LG fit sensor 2 shorts that I loved, so I figured their bibs would work great. The inseam length is 3" shorter on the bibs.
It's a completely different fit. Shame, because I love the leg bands on those shorts- just some nice compression and no cheap feeling silicone band or anything like that.

I have some black bibs plus tall- the $65 ones and they have been my go to for the last 18mo or so.
Just bought some of the black bibs ultimate tall that are $80, gonna take em for a 65mi try tomorrow. Curious if they feel any different due to the pad.

The plus version has been awesome for every distance I've ridden since buying them- from 15-105mi. My saddles aren't wavy though. Slipping around would get annoying.

What is the gray bib? Do you mean the gray color of a black bibs offering?

Correct. [ link ]

I dont understand the question or the underlying point that you are trying to make. What does it take to be "$186 better" - is there some kind of objective measure for this or is this your first exposure to the concept of diminishing returns?

For long rides (more than 2-2.5 hours), I prefer the added comfort of Assos. I am willing to pay the price difference. For shorter weekday rides (typically, 90' of less), I wear cheaper bibs (entry level Castelli, etc). I assume that everyone has their own personal price/benefit tradeoff.