happiness is....

[dave66]

a nice pair of bib shorts. k, firstly, i am incredibly cheap so i have been making do with cheap closeout/sale bin shorts for commuting and riding for some time and had gotten used to the tight waist/lousy shammy/rough stitching, but recently i plurged and bought a coupl of pairs of pro style roadie bib shorts...sweet lord i have missed these!
i have worn them on a few commutes [hour and change each way] and it is like they aren't even there - haven't felt that way about a pair of shorts in quite some time.

what it all boils down to is sometimes you just gotta spoil yer junk!
:D

[DirtRagArt]

You just gave me an idea (http://www.voler.com/products.aspx?CID=4&PID=13)...

[phlatlander]

You just gave me an idea (http://www.voler.com/products.aspx?CID=4&PID=13)...

Yes!

DR: The street & mountainbike forum.

[rockyrider]

I've never tried bib shorts mostly due to my experience with other articles of clothing that are one piece like coveralls. I am of the tall and narrow persuasion, and most things like that are designed for average proportions. With coveralls anything that fits in width raises my voice an octave if I raise my arms. If I get coveralls tall enough to fit me then I could almost get two of me inside them.

So what's the scoop with bib shorts, are they very stretchy, or is it like putting your marbles in a slingshot and pulling back the sling if you're tall and narrow? The idea of not worrying about snagging shorts on the seat nose and pulling them down by accident is appealing.

[Repack Rider]

I only wear bibs now, and sometimes a pair of cargo shorts over them so I can put stuff in pockets and sit on hillsides without feeling like I'm naked.

On cold days I wear sweatpants over my bibs, and use a safety pin in front to keep the sweatpants from sliding down. When it warms up I just pull the cuffs of my sweatpants up to my knees.

[phlatlander]

So what's the scoop with bib shorts, are they very stretchy, or is it like putting your marbles in a slingshot and pulling back the sling if you're tall and narrow?

The shoulder straps (Verge, anyway) on mine are very stretchy & you hardly feel them. I was concerned about the same thing you wer about them being uncomfortable, but they are quite the opposite. For more aggressive roadbike riding positions, it's nice to wear on roadie rides due to the lack of elastic waistband digging in to my beer (de?)hydration pack. ;)

[hairygrump]

I'm short and wide, so I can't speak to the tall person question, but I can say that the only pair of bibs I have is the only thing I like to wear on a road bike ride anymore. My brother the pro team mechanic hooked me up with some of their team-issue bibs (Giordana "Competitve"... actually, I see they're on sale at the team site now if you're tiny: dig it (http://teampriorityhealth.promoshop.com/productdetail/productdetail.aspx?DPSV_Id=254198&pSRVC_Id=41&id=67162)) and it's amazing the difference they make.

Plus, for the short/wide set there's the confidence boost you get from wearing a pair of control-top pantyhose to aid with gut management when you're bent over pretending to TT...

[dave66]

hate to go all zen on ya, but it is just they seem to go with you as opposed to fighting you [ie chafe] like waistbands shorts seem to.
for walking around in, they do tend ride a little high in the crotch, but on the bike they are just 'budda'
hmmmm....DR bib's and a wool jersey....hmmmmm....
old skool!

[DirtRagArt]

See, now mine don't offer much in the way of gut management, but I think that's also the beauty of the bib short. My friend Rudi tells me that in martial arts he practices, the source of power is the gut. So rather than looking at it as a beer belly, think of it as a kung fu power generator.

The thing I don't like about the bibs I have (http://specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=25050) is that Specialized uses a foam pad, not a real shammy. And I'm particular about shammys to the point of having 7 pair of identical shorts with matching blue pads.

And for those concerned, there's even a trick to peeing without taking the shoulder straps down...well, not much of a trick, the chest just stretches enough to push the "collar" below your junk.

[hairygrump]

My friend Rudi tells me that in martial arts he practices, the source of power is the gut. So rather than looking at it as a beer belly, think of it as a kung fu power generator.

Yeah. That belongs on a tshirt.

"This is where my kung fu comes from."

[kadence666]

Bibs are sweet because they prevent The Gap--when your jersey rides up and exposes a sliver of your lower back--which can be quite nasty in coder weather. Sometimes in the winter I'll wear a pair of bibs over a pair of tights and over a wool shirt just to seal up my leaks.

Peeing in bibs really sucks if you're a girl, though. You have to take off everything...none of this peeing while riding crap.

[jerman]

Plus, for the short/wide set there's the confidence boost you get from wearing a pair of control-top pantyhose to aid with gut management when you're bent over pretending to TT...

Yeah thats what I like about bibs. Kind of a girdle for the gut. You dont have to spend alot on decent bibs. Performance sells some that are pretty comfortable.

[rockyrider]

And for those concerned, there's even a trick to peeing without taking the shoulder straps down...well, not much of a trick, the chest just stretches enough to push the "collar" below your junk.But if your hand slips and lets go of the bib when it's stretched that much that would just about remove it or turn it into a lawn sprinkler in the process. :eek:

[rockhound]

... sometimes you just gotta spoil yer junk!


Oh I do, just not the way you're thinking...

[rockyrider]

Oh I do, just not the way you're thinking...Silk underwear is just not right on a man.... :D

[dave66]

Oh I do, just not the way you're thinking...

this keeps up we are going to need a men's forum
oh wait - this place is already a sausage factory...ferget it
:D

[rockyrider]

Picked up a pair of Sugoi bib shorts last weekend and poached the first ride in them today (taking advantage of a rare bit of sunshine). They could be about 1" taller as there's a bit of pressure on the shoulder straps when standing upright, but they are comfy once I'm on the bike. I don't think the Sugois will stretch down below the junk level though, these have quite a high bib in the front.

Likely not the sort of thing that you want to take along for a ride where you have to change behind the car door in a trailhead parking lot with a crowd around (or more specifically not what I'd want to take along if having to change in near public). You do really need to disassemble your clothing to get them on or off.

Wonder if anyone's making bib baggies? :D Sounds a bit Hobbit like...

[phlatlander]

Likely not the sort of thing that you want to take along for a ride where you have to change behind the car door in a trailhead parking lot with a crowd around (or more specifically not what I'd want to take along if having to change in near public). You do really need to disassemble your clothing to get them on or off.

You're not just wearing the bibs alone? I like working on my luchador tan.

[rockyrider]

You'll note the visible snow line which was around 1800' when I was out earlier, I rode today until I found ice and snow under my wheels then it was time to come back down. It was about 7C at my place when I left and about 2-3C at the altitude where I turned around. So I had a pair of goretex wind/water proof tights on, a Thermax turtleneck, a polartec sweater, a winter goretex/windproof jacket, and a pair of winter gloves on. :D It didn't seem to be approriate to just wear the bib shorts today.

[1mystk]

You're not just wearing the bibs alone? I like working on my luchador tan.

Luchador tan?

Bib shorts, are they more comfy than the regular shorts?

[OTBSkinloss]

Happiness is a warm gun, Momma.
I'm supprised I hafta remind y'all of this. :D

[tachyon]

Bib shorts, are they more comfy than the regular shorts?

Like night and day.

Tom

[CRUM]

You just gave me an idea (http://www.voler.com/products.aspx?CID=4&PID=13)...Team CRUM has used Voler exclusively for our kits for 6 years now. The newer version of their bibs are the best ones I have ever used. As a matter of fact, I have nothing negative really to say about any of their clothing. The team, over the years has ordered up just about everything they make. Their long sleeve jersey and winter jackets are absolutely great.

The other thing about Voler is their craftmanship for team wear is better than any other I have used. They take extra pains to get your design right. And no, they are not cheap. But you get what you pay for.