lycra/bib shorts

wersal gummage

OK, following on from a post I made recently (and subsequent advise/abuse!) about buying baggy shorts in the 'should have left credit card at home' thread - i've decided to give the lycra stuff a go:eek:

so i'm wondering two things:

1) do people generally wear the bib type stuff ? and, more importantly


2) on the sizing charts (assos for example on wiggle) it states that someone who is 6 foot 3 (i.e. me) would need an XL pair of bib shorts..... one problem - XL bib shorts are stated to have a 43" waist. Now i'd have a 34" waist so you see my problem ! any other lanky gits out there who can advise on sizing ???? i'm guessing an L would be a happy compromise.....

anything else i should know about ?? ideally i'd like to try them on but i dont feel comfortable going into a shop to try on shorts and then just go home and order on-line. i did that with my shoes but i'm not sure about the shorts.

thanks very much.

Raam

I'm 6'3" with a 32" waist. I always go with medium shorts.

Bibs are much more comfortable to wear.

jwshooter

iv a pair of assos f1.mille-s5 .in xl im the same size as yourself.

Blowfish

wersal gummage wrote: »

1) do people generally wear the bib type stuff ?

Yes. Much more practical than non-bib stuff as it won't slip downwards and also doesn't have the elasticated band thingy to dig into your waist when cycling.

anything else i should know about ??

You'll probably feel like a tit your first time wearing them, but soon enough you'll realise that people don't actually see 'guy wearing lycra', instead they see 'cyclist' (if that makes any sense).

jwshooter

not to worry .

wersal gummage

Raam wrote: »

I'm 6'3" with a 32" waist. I always go with medium shorts.

jwshooter wrote: »

iv a pair of assos f1.mille-s5 .in xl im the same size as yourself.

hmmm. well i'm an XL in pretty much every bit of clothing I have so I was leaning towards that till I saw the 43" waist stuff..... is there any hygiene issues with returning shorts ??? - like can you actually return them (on-line) if they dont fit ?????

jwshooter wrote: »

not to worry .

ah yeah, the ould mankini:D

Raam

I've never returned any shorts. Remember, they are meant to be a snug fit.

Maybe you are better off buying local.

sweetswing

i use to put the bike in the car, put on the lycra , put a tracksuit over it, drive to the furthest part of my gyms car park , take the bike out , take tracksuit off, put helmet and shades on and cycle away :eek:
i done this 3 times before i realised no body gives a **** but yourself, only people looking at you are other roadies.
i love my cycling gear , i have loads of stuff now, and its growing by the week (every week) .
all my tights are bib type, love them all:D

wersal gummage

Raam wrote: »

I've never returned any shorts. Remember, they are meant to be a snug fit.

Maybe you are better off buying local.

in my (limited) experience, local = crap selection and overpriced. thats why i said in my original post that i want to buy on-line.

but yeah, you're right - ideally i would buy locally.

Raam

wersal gummage wrote: »

in my (limited) experience, local = crap selection and overpriced. thats why i said in my original post that i want to buy on-line.

but yeah, you're right - ideally i would buy locally.

I hear ya, I buy all my stuff on-line.

blorg

Fit can be tricky- especially with bib shorts as there is height to consider as well as waist.

If you leave the labels on and try them on wearing underwear there are no issues returning them other than the postage back.

Also bear in mind that sizing is very different depending on brand. I am a medium in some shorts, large in most, but in some Italian brands large has been too small (generally in the straps.)

If you are starting out no need to go straight for Assos, get something cheaper like the dhb range from Wiggle. They are good quality for the money.

wersal gummage

blorg wrote: »

Fit can be tricky- especially with bib shorts as there is height to consider as well as waist.

If you leave the labels on and try them on wearing underwear there are no issues returning them other than the postage back.

Also bear in mind that sizing is very different depending on brand. I am a medium in some shorts, large in most, but in some Italian brands large has been too small (generally in the straps.)

If you are starting out no need to go straight for Assos, get something cheaper like the dhb range from Wiggle. They are good quality for the money.

ok thanks thats pretty helpful alright.

i am just starting out alright, but i'd said in another thread that i'm using baggy shorts and they tend to get uncomfortable after about 60 miles or so. people replied saying to use the bib shorts. so i figured i might as well buy a decent pair ??

the cyclesuperstore actually has the shorts i'm looking at for the same price as on-line - they're not local but they're close enough to take a spin out to so i'll do that tomorrow.

blorg

I think that is a good idea, better to try them on first. If possible though get onto your bike in them, in the normal position you would ride in- they may feel different in your riding position than just standing up in the shop.

DirkVoodoo

blorg wrote: »

I think that is a good idea, better to try them on first. If possible though get onto your bike in them, in the normal position you would ride in- they may feel different in your riding position than just standing up in the shop.

Very true. Don't limit yourself to the pair you have picked out either when you go in, try on a few different brands and see what suits or fits you better.

iregk

As said height can play a part.

I hate wearing normal shorts as they tend to slip down and as such the padding moves and you can end up with a sore arse as its not covering where it should be. Bib shorts don't have that issue as the straps ensure no slippage.

On the size/height matter. I'm 6'1 so would be an XL on most brands but I don't have the 40" waist. I go for the 36" waist mostly as they are still snug on me but the extra lenght in the legs and straps suits be better. I'll take a touch extra around the waist for more comfort on the straps. For fear of sounding like a woman, nothing is more annoying than the bra straps digging into you on shorts that are not quite tall enough for you.

Different brands do have different sizings. Some italian ones as blorg said I've had to go up sizes, particularly in nalini models.

Lumen

When you try on bib shorts in the shop, remember to assume a cycling position when checking for fit.

As a fairly slim person, I've found the biggest issues are that the smaller sizes which fit my waist have straps that are a bit tight, but whilst I never feel tight straps on the bike, a saggy waist is really annoying particularly when in low position. So err on the small side.

Bib tights are harder to fit than shorts as you need to avoid material gathering at the knee. I have some Assos winter bib tights in L that annoy me a bit - probably should have gone for M (I'm 182cm ish).

cdaly_

blorg wrote: »

try them on wearing underwear

So what's this thing about going commando with bike shorts / tights? I would have thought there's opportunity for movement leading to squishingness as you spin?...

TinyExplosions

cdaly_ wrote: »

So what's this thing about going commando with bike shorts / tights? I would have thought there's opportunity for movement leading to squishingness as you spin?...

It's more comfortable going commando

DirkVoodoo

cdaly_ wrote: »

So what's this thing about going commando with bike shorts / tights? I would have thought there's opportunity for movement leading to squishingness as you spin?...

Oh no, no no no. Never wear boxers/briefs under bib shorts. Chaffing, bacterial infection. You are wearing lycra for a reason, stuffing cotton shorts in there that will absorb sweat is a bad idea.

From WWC blog:

Riding the Wicklow 200 last weekend I noticed a number of cyclists wearing white shorts with a VJL ( visablejocks line ) underneath . All cycling shorts are designed with a padded chamois to be worn next to the skin . You may feel naked the first time that you do this but you will get used to it very quickly . The seam of any underwear will cut into you and is a surefire way to get a saddle sore or to end up walking like John Wayne after a spin . Chamois cream is a great way to cut down on the natural friction that occurs when pedaling at 90 rpm for a couple of hours . This can be applied to either the chamois itself or directly onto the skin where the point of contact is . Whilst everyone has a personal choice in saddle styles , in general they should be narrow for road bike use , as you will be sitting more forward and a wide saddle may cause chaffing between the legs . All saddles should be level , not pointing up or down . If you feel that you need your saddle pointing down towards the front hub , chances are that it is too high in the first place and vice verse . It does take time to get your rear end used to sitting on a saddle for hours on end , but this too is all part of the training .

10 things every cyclist should know.

blorg

Lycra shorts are designed to be worn without underwear and it is indeed more comfortable that way but commuting or shorter cycles (up to 50km or so) I wear underwear without any major disaster (I don't have enough pairs of shorts to be putting on clean ones every day of the week.)

funkyjebus

excure the ignorance. what the diffence between bib short and normal lycra short, cosmetically and functionally. thanks

Blowfish

bib shorts, non-bib shorts. The extra straps holds the shorts up so there is no slippage, plus means there is no need for a waist band.

DirkVoodoo

funkyjebus wrote: »

excure the ignorance. what the diffence between bib short and normal lycra short, cosmetically and functionally. thanks

Cosmetically they look crap. No one wants to see your belly hanging out over the shorts. Functionally, more importantly, they don't dig into your waist as you are bent over on the bike, much more comfortable and they hold their shape better as there is no risk of them slipping down. Bibs all the way, don't even consider shorts unless you need to take them off for some reason.

el tel

Bib shorts prevent belly overhang.

Bib shorts:

Highway_To_Hell

shorts

bib shorts

abcdggs

Where is the *almost* nipple slip .gif gone?

c0rk3r

If you buy from http://www.radsportbekleidung.com/ (german meaning bike-sports-clothes) when you purchase an item they will ask you to insert your measurements so someone will check for a suitable fit before the order is processed and shipped. I ordered of them awhile ago and changed from a medium to large on recommendation from their customer service. Having gotten the jersey they were perfectly right to change size as the medium would have been too tight.

wersal gummage

thanks very much for all the advice folks:)

dropped into cyclesuperstore this evening and picked up a pair of assos f1 uno bib shorts for 122 euro. they're 118 sterling on wiggle so thats a great price.

i tried on the L and XL and couldn't really tell any difference between them (including sitting on the bike). the L was slightly tighter on the straps so I went with them as I felt they would hold the shorts up better, being slightly tighter and all.......

so, do people wear the bib shorts and then put a base layer and jersey on over ??? or would you wear a base layer under the bib shorts to stop the ould nipples getting chaffed ????

thanks again (now off to fix the two punctured tubes I got on my six mile spin home from work this evening:eek:)

Raam

base layer under the tights. None when it's super hot.

DirkVoodoo

wersal gummage wrote: »

so, do people wear the bib shorts and then put a base layer and jersey on over ??? or would you wear a base layer under the bib shorts to stop the ould nipples getting chaffed ????

This was something Blorg and myself were debating last week. I had to put a base layer UNDER my new Assos as there was a severe risk of nipple chaffing. I normally wear it over the straps but soon realised that when you have a jersey over it, no one will notice.

I don't think it matters, just never, ever, EVER, wear a jersey under the straps. It's an automatic face slap.

Highway_To_Hell

wersal gummage wrote: »

dropped into cyclesuperstore this evening and picked up a pair of assos f1 uno bib shorts for 122 euro. they're 118 sterling on wiggle so thats a great price.

sounds like a good price, was there much of a selection? might drop in tomorrow.

wersal gummage

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I don't think it matters, just never, ever, EVER, wear a jersey under the straps. It's an automatic face slap.

i was out in baggy shorts and a campy jersey last weekend and even I would have known that !!!

wersal gummage

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

sounds like a good price, was there much of a selection? might drop in tomorrow.

well i had picked out what i wanted before i arrived. they only had one black left in L and two blues in XL.

they had a good few boxes of the more expensive stuff.

ps - i think the price is actually 130 and they knocked a few euro off because i've spent a lot of money there recently.

iregk

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

10 things every cyclist should know.

That link is actually quite good and I'd very much agree. 10 things every cyclist should indeed know.

DirkVoodoo

iregk wrote: »

That link is actually quite good and I'd very much agree. 10 things every cyclist should indeed know.

It's a very good blog. But yes, some excellent tips.

el tel

If you know the size you need, Slane Cycles do Assos F1 uno 2010 model for £104. They have all sizes in all available colours.

ednwireland

shorts offers at wiggle

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ra/cycle/7/585/