Fifty Plus (50+) - Lightly padded bibs?

Hi All,
Can anyone recommend a bib short that features a thin chamois? My saddle is slightly padded and when I wear any of my current bibs, the padding in the shorts tends to get all bunched up and is very uncomfortable. Last night, I spent 90 minutes on the bike in an old pair of unpadded shorts and had zero issues with numbness and chafing. It's time to replace some bibs and I'd like to go to a thinner pad. Currently, I have Nashbar gel bibs (yuck), Nashbar non-gel bibs(so-so), and a pair of Verge Sport bibs (Richard Sachs team). I"ll replace them all with a couple pairs of decent lightly padded bibs if I can find them.

OOPS. :o Started this thread before I saw the one here: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?657913-Unpadded-cycling-shorts-tights

This is why I started the unpadded shorts/tights/bibbs thread. It seems most people like to wear the Depends but I would as soon have nothing or just a simple chamois. But, thing is, it is really hard to find bike clothing without the huge pads in them.

Loose Chain: It is good for you to have an 'iron butt'! Not many people, including a lot of high-mileage riders are blessed with it though. I personally use Performance Ultra bibs, and they work well for me, and at a reasonable price point. I use Brooks saddles, so have no padding on them, and have had no issues with the pad bunching up. This includes a few century rides (although I did have some 'sorebutt' by the end--mostly lack of mileage in early season, I think).

I have some Nalini with relatively thin pads, but you're going to have to just look around. I've got a couple of brand new pair of Performance Ultra shorts, and the pad is really massive. They work OK for spinning class, but I wouldn't buy bibs for road wear now that I've seen what the pads and other materials are like.

Also, if padding is getting bunched up, it's more likely that the shorts are just too big on you.

I've got a couple of pairs of Performance Elite bibs. For me the pad's just right.

I agree the reaction to the gel bibs. Seems like a good idea on paper however I got a pair and couldn't stand them. I am not going to describe the sensation of riding on them in a public forum.

I have some Nalini with relatively thin pads, but you're going to have to just look around. I've got a couple of brand new pair of Performance Ultra shorts, and the pad is really massive. They work OK for spinning class, but I wouldn't buy bibs for road wear now that I've seen what the pads and other materials are like.

Also, if padding is getting bunched up, it's more likely that the shorts are just too big on you.

Pretty sure they aren't too big. They're smalls, and I'm 5'7 150# It's more to do with the padding design, especially the center of the pad. I don't need anything there.

Perhaps another solution is to go with a harder saddle, to keep me from sinking into the seat. I'm thinking that if I can perch my sitbones atop a harder surface, then the center of the pad would not be in close contact with the seat, thereby getting jammed up.

Giordana have well padded but thin inserts. Not Chamois but it works just aswell.

And since I got onto "Quality" Bibs I don't even notice the liner at all.

Voler makes some with a pretty thin pad. Not sure what the pad is called. I have 2 pairs Voler bibs. One is thicker than the other, but even that is not excessively thick. They have pretty good prices too & a lot of sales. You might want to call & ask about the pads.

The ones we use in our bibs and shorts are a Coolmax pad that would be considered midweight. Some of our customers have called it thin, but compared to the thin pads of 8-10 years ago (smooth pseudo-chamois fabric with virtually no padding), it is not even close to that thin.

I offer a $5 discount code to some of the other bikeforum boards and can offer it here too if interested. Just type TFCZ in the promo code box and $5 will be deducted from the order total.

Dan

Just checked my Voler bibs over the lunch hour. The thin pad is called "Cantara". The not as thin one is called "Torino". For shorter, faster rides I use the thiner. For longer rides I prefer the one with a little more padding. Both have been used a lot and have held up well.

Thanks! Lots of good suggestions here. I'm gonna try love2pedal's offerings. Ordering now.

Loose Chain: It is good for you to have an 'iron butt'! Not many people, including a lot of high-mileage riders are blessed with it though. I personally use Performance Ultra bibs, and they work well for me, and at a reasonable price point. I use Brooks saddles, so have no padding on them, and have had no issues with the pad bunching up. This includes a few century rides (although I did have some 'sorebutt' by the end--mostly lack of mileage in early season, I think).

Well, the OP of this thread too, so that is two of us.

I am finding that some tri specific clothing has a very light pad. Chamois is fine as long as it is a single layer. I realize that traditionally cyclist go, shall we say nude, under their cycle shorts but again, I differ there also, just doesn't seem to work out ;).

Cannondale had some cycling tights with no pads a few years back, my last pair of single layer chamois shorts just popped a hole in a bad place, maybe the OP and I will luck out with some of the useful suggestions, sincerely thanks for the help here and in the other thread :).

Well, I have been called a hard a$$ before. :)

I decided to give the love2pedal bibs a try. Dan gave a nice description plus added a discount, the price is right, and the 30-day return policy helped make the decision.

I'm pretty sure that the pads on my current bibs would be called "thick".

Pretty sure they aren't too big. They're smalls, and I'm 5'7 150# It's more to do with the padding design, especially the center of the pad. I don't need anything there.

Perhaps another solution is to go with a harder saddle, to keep me from sinking into the seat. I'm thinking that if I can perch my sitbones atop a harder surface, then the center of the pad would not be in close contact with the seat, thereby getting jammed up.

That sounds right. I've got Fizik Arione's on my bikes. Some people think they're pretty hard, but they're not really if they fit. You could see if your LBS has some spare saddles you could try just to see if the theory works.

Check out Boure' ( http://www.boure.com/index.html ) . Their top of the line models have thin chamois. They also have a page on the site detailing the chamois construction. Call, and Boure' himself will gladly discuss the issue with you.

The quality is first class and if you don't like it after several rides, you get your $'s back. I've got two bibs from the guy. I can't stand tightness about the right knee and his articulated knee area works very well for my problem.

They are not cheap, but they do go on sale.

Al

The ones we use in our bibs and shorts are a Coolmax pad that would be considered midweight. Some of our customers have called it thin, but compared to the thin pads of 8-10 years ago (smooth pseudo-chamois fabric with virtually no padding), it is not even close to that thin.

I offer a $5 discount code to some of the other bikeforum boards and can offer it here too if interested. Just type TFCZ in the promo code box and $5 will be deducted from the order total.

Dan

Mine came yesterday - I got the deluxe bibs twofer deal. Today, on a 40 miler, they felt great! No numbness and no binding. They're keepers! Glad I got two pairs.

Mine came yesterday -

How does the sizing seem?

I've been using some PI Tri bibs. Not much storage since there's no back pockets except for a small cell phone sized pocket. But, I do like the minimal padding.

How does the sizing seem?

I'm gonna say that they run a bit small. I have a 31-32" waist and the mediums are a nice snug fit.

How does the sizing seem?

I'm gonna say that they run a bit small. I have a 32" waist and the mediums are a nice snug fit. The site says mediums fit 32-34.