daithi2

im 6'4" 265. i wear Pearl Izumi's in a XL. i enjoy the baggy shorts with the removeable padded liners, only problem i have is a couple times ive snagged the saddle.

Peter_C

+1 !!

Only place I have bought from - And they go to 4XL and 5XL too. As to gym shorts over the cycling shorts - I do that too - but you can also buy shorts that way - spandex inside, and baggy shorts on the outside

himespau 

I've tried the burke baggy shorts from nashbar and find the pad way too far forward. Doesn't cover my sitz bones and just is in the way between my legs/junk. They're attractive and I thought they were a good idea, but just poorly executed. Also the padding is too thing and just appears to be a big cotton pad sewn in.

CliftonGK1

Yes, there is a massive difference.

The materials and construction on a $30 pair of shorts will not be comparable to a pair of $300 shorts. In particular, I'll compare 2 pairs I own: Performance Ultra bibs (sale rack, $70) and Assos FI.Mille S5 (with club discount $220)

General fit:
- The Performance bibs are a higher compression garment, and not cut for body contours so they are tight everywhere. This includes across the waist, and along the backside when riding.
- The Assos bibs are a high compression garment and contour cut for a riding position. They are a little loose in the backside when standing straight, and tight/short along the bib front; this evens out when you are leaned forward on your bars, keeping an even pull at the waist. The waist is contoured to be less constrictive than the backside and legs.

The Materials:
- The Performance Echler (sp?) fabric is a lightweight, highly breathable compression fabric. It is extremely comfortable even in hot weather, allowing for maximum evaporation. The exterior of the fabric has a light waffling pattern, aiding in evaporative surface. If you're really picky, it increases drag. If like me you don't care about that, it's not a drawback. The bib upper is a lightweight breathable lycra mesh, and the shoulders could use a little more edge-bias because they start to dig after 4 or 5 hours.
- The Assos short fabric is ultra lightweight, very breathable and very high compression. It is suggested that you don these shorts in the same fashion you would any custom compression garment, by bunching the fabric and using your hand inside the short to draw them upward, not by pulling at the tops of the garment which could overstretch a single point. The fabric will not slide once you've poured yourself into these shorts; this can be to a fault, since *ahem* "adjusting" is difficult once you're riding. The ultimate downside: Assos suggests (as do their sales reps) that you handwash these shorts using their branded tech wash. The fabric is not meant for machine washing, even on gentle cycle.
The bib uppers are a lightweight carbon weave fabric with comfortably padded straps. The uppers stay in place without binding or bunching, the straps do not dig, even after 15 hours. The back could be cut a little wider for those of us with very broad shoulders, but they're flexible enough that this isn't a dealbreaker.

The Padding:
- The Performance padding is a medium firmness, minimal padding for long distance. It's a 4-way stretch pad that conforms well without bunching, due to well placed 'fold lines', where the padding is separated. It's a breathable pad with a comfortable covering fabric that does not hold moisture, but retains chamois creme well. On the downside, the frontal coverage is not great because they minimize the amount of padding in order to keep the bunching factor down.
- The Assos padding is a multi-density foam with differing thicknesses across the pad area. It's also a 4-way stretch, but there are far fewer 'fold lines' in the pad. It feels large and a little "diaper-ish" off the bike. The contour cut of the chamois is meant for comfort on the bike. The men's shorts have a full coverage, wicking, non-padded and contoured front (yes, a formed pouch fer yer junk.) The rear is wider than the Performance shorts, but the padded area is roughly the same. The rest is wicking material only. The padding is higher pile, but well channelled to keep from compressing central soft tissue and nerves. It's highly breathable and retains chamois creme very well. I've done a 300k and only had to re-apply twice.
Downside: I know it's their signature colour, but who the hell decided on robin's egg blue for something that your sweaty naked arse is rubbing on all day? Really.

Construction:
- The Ultra bibs are strong. I toss mine in the wash with other 'delicates' and a light detergent, then hang them to dry. The seams are flat, but well stitched. It's taken many miles for me to start wearing them down at the saddle edge (as in, over 2 years of heavy duty use). The gripper silicone could be lighter, though. It's a flat glued strip all the way around the leg. A bit of overkill, and it pulls at your hair if you're like me and don't shave.
- The Assos bibs are a bit on the delicate side. The seams are not as heavily over-stitched as with the Performance bibs. The thread is lighter weight. Not that they're a weak garment, but they are designed around a different level of function than the Ultras. They'll put up with a good beating on the bike, but you can't (or at least shouldn't, according to Assos) just toss them in the laundry when you're done riding. I'm more comfortable plopping down on a curb at 7-11 to snack on my lunch wearing the Ultras than I am in my FI.Milles. The grippers are a silicone dot pattern which holds well without snagging much hair in the process.

I'm comfortable in my Ultras on anything from my 30mi r/t commute to a century or even a 200k. Beyond about 9 hours, there are small details which start to get annoying. The gripper pulls at my leg hair if the leg fabric slips. The straps are a little uncomfortable and dig/pull because of the lack of contour cut for riding position. The padding gets less than comfortable across the frontal area due to the lack of contour cut and high compression.
I'm fine in the FI.Milles up to 15 hours (so far.) Overall the garment is designed for comfort over longer rides, and the details are apparent when you surpass the century or 200km mark. They're very obvious at the 300km distance.

For a new rider, do I suggest going out and dropping $300 on a pair of Assos FI.13 S5 shorts? Hell no.
Do I suggest a pair of $30 shorts? Hell no.
- Read those little detail differences about the $70 Performance Ultras, and consider them amplified for a less expensive garment. I've found that a reasonable entry price point is around $50 - $60, and that will get you a comfortable, functional garment which is durable enough for regular laundering instead of fussing with handwashing. The Performance Elite is a great short/bib, and comfortable for most riding conditions and distances up to a century.

Of course, this is all just one guy's opinion; take it for what that's worth.

socalrider

+ on the Assos, definitely a great pair of shorts but very pricey.. You may also consider XXL Pearl Izumi shorts, lots of options to choose from in there line..

rthomse

Try these , great quality and prices.https://www.boure.com/

wvridgerider

www.boure.com. I am 6'1" 265lbs, the XXL bibs are great. They even have XXXL

AmericanMade

I went with the Padded Bicycle Touring Shorts from https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/baggy_bike_shorts.htm it was actually padded under clothing with a reinforced short having zippered pockets for the cash and cell phone I keep with me every ride. I'm not racing anytime soon and not needing racing shells, the shorts are comfortable and carry the little things that make it safer to ride. When I got it the cost was $70 delivered, and the outer shorts remind me of those old American textiles that wear forever.

neilfein

I just wore my new Aerotech bibs on a 15-mile ride - wow! These are a keeper. I was planning to find some wool shorts or bibs to trade off with, but I might just get another one of these.

dekindy

Go to the Boure site and measure yourself per their specifications. E-mail the measurements and they will tell you which size to order and whether you need custom. They encourage trying the shorts with the intention of only keeping the model/size you prefer and returning the others. I know this because yesterday I exchanged 3 e-mails with them concerning size and differences in the models. Try a pair and go from there.

dekindy

Go to the Boure site and measure yourself per their specifications. E-mail to them your measurements and they will tell you which size to order and whether you need custom. They encourage trying the shorts with the intention of only keeping the model/size you prefer and returning the others. I know this because yesterday I exchanged 3 e-mails with them concerning size and differences in the models. Try a pair and go from there.

https://www.boure.com/wadesworld/stuff.html#mshort
They have some returned 3XL's for $40 that you could try.

Neil1966

I have had good luck with the shorts and bibs I got from www.love2pedal.com

The bibs especially are a good deal

They usually have a coupon for $5 floating around these forums too.

himespau 

The current one is CLYD