Terrierman

It must be everybody's day to take on a new hill they've been avoiding. SaiKaiTai, you seem to have that effect lately. Tonight I rode one of the Springfield bike trails and instead of turning around at the James River, I rode on up the hill out of the valley to the C-store, over the highway and headed back down again. It was very pretty. The big long hill was not as bad as I thought it might be, went up it with some caution as I knew it was long. Used all the chain rings in front, but not all the gears in the back. I was feeling pretty cocky til I got to the peak on the other side of the highway and was just ready to head down when I met a guy on his mountain bike, pulling his three year old boy in a trailer. He WAS winded though and ready to stop for a rest. Salve to my pride it was. That hill was shorter but steeper than the other side. Pulling it with a kid in a trailer was a feat!

About the bibs in public. For my first time out in them, I think I put them to nearly the ultimate test. I had to deliver some bottled water to Lovey's two Curves stores. When I walked in, all the women stopped talking. They did not resume while I was present. Nobody died, though one lady did find it imperative to leave right away

As far as comfort goes, they're OK on the bike I guess, though overkill for what I need for 25 mile comfort. The seamless underwear and regular shorts I'd been wearing weren't causing any problems. The bike shorts didn't result in a miraculous increase in riding comfort. I will say I do not like walking around in them. The sensation is like having a wad of toilet paper in the crack of my ass that I failed to remove. I can see where they would be nice on much longer rides. The tight fit does seem like it might be a bit more efficient at the evaporative cooling effect than baggies are. Black does not seem a wise choice for summer riding? Am I wrong there?

The Weak Link

If this were a true challenge, you would have asked the over 50'ers who wear bib shorts to post a picture of themselves in full kit.

I'm up to the challenge. I'm going to post a picture of myself in bibshorts with the new bike next week. I'm hoping that my special order red water bottles and pedals make it in time.

You've been warned.

Jet Travis

Must have stuffed one too many pair of socks in the package region. That's what you get for listening to The Weak Link.

Beverly

This has to be one of the best descriptions of bibs I've read in a long time
I'm just wondering if a woman wearing bibs compares to those thongs.

Black is a very wise choice. Have you not seen the picture of the men in red biking shorts

Tom Bombadil

You are quite the persuasive salesperson. You have almost talked me into buying a pair.

BluesDawg

I don't understand all this fuss about bibbs. How would anyone know whether you are wearing bibbs or regular bike shorts? You are wearing a jersey over the bibbs aren't you?
Here I am last Saturday wearing bibb shorts.

SaiKaiTai

This was just too funny... I read the Curves visit part to my wife, Sharon. She laughed, anyway.

Funny you should mention my inspiration after I just posted about y'all's inspiring me.

It's just a big ol' circle, is what it is.

MichiganMike

Heck with the shorts. I love the socks. Go DAWGS.

BluesDawg

sic 'em
WOOF-WOOF!

Beverly

I love the Crocs!

Terrierman

You have to understand that a lot of us making the fuss about bibs have never owned a pair, and in my case, never even a pair of regular padded bike shorts. We're freds OK? Serious freds. And no, I was not wearing a jersey over the bibs, I don't have a jersey. I was wearing a blue polyester fabric tee shirt from Target. But I do agree, once you have the shirt on, nobody knows whats above the bottom of the shirt. The bib part was fine, the lycra part was fine, that wad of padding is going to take some getting used to.

Jet Travis

Beats working. Which is what I should be doing.

Monoborracho

Contrasting shades and shapes of black are difficult to identify once you are only a short distance removed from the object. Colored tight shorts tend to make the frontal lobes stand out. No, those other frontal lobes.

Wear the bibs under your jersey/T-shirt whatever.

Tom Bombadil

I like the "helmet."

The Weak Link

BluesDawg, is that a "MTB tattoo" I see on yer right calf? If so, congratulations!

Rub a little India ink in those suckers and they'll last forever!

SaiKaiTai

So, how'd this get to be *my* challenge, anyway?

Floyd

(from original post) Black does not seem a wise choice for summer riding? Am I wrong there?

Several years ago, 2001, on the Bike Across Kansas, on the last day I wore my black clergy shirt (with the collar signifying that I am a priest) for the fun of it. I had my answer ready if someone asked "Father, isn't that black hot in the summer sun?"...my answer would have been "What color are your bike shorts." Alas, no one asked me the crucial question. ... ... ... ... Peace

BluesDawg

Scratches from brush I was walking through while removing fallen limbs from a MTB trail a couple of days earlier. No need to do anything to make my battle scars permanent. I seem to find an unending supply of new scrapes and scratches to go with the hundreds of previous ones.

Tom Bombadil

Can't comment on the effect of black shorts, but there have been numerous times when I wished I had on lighter colored tops when out in the summer sun. There were a couple of times last year in particular.

On one occasion I was wearing a mostly white shirt with a wide medium gray stripe that went across my bike. As I was walking with the sun behind me, the skin under that gray stripe felt like it was on fire. It felt 30+ degrees warmer than the white areas, I could tell exactly where the boundaries of the gray stripe were. The other time I had a shirt on that was mostly yellow, with some white accents. I could again tell exactly where the white areas were. I was surprised that a brighter, lighter color like yellow absorbed so much more heat than white.

stapfam

There is only one sensible colour for shorts and for modesty- that is Black. Have seen some horrendous sights with other colour shorts- or is it just jealousy.

On the tops- I mainly have white tops- just a few splashes of colour but I do not know why. It is very rare that I ride without a long sleeve top or a pertex or even Goretex so have not really noticed the heat transfer with coloured tops. One of the rare occasions was a couple of weeks ago and you tell me if I am wearing bibs or not. Pic is taken up a hill and you can see how hard it was by the calf muscles- They only get pumped like that if I am working.

SaiKaiTai

I'm waiting...

The Weak Link

Well I'll take care of that in a moment, SKT.

BTW, I saw a picture of a pro racer who had had momentary loss of bowel control during a race. He was wearing white team shorts. Try as I might, I cannot get that image out of my mind. I may need to call the Doc in "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" to zap a few memories for me.

My advise: stick to the black shorts. Black bibshorts.

Tom Bombadil

See, SKT, it is a challenge for you to figure it out!