Newbie / return rider. Have bike - but shorts are....
03-21-10, 06:08 PM
#1
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Newbie / return rider. Have bike - but shorts are....
Struggeling with the Lycra bike shorts. Not over weight, average to good shape, but the bike shorts don't fit like they use to.... or don't look like they use to. What are some accepable options? Or are there?
03-21-10, 06:30 PM
#6
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Mountain bike shorts are another option -- they have chamois "bike short" linings, but have baggy shorts that look "normal" on the outside. Especially handy if you're going to be off the bike a lot.
03-21-10, 07:40 PM
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1+ on the MTB shorts. I wear then when I ride on trails with my wife and on recovery rides.
03-21-10, 08:50 PM
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MTB shorts work well for shorter rides and for situations where you will be off the bike and in situations where lycra would be conspicuous. I don't think they work very well for longer rides because they limit the effectiveness of the inner short by binding them, sometimes causing pain. They also don't work all that well for MTBing as they can snag the seat as you move around to shift your weight while riding technical sections.
03-22-10, 12:39 AM
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I've had a lot of problems with bib shorts and I think it's a matter of fit. I'm guessing but I think trying to get a proper fit when both girth and length of torso are involved in the measurement is more difficult. I've recently discovered Tri skinsuits and they fit me better than anything I've worn.
03-22-10, 04:26 AM
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Toss the shorts and lay down some green on a good bib. Trust me, you'll never look back.
Sarge
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03-22-10, 05:12 AM
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Another vote for bids, but they work for the kind of riding I'll be doing. Any sense of the kind of riding you want to get back into? To me it doesn't make sense to buy cycling specific clothing if you're going to be riding a few miles to the local store to pick up a loaf of bread or if you'll be doing short moderately paced rides on a bike path. But if you plan to spend more than an hour at a time on a road bike going over 15 mph, I think bibs are the way to go.
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03-22-10, 08:43 AM
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Shorts - you'll get a lot of opinions. Everyone's got favourites, and that's just as it should be.
My view - the price distribution is very irregular. You get a lot of good ones clustered around $50 to 65. Then you get into smaller numbers and higher prices, and the high price 'tail' of the distribution gets further spread out (pricier) every year. You can spend $300 in a lot of shops.
I used to think the higher prices were ridiculous. Still do. Then, 4 years ago (before the high-end tail of the distribution got so spread out) I bought the spouse a pair of Assos shorts before a 1000 mile tour we were going to do. She loved 'em, still wears them, no bike comfort problems at all.
Encouraged by this, but a long time later, I treated myself to a present - pair of Assos shorts. I thought they were just fine, although the price had gone up a lot between the 2 purchases. However, I'd only about 300 miles before they were cut off me in the emergency room after a little tumble!
This opinion sample is statistically insignificant, and unreliable as a guide to concluding 'expensive is better', 'expensive makes you happy', or indeed 'expensive makes you crash'.
Happy shopping
My view - the price distribution is very irregular. You get a lot of good ones clustered around $50 to 65. Then you get into smaller numbers and higher prices, and the high price 'tail' of the distribution gets further spread out (pricier) every year. You can spend $300 in a lot of shops.
I used to think the higher prices were ridiculous. Still do. Then, 4 years ago (before the high-end tail of the distribution got so spread out) I bought the spouse a pair of Assos shorts before a 1000 mile tour we were going to do. She loved 'em, still wears them, no bike comfort problems at all.
Encouraged by this, but a long time later, I treated myself to a present - pair of Assos shorts. I thought they were just fine, although the price had gone up a lot between the 2 purchases. However, I'd only about 300 miles before they were cut off me in the emergency room after a little tumble!
This opinion sample is statistically insignificant, and unreliable as a guide to concluding 'expensive is better', 'expensive makes you happy', or indeed 'expensive makes you crash'.
Happy shopping
03-22-10, 09:10 AM
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100% Bib wearer here too. The biggest benefit is no constrictive waistband. The fact that the bibs hold in the midsection a little bit doesn't hurt either!
RochMN--if the problem is feeling comfortable in public wearing lycra, then the baggy shorts option is also good (regular street style outershorts with padded lycra innershorts). Great if you ride to a restaurant or cafe or somewhere that you will be off the bike for a while
RochMN--if the problem is feeling comfortable in public wearing lycra, then the baggy shorts option is also good (regular street style outershorts with padded lycra innershorts). Great if you ride to a restaurant or cafe or somewhere that you will be off the bike for a while
03-22-10, 01:21 PM
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Have to agree on the bib shorts ----but they have to fit properly. Try before you buy on all clothing.
I rode MTB's for 16 years and still say Bib Shorts. I did venture into MTB Baggies once and that was a big mistake. Bought a good make and they looked ok and fitted well. But any movement on the saddle and it was bail out time. The baggies kept catching on the nose of the saddle and restricting body movement.
I have now elevated myself above the sale bin at the LBS onto good quality Giordana Bib shorts. Quality does pay on comfort and fitting- but no need to go mad when buying them. Only mistake you can make is to get red ones- and I hope no-one still has the pic to show you why.
I rode MTB's for 16 years and still say Bib Shorts. I did venture into MTB Baggies once and that was a big mistake. Bought a good make and they looked ok and fitted well. But any movement on the saddle and it was bail out time. The baggies kept catching on the nose of the saddle and restricting body movement.
I have now elevated myself above the sale bin at the LBS onto good quality Giordana Bib shorts. Quality does pay on comfort and fitting- but no need to go mad when buying them. Only mistake you can make is to get red ones- and I hope no-one still has the pic to show you why.
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03-22-10, 02:03 PM
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I am a recent convert to bib shorts. I have a pair of Performance Ultra bibs, and like how they feel for longer rides (25+ miles). I am considering getting some Pearl Izumi Ultra Slice bib shorts.
03-22-10, 04:00 PM
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You don't have to have a "mature figure" to appreciate bib shorts. I would say that 99.xx% of all racers wear bib shorts. From Cat. 5 to Cat.1, Masters and ProTour racers, they substantially all wear bibs. Mostly because they simply work better. They don't ride down, and the shoulder straps hold the fit firmly in place.
The one downside being, if you have big work to do in the washroom, you have to basically get undressed. Your jersey has to come off before you can drop the straps. This has rarely been an issue for me, and the additional comfort is well worth this minor inconvenience...... IMO.
Not all bibs fit the same; you must try on the brand that you want to buy. I wear a large in Pearl Izumi, but an XL in Hincapie. For what bibs will set you back, you'll want to make sure the fit is perfect.
The one downside being, if you have big work to do in the washroom, you have to basically get undressed. Your jersey has to come off before you can drop the straps. This has rarely been an issue for me, and the additional comfort is well worth this minor inconvenience...... IMO.
Not all bibs fit the same; you must try on the brand that you want to buy. I wear a large in Pearl Izumi, but an XL in Hincapie. For what bibs will set you back, you'll want to make sure the fit is perfect.
03-22-10, 04:05 PM
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Gotta vote for bibs. 
That's all I own. 
If you think you look too (you fill in the blank) in lycra/spandex, try mtn bike shorts. They have padding similar to lycra shorts.
That's all I own. If you think you look too (you fill in the blank) in lycra/spandex, try mtn bike shorts. They have padding similar to lycra shorts.
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03-22-10, 04:24 PM
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The one downside being, if you have big work to do in the washroom, you have to basically get undressed. Your jersey has to come off before you can drop the straps. This has rarely been an issue for me, and the additional comfort is well worth this minor inconvenience...... IMO.
03-22-10, 04:41 PM
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Another vote for bib shorts. I have a pair of shorts but they are too large now and bibs will be the only thing I buy anymore.
I have PI and love them.
I have PI and love them.
03-22-10, 04:44 PM
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03-22-10, 04:52 PM
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Ditto on the zip up jerseys (Tony2v). They're the way to go if you're wearing bibs.
Last edited by Kojak; 03-22-10 at 05:15 PM.
03-23-10, 09:01 AM
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I wear other clothes over them unless its hot and I stay on the bike. I bring other shorts or pants to put on at rest stops ans stores, etc
mountain bike shorts have padded "liners" that you can use with the shorts; other shorts or other pants. they also sell padded liners as separate items.
I recently got some new cycling pants that I love. I got the xtra large cuz of my 38" waist
https://shop.lululemon.com/Seawall_Pa...40/p/1915.html
mountain bike shorts have padded "liners" that you can use with the shorts; other shorts or other pants. they also sell padded liners as separate items.
I recently got some new cycling pants that I love. I got the xtra large cuz of my 38" waist
https://shop.lululemon.com/Seawall_Pa...40/p/1915.html