I have been using cheap shorts that I have had for 5 years they get uncomfy after about 50 miles but to be honest I think they only cost me about £20 and they are still going strong I use them daily and also use them for my spin classes a standard body is slim in proportion to your height or I guess a clothes horse body, In the Uk we have a great returns policy upto 30 days no questions asked . The only reason I am thinking of bibs was because of what everyone says rather than I what I know. I am now more inclined to get the Assos Uno waist shorts as the material is so nice

I agree with you on that I do feel self concious wearing bibs at my age

I am going down that route Assos Uno do a waist short as do Castelli so will try them out however they are nearly the same price as bib versions so was just trying to get best value

If you plan to send any back, WEAR Underwear and have clean skin(shower) when trying them on. Shorts and bibs are meant to be worn commando, but when trying them on to decide to buy or keep, wear the underwear and be clean.

^^^. +1

HP office I heard theres a rumour that one of the managers there gave his house to the council on my road

funnily enough in the UK we dont have such stringent requirements for returns I once had a customer try get his money back on a PC Game 3 years after he bought it.....

Even if a company would take it in return, it's just plain common courtesy and health safety. I've tried shorts on at the LBS but always with underwear and being clean. I would hate to think I was trying on shorts that someone tried on while commando! Of course, I wash them first before wearing--which is what is stated on the tag anyway.

Yep - I worked there for a few years, then on Nine Mile Ride before being shipped to the Colonies:)
That was generous of that manager, wheoever he was.

I am not a bib fan. I am 6'3 185-200. I just find shorts more comfortable

I was somewhat shocked on Wednesday's ride. Our cycling team got together to do one last ride in rolling hills to prepare for the MS 150 coming up next Saturday. On one of the breaks, one of the new members stated that he was looking for bibs for the ride and wanted to know what everyone else was wearing. To my surprise, only 5 of our 18 member team wears bibs, and I'm not one of them. Not sure what the new guy is going to do, but we did suggest that if he were going to stick with shorts, to get a better pair than what he was waring.

I've never seen the need for bibs; regular bike shorts work fine. OTOH, I've never done more than 200 miles in a day, so maybe I don't ride enough to make a valid assessment.

+1 on getting a good pair of shorts especially for a long ride. For a long time I have worn, and still do wear, Aerotech Design wild print shorts which have a minimal pad--their "Pro" chamois which is very minimal. Their fine for up to 60 miles, but when I get beyond that I start to feel it in my rear. I did some 70 to 85 mile rides and had some discomfort. I just got a pair of Sugoi RS shorts which have a much better pad and I wore them for the 108 mile ride I did last Monday--I had no problems in the posterior department with those shorts. I'll still use the Aerotech Designs(ATD) shorts for rides up to 50 miles, but if I think or plan on more, I'm wearing the Sugoi shorts. Now, I have not tried ATD's shorts with "better" chamois, which may be fine. ATD shorts are quite attractive because of their price. Not sure how well their Top Shelf, Century, or Black P. shorts would be--maybe they'd be fine for a century--may pull the trigger on a pair to try. Their touring short uses a gel pad--I was advised by the LBS to avoid Gel pads as it's like riding on two squirrels.

The Sugoi RS shorts are not cheap, well, not to me.

Just an update I have ordered Assos F1 Uno waist shorts http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/roa...ts/assozshs230they are the non bib versions of their Uno same pad etc, from Ribble as they are offering free delivery and 10% off , so they come in at £90.
Even though the Assos site puts me in to medium to large I have ordered XL I am not sure whether these shorts are meant to be skin tight or tight but not hugging once I have them will be able to post my feelings on it

I tried the bib version of this short at the local LBS and found that XL was looseish not uncomfortable but on the grippers floating or when on bike just about gripping, Large is skin tight but not uncomfortable standing so now I dont know whether skin tight is what it should be I have yet to receive my order

Hi I checked out the sugoi and they are about the same price give or take £20 for me I notice they have 10 panels whereas the ones I ordered from Assos have 6 and are more expensive now I dont know if it is just the brand that I am paying for or are they better?

you lucky thing surely you miss our most wonderful weather how can you possibly live in Florida with all that sunshine and good food lets not go into how this country is not like it used to be as that would make us grumpy old men

Find a pair of bibs that fit in the bottom half, then cut the straps in the chest. Add elastic or remove to get the right amount of comfort in the suspenders. That's what I do, it takes only a few minutes to hand sew to get the proper fit. I wear anything from a small to large in different manufacturers.

thats been my issue I am the same height but a 33" waist I felt the straps pulling hard so have opted for large non BIB shorts the Assos F1.UNO and must say may have found my ideal shorts

Ihave bought and used tge Assos F1 Uno non bib shorts and find them comfortable on my long rides used chamois cream too for the first time.
compared to my old cheapo shorts which used to require regular pulls on the pad edge must say didnt feel any discomfort so thats the route for me

Nice that the new shorts worked for you!!

Finding the right cycling clothing, both in style and fit is a major part of riding comfortably. To bad this takes so much trial and error, and money.

Did I say I was cheap? My story, starting with inexpensive shorts and bibs (under $30), found that bibs were more comfortable. The bibs having no elastic waist band, fit the spread around the middle better then shorts. Next, was finding a brand that worked better then the $30 model. I'm still working on this, still working upwards in price. Having tried LG, PI, Castelli, Voler, Performance, Endura and Falconi.

So far, my favorite bib is the Endura FS260. I'm 5'8", 175 lbs, 35" waist and the large fits good. Actually, I'm now wondering if mediums would fit better after losing some weight.

You can find suspenders with a gripper suitable to holding up your bike shorts.

When I first started riding, a was seeing the occasional set of suspenders on wool shorts. I am big enough that my dunlap tends to push trousers down, even though I cinch them tight around my so called waist. Wally world sells suspenders made by Dickey for about $9 that really work nice. They don't have a snap gripper; instead they have broad plastic hooks that hold the belt. Two in front on the sides and one for the middle of the back with a double wide hook. The elastic is probably 1-1/2 wide, maybe 2 and of course they can be adjusted for any length.

You can also just hook them onto a belt loop, but it's a but of a kluge. I sewed some braided cord on the outside of the shorts. Works well. Maybe looks a little dorky, but anybody our age and weight that is riding a bike really shouldn't care.

That's why the eccentricity of old age.

I am 33" waist same height and bought the Assos F1 Uno shorts yesterday did my longest ride and after about 50 miles about 5.5 hours was sore had used chamois creme etc I dont know if that is expected and I should carry spare shorts to change into half way!