sstorkel

I bought a pair of Castelli Endurance X2 bibs on sale. Even on sale, I found them to be over-priced with a thoroughly mediocre chamois. You should also keep in mind that their sizing is decidedly "euro"; you'll want to order at least one size larger than what you'd normally wear. I know many people swear by Castelli, but I found them to be a huge disappointment and won't be purchasing them again.

Personally, my Assos FI.Mille bibs are the most comfortable ones I own. I buy them from the Assos Factory Outlet in the UK. Yes, they're over-priced but they're the only bibs I own that I never notice when I'm our riding. The chamois provides good coverage, has moderate padding, and wicks very well. If you're looking for a short that has a lot of padding you might give some of the higher-end Pearl Izumi shorts a try. Can't remember which ones I used to own. Maybe the Attack? They had an extremely thick chamois; almost too thick.

That said, it sounds to me like your first order of business should be to find a saddle that works. A good pair of shorts can make a slightly uncomfortable saddle feel comfortable, but they're not going to fix a painful saddle. My favorite saddle brands are WTB, SMP, and ISM but I'm not sure that any of them would work for you.

TrojanHorse

Castelli make great bibs but they're sized for midgets and scrawny people. I'm 220 and the XL are definitely on the snug side.

Funny you say that, I love that X2 chamois! My only complaint is that the front isn't as roomy as Assos Mille bibs, so if you organize yourself incorrectly you open up the possibility to some pretty unpleasant chafing. The part that touches my kiester feels great though. No complaints about my Assos bibs either though, although I wish they were a bit more compressive. I might try their other model next time just to see. They're my go-to bib for long rides and don't let me down.
@RollingBlubber - have you had anybody try to fit your bike for you? It sounds like you're making adjustments to accommodate your saddle issues rather than making adjustments to put you in the right spot on the bike. Just a thought.

adrien

It's all a matter of anatomy. Castellis fit great, and typically last me about 1200 miles each before they show wear. Assos fit terribly -- oversized Chamois makes it feel like 3 diapers stacked on top of each other. And crazy expensive, and very thin.

adrien

It finally happened, someone referred to me as "scrawny". There's another milestone!

For the record -- 6'3.5, 215, 13% body fat. XLs fit me well in Castelli and Giordana. Hincapie large are also good. Hincapie XL are loose. Assos -- haven't bothered in a while. In fact, I should give those things away.

adrien

sstorkel -- any chance you bought those from China? There's a fair amount of counterfeit Castelli stuff out there. If it's too good to be true, it's -- well, you know.

RR3

I'll pay the postage!!

RR3

Assos did not fit me well until my weight came down to about 220#. I can ride 24 hours in my Assos perched upon my Berthoud saddle and have zero discomfort. Assos S5 Mille is good for long rides because it is cut more generously and has a thicker pad. The generous cut is helpful when the swelling starts. On shorter rides (say uner 5 hours), I prefer the thinner pad on the F1.13 Assos shorts. My absolute favorite is the Assos S7 Cento and according to Assos it replaces the Mille and is a game changer. I agree. The largest size is called TIR but I think anyone much over 250 will find them too tight and will not like them. I rewarded myself with a pair after losing my first 35 pounds. The price point Assos Uno shorts are mediocre.

RollingBlubber

Back on topic here, anyone have any luck going the custom route. I have money to spend but most of the "custom" folks I've talked to aren't interested for whatever reason.

TrojanHorse

I know just where you can send them!

bassjones

I'm 6'5" and 275 right now. I have two sets of bibs - Pearl Izumi and Sugoi/Cannondale both in 2XL. The Pearls fit better but the Sugoi are nicer bibs. They're not bad, just a bit snug compared to the Pearl. The Pearl are their Select series, which is their lowest end model. I'm not paying big $$$ until I get in range of my goal weight. I also have a pair of 4XLT Aerotech bibs that I'm trying to sell - along with a pair of tights, and three jerseys, all 4XLT...

RollingBlubber

Depending on the price I might be interested.

sstorkel

I agree that the Castelli Endurance X2 is crazy expensive and thin Ultimately, the Assos FI.Mille and the X2 are very different products.

The Castelli Endurance X2 bibs feel like a product targeted at racers. The chamois is (disappointingly) thin, the fabric is thin, the shoulder straps are narrow and the sizing runs relatively small. I found the low waist and wide-set straps of the Endurance X2 bibs is a bit funky, though admittedly I probably should have bought a larger size. Castelli does have the best leg grippers in the business, however! While the Endurance X2 is better made than my favorite "house brand" bibs (Love2Pedal.com's $37 Falconi Deluxe) I just can't get excited about them given the $120-130 price point. I bought my Castelli bibs from Excel Sports in Boulder, CO not China, BTW.

The Assos FI.Mille is designed as a long-distance bib. The chamois is noticeably thicker and larger in coverage than the chamois in the Endurance X2. Fabric is thicker as well. Both the chamois and the fabric wick extremely well. The shoulder straps are wider and smoother which makes them more comfortable at least for me. The leg grippers are OK, but not nearly as good as those on the Castelli bibs. Sizing seems Clyde-friendly; this is the only bib I've purchased where I had to buy a size smaller than what I'd normally wear! That said, their sizes stop somewhere around XXXL so they probably won't fit really large riders. I have about 3000 miles on my oldest pair of Milles and they still look brand-new. Buy the FI.Mille through the Assos outlet for $155/pair and they're not that much more expensive than the Castelli Endurance X2.

In the end, it all comes down to what you want in a short. Personally I prefer the larger, thicker chamois and more durable construction of the Assos FI.Mille. If you want a stylish, race-oriented bib with a thin chamois then Castelli is certainly a good option.

RollingBlubber

I suppose something that fits, works, and lasts is just too much to ask for.

RollingBlubber

I haven't put any miles on them yet but a pair of Aerotech's "Top Shelf" bib shorts (4XL) showed up yesterday and they are a serious step above some of the other Aerotech stuff I've bought in the past. The pad is really nice and the outer pad layer (something missing from the other bibs I have of theirs) is really nice. Fit perfectly too. We'll see they hold up to 50 miles of riding today.

Willbird

Aerotech stands behind their stuff from what others have said. MTBorah makes their stuff to order, and they promptly answer emailed questions and replies for further detail. No harm in doing some tape measure work and asking them. I have every intent to use them once I get the last 20 lbs burnt off :-). A local bike shop that stocks their own shop logo stuff may have MTBorah for you to try, one in Fort Wayne IN did, I was impressed with jersey fit and quality.

adrien

Appears you can get Giordana in XXXXL as well. No idea how this compares, but they do make quality products.

ManInBlack

Watching this thread (on threads, ha!) for my own use. I too have been up and back down and up and back down. As I approached my 40th birthday I lost 100lbs from 383 to 283. That was 4 years ago. I ballooned up to 402 in the interim, and now am down to 387 in a month and a half of just documenting my calories and weight progress on a Google spreadsheet. I bought myself a Surly Long Haul Trucker when I dropped below 350 last time, and rode it quite a bit with just a pair of "Hoss" Ponderosa shorts in the largest size they had. I can't even get those up my legs now. I'm 6'0" tall, wear 54x30 "loose fit" jeans that are finally loosening up a bit, and 3XL shirts. I've been tempted to order a set of the Aerotech bibs and wear some loose shorts over them, but I don't know if that would ruin things.

Also considering changing tires on the LHT as I had way too frequent flats with the stock Continental Contact 700x37c. Thinking of getting something more in the 40-45 width range, maybe some E-bike tires...any suggestions would be appreciated. I ride on paved roads and some along the verge of the road in grass or dirt, whatever is available.

Yendor72

I don't wear bibs, but I will say that my Aerotech shorts are my favorite. I spared no expense to buy enough to keep me in a clean pair when I need them. My wife likes them best as well.

We use Chamois Butt'r when necessary (50+ mile rides) but not often. I can't believe it's not butter.

masi61

"Udderly Smooth" is an inexpensive product that I think works well to keep the perineal area comfortably slick while working from being obese/sedentary & transitioning into increased fitness. It is a water based balm that you can apply liberally. A tub of the stuff is only like $7.
I like Voler & also Pace brand shorts. Both are high quality for the price. 2XL may be the largest size.
As far as saddles go, my preference is for the Selle Italia Turbomatic series. The Turbomatic 2 is my favorite because of the shape, which is a bit like the Aliante. The elastomers provide shock absorption but might make the saddle shell bottom out under your body weight. The Turbomatic 3 or 4 might be better for a heavier person since there denser padding & more firm elastomer suspension.
I would also say "+1" to the person who recommended practicing getting out of the saddle as much as possible. If standing to climb is too fatiguing, you could try pausing occasionally when the cranks are in the 3PM & 9PM position and lifting your bottom off the saddle for a moment. Doing this often prevents numbness since it un-squashes the blood vessels & nerves in the perineal area. Good luck in your quest of continuing to lose weight & becoming a more proficient, comfortable bike rider.

dagray

I buy Ruby's Lube. Beeswax, lemon grass, and a couple other natural ingredients. Works like a charm and doesn't smell to bad either.

JohnJ80

Doc's Chamois Cream. As good as or better than Assos and half the price (twice the volume at the same price).

J.

VCSL2015

I think someone mentioned Nivea cream that has lanolin in it for chamois cream.

Null66

MARATHONS (420s)!
If you really can't have flats, the Marathon plus's are brutally tough. Only had a 1 1/2 construction staple get through mine in over 5000 miles. But it was showing just a bit of belt when that happened. Getting the staple out wasn't easy.

Null66

Well, underwear under shorts will cause nearly the worst rubbing in all the wrong places...
So please take that one seriously.

About the aerotech shorts not lasting...
Do you put them in the dryer perhaps?

Most of my miles on my new bike (6800 since build) have been with 2 pair of these as their my favorites and now onlys...

RollingBlubber

Only a moron would do that.

Nope, they just don't last.