Jinkster

Okay...so I'm completely ignorant and a bit stumped here folks....I've owned several pairs of biking shorts decades ago and they fit and stayed in place just fine....but more recently?...I bought a "Buy 1 Get 50% Off" at sports authority a couple months back where I selected one pair of Trayl Brand Lycra Shorts and the other pair Lycra Riding Pants....now the pants seem to stay put real well and no problems riding those....but the shorts?....blow...and in 1/2 mile of pedaling shift forward and reduce themselves to nothing more than an expensive, well padded jock strap....so this past Wednesday (2 days ago) I stopped by the LBS and bought some lower end Bibs..Specialized BG Comp...they looked about right size wise and despite the clerks mentioning they have a dressing room if I'd like to try them on?...I figured...well?...A size large T-shirt fits me snug and an XL T-shirt fits me loose so I'm kind of in between and no doubt I'm hoping to loose weight pedal...these are expandable lycra and look about the perfect size for me....so I just bought them outright without trying them on....in a Large...so the first question that hit me when I got home was do I wear these over a T-shirt or under it?...a few images on the net later?...I concluded under...but when I tried these on?...while the "shorts part" fit great?...the shoulder straps of the bibs were a bit of a struggle to wring up and around the top of my shoulders and seemed to fit slightly tight on my shoulders.....not where they are cutting in or anything but just real snug fitting on the shoulder straps.

Now...I've held off wearing them for a ride thinking maybe I should return and go for a XL size but?...they way I see it?...too loose wouldn't be a good thing either and the way the bottom 1/2 fits me on the L that would be the case with the XL so?...is it normal for the bib straps to be a little on the taunt side over the shoulders?

T.I.A. Bill.

freedomrider1

Yup the straps on a guy who benched or benches 350lbs. will be a lillte snug.LOL. I have found the size charts are usually accurate for online buying.As for the t shirt. Is it a wicking type shirt? Cotton is not a good choice for it soaks up sweat.

Jinkster

I used to insist on wearing nothing but 100% cotton a few years back because down here in south florida?...anything with any amount of polyester in it was like wearing a plastic bag for me...I'm talking dehydration and faint city kind of hot and sweaty....however?...I've had a complete reversal of that preference when I stumbled upon the latest crop of "Micro-Mesh Polyester" sports shirts a few years back...the dang things flow air like crazy and are the closest thing to wearing nothing I ever felt and?...far more durable than cotton...and ever since?...I've been like...screw 100% cotton! LOL!

And man...you folks sure retain and remember a lot of info...or maybe I'm just more brain damaged than I think! LOL!....but that 350 was like 3 decades ago....I'm not sure I could bench 100 right now without tearing something! LOL!

The mass is still there but it's all show no go these days! LOL!

So I'm guessing "Yes"?....just keep and ride these bibs and appreciate the taunt shoulder straps instead of going a size up and winding up with loose shorts?

Here's a couple polaroids my wife took of me while honeymooning in cancun/cozmel I scanned and uploaded years ago....back when I was towards the end of working out like a mad man and still looked somewhat normal! LOL!

The Gold Arrowhead choker I'm wearing in the lower pic was bought for me by a friend when I became a state ranked archer.



Thanks, Bill.

icyclist 

I have bibs, I like my bibs. Maybe because I'm not overweight shorts work well for me, too. Next time, OP, go for a good pair of shorts. Meanwhile, you'll get used to the bibs.

bruce19

Any particular size in bibs is trying to account for two body dimensions....waist and torso length. And, as you know, not every 36" waist has the same torso length. When I was 15 lbs heavier if I got the right waist size the straps were too long. This was especially true as I got older and lost height in my upper body. Down from 5'10 1/2" to 5'9". These days having gotten down to 180 lbs a Large in most brands will be perfect.

jppe

Agree that many polyesters are not comfortable in the hot humid south. However the technical wicking synthetics are better than cotton at keeping you cool due the evaporative cooling effect of the moisture being pulled from your skin. Cotton is not a good material if you're riding and sweating.

Have you tried sitting in the saddle with the bibs on? The riding position is a little different as you might be leaned over a bit and you might not even notice the straps while in that position.

Jinkster

Thanks folks and...

Yes...thanks...that's a much better way of saying and putting what I was trying to get across in many words....and get this....I think I have an amplified problem with that "fitting of dual body dimensions" because quite literally and no lie?...my grandfather (on my fathers side) actually was a horse jockey who stood 4'9"s tall and the most he ever weighed in his life was 98lbs...where my grandfather (on my mothers side) was actually a 6'4" 320lb Truck Driver...me?...it seems I was blessed with the upper body of one and the butt and legs of the other! LOL! and yes...bibs is not the only fitment problem I've ever run into. LOL!..here's a pic of me with my RB taken a couple months ago that kind of shows that a little...



Ahhh...the old evaporative cooling effect...and yes...that's why although I wouldn't wear anything but 100% cotton up until a few years ago and refused to wear anything that had any polyester in it at all?....(because it was like wearing a plastic bag in this florida heat)...I gained a fondness for the new "Micro-Mesh" polyester T's a few years back and won't wear anything but now (because they are so cool they're like wearing nothing yet have an SPF rating) and use my old 100% cotton shirts for work!...and hoping they tear up soon so I can throw them away! LOL!

And no....I haven't sat a saddle with the bibs on yet....just tried them on and took them right back off until I found out if snug fitting bottoms with slightly taunt shoulder straps is an acceptable fitment...because another embarrassing thing is...I had to ask around if I should be wearing my hanes with this stuff or just go commando...and I just don't feel right about returning anything I wore commando on a butt hatchet saddle! LOL!

Guess I'll just roll with'em and if the shoulder straps become an issue?....I'll cut and hem the straps and let'em out an inch or two with a stretchy jumper of some sort and then they'll be custom fit.

John_V 

It could also be your body and have nothing to do with the size of the bibs. I have normal length legs for my height but I happen to be unfortunate to have an Italian torso (short). Medium bibs fit me just fine from the waist down but are too loose in the shoulders, which defeats the purpose of the bibs. Small bibs are very snug from the waist down but tug on my shoulders and that just drives me nuts. I've had excellent results with Perl Izumi shorts, especially their Attack model, so I just keep buying them. Never had any problems with them.

Ludkeh

I switched to bibs a few years back and now have three pair. At first I was not sure they would work for me but now I love them for a variety of reasons. And yes, when you first put them on and are standing up straight the shoulder straps feel snug. This all goes away as soon as you start riding on your bike.

I love that there is no more bunching around my middle and I feel sleeker. They eliminate the gaposis when my jersey starts riding up my back. This lets me wear a more form fitting jersey. In the colder riding season I can wear a thin sports t-shirt under my bibs and than my jersey giving my just enough warmth without overheating.

For regular bike riding, I'd never go back to bike shorts.

FLvector

A little taut is good. If you feel pressure on the shoulder, that's bad. Some have to sew in some extra material to make it right. Sizing can be very tricky from one manufacturer to the next, so its really trial and error to find the right fit. I'm normally a large in most brands, but in Hincapie I'm a medium and in MUMU, I'm an XL. I do prefer snug fitting bibs and jerseys so things don't start flapping in the breeze ;-)

RonH

FWIW, I wear L shirts, sometimes M will work. Depends on the brand and style. I've been wearing bibs since 2004. "Once you try them you'll never go back to shorts."
Bib sizing is based on height more than weight or waist size. I've tried bibs that fit in the waist but were kinda short. So I determined long ago that XL is the best choice for me. I have now or in the past had De Marchi (my favorites), PI, Endura, Etxe Ondo, Voler and one or two others I can't remember. I've tried "cheap" bibs but they never fit or seem comfortable.
Good luck with them.

Oh, and stay away from Sports Authority, Dicks, Wallyworld, etc when get anything bicycle related. Either shop at your LBS or go to one of the many reliable online sites. If you need help finding them let us know. I can give you several dozen.

Jinkster

Thanks Ron and yeah...I sense that about the bibs vs shorts (for me) and agreed...my future gear will not be coming from SA.

I haven't even pedaled a stroke this 4 day weekend and I was planning to do a bunch of riding but?...my wife's father passed away weekend before last and the family emotions, tensions and ugliness struck on my first day off....wound up walking out of thanksgiving dinner at my oldest daughters house over her other 1/2 coming at me sideways over unrelated dumb stuff...where I left my entire family behind (including my near 80 parents) and left while I could still speak in a calm controlled voice as he followed me out the door too my truck screaming expletives...and I've been in a funk ever since...worse yet?...today is my Fathers 79th Birthday...which was already pre-arranged to be held...guess where..(the oldest daughters house)..where under the circumstances?...I dare not go....to celebrate my own fathers Birthday...yet my parents called me a couple hours after that event to tell me how proud they were of how I handled things...by just getting up and walking out...it's he11 having one extremely dis-functional family member who uses their kids to rip families apart during holidays after a death...so I've been in a state of depression ever since and when that happens to me?...it's shutdown time and I isolate with zero energy or desire to do anything but?...

Thank God for you folks!

A member here PM'ed me that he has a pair of size L Castelli bibs he wore like 4 times but the shoulder straps are too long for him which sound perfect for me so he's shipping them out to me tomorrow...the one bright spot in my otherwise dismal 4 day holiday weekend.

And now?...I'm praying hard and doing my best to muster up the energy to make it to the 11:15 church service because I flat out missed to 9:00am one...being in a funk destroys me...again Thank God for you Folks!

freedomrider1

After church get a bite to eat and go for a ride.And it does sound like you handled it well, but now its time to ride.

Jinkster

Thanks and agreed...I need a ride...and the Lord does work in mysterious ways...check this out...

Prayed...then decided to cheer myself up?...I'm going to ride my Vulcan Classic Cruiser too church...so drug it out of the garage...checked the ties...sure enough...cooler weather...it needed a couple extra psi in both....fired up the compressor...got'er done and ready to go...ran inside and now find myself rushing so I don't run late (over a last minute decision to take the bike)...feeling bad about "going to miss my Fathers BD"....get out of the shower and?....my cells ringing...it's my father....wanting to know if I want to come over and swing by for some eggs and sausage...now...there's many times Satan has done all he can to get back what used to be one of his finest soldiers and threw things in my way to prevent me from making it too church but...this didn't seem like one of those times...as I chuckled to myself thinking....

1. It's my Fathers Birthday.

2. I can always come home and watch my Pastors service on streaming video and?...

3. If I talk on this phone much longer I am going to be late for church and finally?....

4. It's almost 11:00am and while I haven't had a thing to eat yet today?...I did take my sugar pill about 4 hours ago...followed with...

5. So why am I thinking about this?...if I go with nothing to eat?...I'll probably pass out in the pews! LOL!

Which ended with..."Sure Dad...I'll be right over!"

and when I get back?...from a hearty breakfast and my nice relaxed motorcycle run in great weather?....it's "pedal time" to get rid of the sausage!

After that?...(since I'm not exactly welcome "by all" at my daughters house for dinner?)...I think I'll treat myself to another shower followed by a trip (on the motorcycle) too Longhorns Steak House for an Outlaw bone-in Ribeye and well timed so that when I leave there?...I'll be just in time for an old NA 12 step meeting I used to attend regularly where folks will be more than "Happy To See Me"!

again?...thanks all....Ride Safe and God Bless! Bill.

JGM411

I was in the same situation a few months back, when I purchased my first pair of long bibs (Large Castelli). I am 5'10 and the straps are a bit tight. I decided to wear them and glad I did. They are very comfortable while riding wearing them. Hopefully, you will have the same experience as me.

hop on your bike and ride hard. its good therapy for the family issues..

Jinkster

Thanks!

However?...it looks like I'm not going to get any pedaling in today but that's not all bad...one of the reasons is I just got home after spending several hours with my parents....that started out with brunch....continued on through a couple hours of "Family Management" planning and strategies...and ended of with me sharing with them a few verses that are helping me through this..namely?...Ephesians 6:10-20...followed with a nice sunset ride home on the motorcycle and there's just not enough time to fit a ride in as I'm currently trying to retain enough energy to make it too this evenings NA Meeting (that I have to leave for soon) where I'm sure I'll either hear something to help me or have something valuable too share to help another or both.

Meanwhile?...ya'll know how it is when you're going through emotional family crap....mentally it's taxing and physically?...my back and neck are all knotted up...but tomorrow when I get home from work?....big wheels are gonna roll.

79pmooney

I am not a fan of bibs, but I always use clip-on suspenders. The advantages of bibs plus you do not need to undress to perform body functions, very important on all day rides, especially if the facilities are primitive. (Also cheaper and adjustable is a plus.)

Ben

surfjimc

I have 2 pair of bib shorts, a bib knicker, and bib tights. once I tried bibs, I never looked back. All are PI, and the strap lengths are different on the different lines within the brand. Worst is now that I have lost a bunch more weight, I may need to drop down a size. That is not going to be cheap, but I can't imagine riding regular shorts again.

OldTryGuy

Tried bibs to feel what all the hype was about. Did nothing for feel or fit as far as waist on down and hated the restrictive feeling of the straps.

I ride in Sugoi shorts. Their Formula FX chamois is fabulous as is their fabric used for the shorts. They also have bibs but there is no need for further experimentation on my part.

bruce19

I was reluctant to jump on to the bibs bandwagon. Bought some PI bibs and they were better than the PI shorts which had the waist band roll into a bunch but I was not blown away by the bibs. Then two things happened. I lost 15 lbs and I discovered Assos bibs. End of story. I will do what it takes to maintain the weight loss and it's Assos for me. Just one guy's story.

Jinkster

Well?...I still haven't pedaled the new specialized bibs... (just haven't had the opportunity yet)...rain Monday and Bible study last night)...but I did try them on again to make a final decision of whether or not I'd be returning them and this time?....once on I stuck my thumbs under the straps and pulled upwards and they easily expanded a good 6" above my shoulders with not much effort at all so?...I think it's more a case of just getting used to a "different feeling" garment than it is "ill-fitting" and that said?...I'd much rather grow accustomed too a different feeling garment than constantly fuss with ones that are always shifting around on me and I really loathe the waist band rolling down under my gut deal so...bibs it is.

OldsCOOL

I benched 350 3yrs ago, no bibs for me.