onespeck

Hey,

I wear cycle shorts for 8 hours or more a day, riding as a messenger. I've tried, etxeondo, sugoi, izumi, castelli, campagnolo, assos. Campagnolo are perfect. The others, top of the line of all the brands, do not have the pad perfectly under my sit bones. The pad is always too far up my backside. So problem solved. I buy only campagnolo shorts. Fine with me, I like campy stuff anyway.
But this experience is too personal for me, so it still bothers me. I wanna hear other stories about pad placement. I know there are wear issues, breathability, etc. include what you will, but don't forget to comment on pad placement. Thanks a lot for your time!

botto 

buy bibs. problem solved.

onespeck

The idea, I think, is how my body goes with manufacturers designs, and campy are great, bibs or not. Plus some of what I listed are bibs.

I am looking for other folks' experiences with shorts.

Chasing Dreams

Well, I know that if I wear shorts, my wang is more likely to show through because the pad shifts around more than they do in bibs.

prendrefeu

Many people like bibs, many people don't.

Anyway, onespeck - it may be an issue of finding the right 'pad'. For myself (a shorts wearer - tried bibs and didn't like it), I want less padding. This usually means the higher-end range of various brands. Pad placement has been great on the top-end voler line, bellwether (ironically, all the way down to their low-end stuff), and Pearl Izumi microsensor. I have yet to be able to afford Assos, Giordana, Castelli or Descente, but from what I hear those brands offer less padding and better shaped chamois on their top-of-the-line models.

In terms of placement? Barely there, I suppose. Don't care for too much in the front, and I don't like pads that go too far up along the back side. My ass is a bit pronounced, it isn't flat, and I don't need padding where I'm not sitting.

That's all. You asked for it. I hope that helped and I addressed what you were asking.

serpico7

There are people who've tried bibs that prefer shorts????

If they stopped making bibs, I would consider finding another sport.

Bill

I have issues with pad placement. I recently bought a pair of Pearl Izumi, thinking that they would be more comfortable than my old cheap pairs that had very thin pads. They bunch up in the back, and I'm always having to jack them up. I find that the pad can be very uncomfortable for my balls. I decided that I cannot do spinning classes without some kind of underwear on (gasp!). My nuts become extremely sore. When I'm riding outside the situation isn't too bad. But when walking a lot in these shorts or spinning class it's a different story. Maybe I'm built strangely, but it's my experience.

roadwarrior

Exactly.

There's a reason why every guy who rides professionally (the 8 hour day) wears bibs.

the funny thing is, I show bibs to people in the shop and they look at them like some new fangled thing...I think I got my first pair in 1985ish? Before that, used to have a set of suspenders attached to my shorts.

kwrides

Bibs solve this problem.

prendrefeu

They won't stop making bibs. Bibs are clearly popular for many people.

But yes, there are people who've tried bibs and prefer the shorts - many of us, actually. At least 10 (if not more) of my friends that I ride with most often prefer the shorts over the bibs. How many among us go on BikeForums? One - that's me. Yes, the world exists outside of bikeforums and yes there are many people who prefer shorts over bibs.

Why do you think they still make shorts? If there is a market there, the product will be made.

ElJamoquio

No. Don't make me bump the thread.

LowCel 

You take that back!!!!!

carlfreddy

I really don't understand how someone can think that shorts stay in place better than bibs, but to each his own.

Currently I ride Pearl Izumi, Voler, ThreeFace, and Louis Garneau (all bibs). They are all fine on rides of 3+ hours long.

As far as pad placement, I think most of it has to do with pad size, not placement. My Garneau and Voler bibs have smaller pads, while the Pearl Izumi's and ThreeFace bibs have a larger pad (but I only notice it because the front of the pad ends around where my wang usually hangs out.

Maybe you haven't looked at the right "problem" ?? Methinks you might want to investigate new saddles?

operator

Bibs... lol. Why not just buy shorts and put suspenders on them.

kwrides

ever tried them?

kwrides

OK, help me understand why you prefer shorts to bibs. I'm not trying to say you're "wrong"...to each their own, but I can't imagine the argument for shorts being better, so, let's hear it. Have you tried bibs? If so, why are shorts better?

Bill

I prefer bibs. But they sometimes can be a bit problematic when you have to go to the bathroom. The Hammer bibs that I have addressed this problem. And I am grateful. The pad still is not the most comfortable for the male parts. It smashes rather than embraces!!

botto 

"fail".

ElJamoquio

Of course he hasn't. I believe Pcad once said: "Why contaminate speculation with experience?"

lopsided

What, in particular, make bibs better than shorts? I personally have never tried bibs but my shorts don't bunch up in the back or in the front. I DO agree with the OP in that the pad often is not in the right place, under my sit bones. There is far more pad behind my sits than under them which is where it should be. It doesn't matter how far up in the front that I pull them, there is no way to get the pad under my sit bones unless I put the damn things on backward (use your mental imagery on that one). As I said it matters not how far up in front the shorts are pulled, the pad is not in the right place and no my saddle is not maladjusted.

ElJamoquio

Get a decent pair of bibs. Yes, they're expensive. But almost everyone who tries them keeps buying them. No pressure at the waist. Always situated well, never have to worry. Just plain better. Don't make me bump my own thread again.

ElJamoquio

For your review...

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/227074-my-super-long-bib-review-assos-santini-giordana-campagnolo-more.html

onespeck

lopsided's post (3 up from here) is exactly what I was posting about. fortunately for me, campagnolo shorts and bibs work out perfect. I have 2 bibs and 2 shorts. I also have sugoi bibs, on which the pad is just always too far back, as lopsided described. Same on etxeondo bibs I have and castelli. They are all the top of the line. THe only model I can remember are castelli cronos. I do say though, etxeondo have a great material. Those are really comfortable -aside from the place of the pad.

I am fine with saddles. I have ridden lots of saddles, and I generally like many. I should add too that I don't really get uncomfortable in the saddle. It may happen from time to time, like it does with sitting on anything.

As for the shorts/bibs argument - I don't really prefer one or the other when 'prefer' is just stuck out there. For certain circumstances, shorts are better, and others, bibs are better. For example - Messengering, I use shorts. Why? I was in a federal court house, and it had old 1920's style bathroom, with short stall door that went about knee height to mid chest. I de-robed to piss. A dude in a suit walked in and saw a topless man in a bathroom stall at federal court. He stared at me as he made his way to a urinal. I was looking right back at him, saying, it's.... shorts.... go over.... cycling... I'm a messenger...... I have to take the shirt off to.... you ride bikes?!

botto 

why would you do something as idiotic as that?

looking for attention?

prendrefeu

Sorry for the delay in answering your questions, I haven't seen this thread in a while.
Anyway:

-Yes, I have tried bibs.
-I prefer shorts. Many of my friends also prefer shorts to bibs. Multiple reasons, some have more than others, but these seem to be the common consensus on reasons:

1. The shorts have no problems staying up - we haven't yet had any reason to have our shorts 'pulled up'. Perhaps its a matter of fit? I don't know - but none of us have had shorts-slipping problems.

2. Urinating. Many of our rides go in between urban riding and riding in a (relative) "middle of nowhere" - we don't drive to go riding, or at least try not to. ex: Doing a 50 mile climbing fest in Malibu? Add onto that about 25 miles each way from downtown LA, and don't ***** about it. On that note, you could be finding bathrooms along the way and/or pissing off the side of a cliff. Either way, shorts are far more convenient.

3. Many of us don't like the feeling of something going over the shoulders and pulling along the body while riding. (the straps pulling up and the shorts/motion simultaneously pulling down a bit). It's a personal preference, but it's apparently a shared preference as well.

4. It's easier to sneak in the shorts underneath a more urban clothing style if you're riding long distances but not necessarily pushing it. For example, yesterday heading from downtown LA down to Carson for the UCI World Cup at the ADT Velodrome - we rode there at an easy pace, sure, but the chamois would've been nice and could have easily been slipped under a pair of pants.

-of note, however: a few of my friends do use bibs solely for racing purposes, but that's about it. don't know why.