Try both shorts and bibs, and use whichever is more comfortable for YOU.

It's not rocket science.

There are no cons to bibs. Shorts for for imbeciles. I know, I wore them for years.

What the hell are you eating?

Oh man, you may have just sold me on a bib with a medium chamois right here. I get the chamois hook every time I get outta the seat. It drives me nuts. My current shorts have a giant diaper chamois.

Team graphics are often only available in bib shorts. If you're fast, you need to get the team bibs and matching jersey to tell motorists, "hey, I'm on a team and Europeans like me."

You don't want to get confused for a non European n00b do you? Well do ya?!?!

Bibs...there is a reason they are the most popular form of technical clothing for cycling. They work.

There is also a reason why ultra high end shorts are not the norm....because there is little to no demand....because they suck.

This is akin to a non-initiate to our sport asking "why the goofy lycra shorts...." - they ask because they don't know and they don't know because they don't have a clue and/or have never experienced it and yet apart from the occasional sadist who refuses to wear shorts with a chamois...everyone who rides uses them....for a reason.

Pretty much agree with everything except the overheat, strap dig and chamois moving problems. Get a good bib and none of that happens. I only use Assos F.I. 13 S5 now and they rock. I do use shorts for the trainer where overheating might become an issue. I also agree with using a full zip jersey. GL

You can wear bibs around the house with no shirt and chase your wife (girlfriend, kids, dogs, etc.) around like a wrestler. This is both a pro and a con, depending on whether I'm trying to amuse my wife or trying to romance her. She usually finds my attempts at romance to be amusing, so it's a fine line.

very funny response. I like bibs for all the reasons mentioned. I find them to more supportive of the boys, especially if you get better designed bibs. This is important to me, since I have problems in this area. As for peeing, you often can get bibs that come down low enough so that you can whip your stuff out.

That's pretty funny. My summer post-ride routine usually involves removal of jersey and several minutes of parading around in my bibs.

My wife always says the same thing - "sexy." Apparently, all bib romance is lost on her.

I've never needed to take a dump when cycling. But I find bibs are superior to shorts because of comfort.

Sure, I'll just go drop $100 on a lycra experiment that can't honestly be resold if it fails. Yeah, I'll get right on that.

OR... I'll ask the opinions of some people that I trust online and make a decision from there. The suggestions offered by the helpful have made me think about looking into a bib short. And hopefully this has answered or will answer some other people's question(s) about bibs as well.

Gone are my days of buying three things and keeping one. I have less impact on the planet and my wallet stays firmly closed.

That's kind-of funny.

Nice.

Bibs are not for everyone.

I, for one, don't wear them. I have a long torso and the discomfort from the shoulderstraps far and away exceeds the discomfort from the waistband.

I ride bibs for longer rides and shorts for rides under about an hour. For me the pros and cons of bibs are:

Pros:
More comfortable and better supporting than shorts

Cons:
Slightly more hassle to put on. It's enough of a performace getting ready for a road bike ride without adding more.
Slightly harder to take a pee.
Hotter. As someone said, you can't beat the laws of physics. It's not so much the straps as the extra fabric over your stomach and back. But, hey, if you're one of those people who like a baselayer even in the hottest weather, then there's an extra one for you. And if not, you can get summer bibs with low cut backs and front like the Castelli Free / Aero Race which solve that problem.

Well, I still haven't seen any convincing "pros." If the most you can say in favor of bibs is "the pros wear them," then are you just emulating the pros? I have a pair, they're ok, maybe they hide my gut better than shorts, but they're a pain if you have to poop unless you have the sack to ask a woman how she takes off her bra without removing her blouse - it's the same technique. Come to think of it, that image is always kind of fun. Anyway, I'll stick with shorts.

duh.

and you don't know how to do that? of course someone who wears shorts wouldn't know.

Unless you're a chick, you're doing it wrong.

Not really. Some people are giving non-smart ass responses that actually contribute. They usually do as such in other threads and I respect their opinion.

Comfort isn't a convincing "pro"? As always, YMMV.

'TO EACH HIS OWN' is what I always say.

1. They stay in place.
2. See #1, because it's a lot more important than people realize.

The whole point of cycling shorts is to keep a layer of fabric as close to the skin as possible, and as much of the time as possible. But, even good shorts have the chance to sag, letting the nose of the saddle hook the chamois and the crotch to get loose and cause chafing.

Bibs don't have that problem.

The extra step required to poop is hardly a con because you're going to have both privacy and time to do what you need no matter what you're wearing. That is, unless you're in a speed-pooping contest, which I've never heard of.

Provided they fit, and there are some brands for extra-tall torsos, too, there aren't any real reasons to not wear bibs.

There are no cons. If you don't like bibs, then you're doing it wrong.

IF you have an REI store nearby, you can buy some bibs there and try then to see if you like them, and if you don't you can return them for a refund no questions asked. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Even if they have been used or worn. I returned some cycling shorts after a couple of months because the thread was coming apart and they damaged them out and gave me a new pair, but I had the option of getting a refund if I wanted.
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