dokterd1

Aside from crashing and ripping your shorts/bibs, what has been the average lifespan before things just do not feel right anymore and need replacing?

carpediemracing 

Depends on how often you use/wash shorts and initial quality. Nowadays it's usually the fabric that thins out ("translucent"). I have shorts from 2003 which are fine, and I rotate between 4-5 pairs of shorts from them for a while. I still wear them on the trainer. I got socks from the same company at about the same time - and I'm just replacing them this year. I wore them all the time except in cold winter days, but for work/general/riding I wore them daily.

I have 3 pairs of shorts which are pretty much played out after one year. Terrible.

I have team shorts from 2 years ago, wore them all the time, only 3? pairs, and they seem like new still. Same company as the 2003 shorts.

Grippers go, fabric stops springing back, and fabric gets see-through.

cdr

Creatre

I haven't had any shorts, bibs, or jersey's go out yet, and I have stuff still I wore in the in the early 2000s. Socks, are another story. Seems like they lose their elastic pretty fast, I guess I need to find a pair that will stand up to the heat in the dryer. I would figure if the shorts can, the socks should be able to.

vantassell

I have a pair of Assos that I wear about 4-5 days a week (washing them everyday) for the past 3 years, they've got a spot or two right above my crack that are going threadbare (you can see through when they're on).

I wash them in a front loader on cold with high spin, and dry them on low for about 40 mins. I'm pleased with how long they lasted. I wear them if i'm riding late at night (commuting) or under some sweat pants when it's super cold.

forrest_m

For me, the killer of bibs has a name and that name is VELCRO. i've had several pairs done in by rubbing against the little velcro strap that holds your seat bag to your seat post. It's very annoying to have a pair of bibs that are perfectly good except for the ragged holes on the inside of the thighs... (I thought the first one was a fluke, but after I noticed the abrasion on a second pair, I wised up and replaced the bag with one of those topeak clip-on bags with no hook & loop).

Other than that, I generally buy 2 pairs each season (team order) and those are my "best" bibs for the year. The fabric on the older bibs is still OK, but the chamois starts getting flat, and they are noticeably less comfortable on rides over two hours or so. By the third season, they're only good enough for the trainer indoors... If you ride a lot, bibs are a consumable like tires. Jerseys, OTOH, last forever.

Menel

Get rid of the dingle berry hanging between your legs, I did after shredding two pair of shorts, couldn't be happier.

Got a little waterproof camping baggie from REI... tube, patch kit, multitool, levers.... in one little bundle I can goto in one grab and stick in a jersey pocket. Still leaves 2 pockets for food/cell/id/monies/etc.

1200cycles

My $25 Ebay pair of Jaggad shorts only lasted a month.

If you wash them everyday and they're the Performance Ultra II's - or anything in the $80 range or so - how long should they last?

datlas 

I agree that the stupid saddlebag/connectors are the enemy of shorts/bibs everywhere. I would love to pitch mine in favor of a rear-connection style like fizik has but I am too much of a cheapskate to get a new saddle.

The question is too vague to answer, it depends on the quality of the shorts, how frequently you use them, how you wash them, how long the typical ride is, etc.

If you have only 1 pair of shorts and ride every day and wash every day in the washer I bet they would only last one season.

If you have say 3 pairs of shorts, rotate them, wash by hand or in a net bag, I would expect them to last several years.

So, like most BF inquiries, the answer is "it depends."

AMFJ

For the love of God though, keep a check on that ass crack area. On teh 3gap/6gap ride this weekend I saw a large amount of see through shorts.

RUOkie

you


cut


it


off?

1200cycles

I hand wash mine and thought maybe it was more harsh that way since I'm scrubbing them against each other.

Crack Monkey

Mid-grade PI and Sugoi. Cold cycle, low spin, hang dry. They seem to last 2+ years.

wfrogge

Anywhere from 1 year to 3 for me (4 pairs x 6 rides per week). Most of the time they reach end of life after a crash or just get stretched/washed out.

chicago-guy-84

The dryer will kill your bibs, hang dry 'em!

Any material that wicks sweat usually comes out of the spin cycle almost dry anyway. I don't put any of my gear in the dryer (kit, socks, heart monitor strap, gloves), it's all dry and ready for use by the next day.

And, this is the most important part, toss your shorts in the garbage at the first sign of ass crack.

DataJunkie

My sugoi rs bibs lasted a year. All others are around three.