Fixed that for you.

The OP never said that he had a century tomorrow.

Yes, because it's exceedingly uncommon for someone to seek advice by first placing the respondents in their exact situation. Leaving out the pressing hypothetical timeline would have been far more concise, and you're too smart to argue against that (unless, of course, you're frustrated by a heavy, late winter snowfall - I take it that Chicago saw some of the 12" that dumped on us the other day?)

Whether or not the question was poorly worded, I find this to be a useful thread. It's nice to see what shorts riders find the most comfortable on longer distances.

yes, I use both the rse and RS for shorthand bibs. Love them both.

Personal preference for >100 mi rides (all bibshorts):

1. PI PRO Octane with 4D chamois
2. Assos Mille S5
3. Any Castelli bibshorts with Progetto X2
4. Descente with Strata chamois

I also have tried Sugoi RS shorts and like them ok for medium distance rides. I use them mostly on my commute.

You said 25% were taking it literally. It's pretty clear they were not. There is no doubt that the question could have been more concise.

And yes, the snow sucks.

I go with my clean pair

You don't like one that's been "broken-in" from the previous ride? :)

Anyone use the Castelli Endurance bibs for long rides? I have the Voler from Hammer but thought the Castellis might be an upgrade.

I think they come in different chamois, the older ones with Kiss3, and the newer ones with Progetto X2 which is the one I have. It's really good for long rides.

I have both the Voler and Bergamo from Hammer. I think the Bergamos are much more comfortable. I have Castelli and Sugoi as well, and the Bergamos are my go-to pair.

TTT for some more discussion over the integrity of the question. :roflmao2:

Thank you !! Those first two seem to be highly rated everywhere the question gets asked.

That gets repeated a lot around here and while it may have been true in the day of leather chamois, it's just not true any more. Modern pads are specifically designed to provide some shock absorption while also managing moisture and moving with you. Some manufacturers explicitly call them "seat pads" rather than chamois now.

But to answer the OP, my Etxe Ondos generally get the nod for a longer ride, but I'd be fine with my Castelli or Giordanas.

+1
Thick/soft padding is marketing to sell to beginners who don't know any better.
Thin/dense padding is for people who actually ride bikes.

Assos bibs

Do you really believe that all serious riders prefer thinner, denser pads ? I would suggest there are riders who log hundreds of miles a week that prefer thicker pads. Pretty personal thing, don't you think ? I even know VERY serious riders that won't ride without padded undershorts under bike shorts. Again, very personal choice, though definitely not recommended for everyone.

If the padding was *only* under the sit bones, there could be an argument for it.
But I have yet to see a chamois that limited it that way.
Thick padding elsewhere just bulges up against the soft parts, causing pressure and abrasion.

Almost all high quality shorts have varying density and thickness in the pad. This eliminates the "bunching" problem. Here's a description of Castelli's pro quality Progetto X2: http://blog.castelli-cycling.com/200...o-x2-seat-pad/. Things have come a long way since leather chamois and cheap foam were the choices.

For those who might wear the Voler Hammer shorts except for the logo, these are those shorts without that logo, but with other possibly less offensive kit logo:
http://www.voler.com/browse/cat/?cat...MENS&explicit=

$20 premium not to have the Hammer logo.

These have a variable thickness pad which does not bunch up or hang over the edge of my saddle. I'm not a bib guy because my long rides are really long rides and the bodily function hassle just isn't worth it to me especially in cold weather, when many of these ride occur. Shorts work fine for me. Bibs'd be fine for shorter rides, but no point in that. I have lots of cheap shorts that are fine for short rides of 5 hours or less.

I don't like the Voler Elite shorts because the pad typifies what Shimmy is complaining of.

petroleum gelly, chamois butter.

If bibs are making your natural breaks difficult, you are doing it wrong.

I think the right thing to do is to deposit in the toilet, not in your pants. If that's what you do, I don't want to ride behind you. I've had to loan a guy socks after a ride, so I know where that's at.

Everyone is different in what they feel is comfortable. However, higher end bibs/shorts tend to have more minimal "pads" compared to lower end stuff. I'm sure there are exceptions (my Hincapie for example) depending on the market a manufacturer wants to target. I will stick with with a more minimal chamois.

That just isn't true anymore. High end shorts tend to have pads that are more shaped than low-end ones, but they aren't minimally padded. Here's the Castelli article again in case you missed it the last time I posted it: http://blog.castelli-cycling.com/200...o-x2-seat-pad/.