NWS Alpine

The new performance bibs are good for the price as mentioned. I am partial to the higher model LG bibs. The 4motion and 5 motion chamois are really nice.

Gharp23

Bellwether bibs are very nice. They feel very high quality and are at a good price.

cyclezen

found you can't ass ume one from the other
had a pr of biemme shorts I liked, bought bibs in same model (online), and they turned out to be too long in the torso and straps. could not ride them - gave them to a friend who was both taller and much longer in torso - he likes them

i under stand why some riders like bibs over shorts. some like not having ANY waist elastic, some don;t find bibs hotter, some bibs are cut quite low enough to not be a heating problem.
I'd wear bibs more if there was some way to assure an easy restroom stop, cause if I'm out on the bike for more than 2 1/2 hrs, I'm likely gonna wanna take a 'natural' break.
PI (and one other manu which I don;t remember the name of...) used to put a small overlap fly hole in the front panel, just about bellybutton height, in order to facilitate an easier 'pulldown' and relief. Haven't seen them on their newer bibs.
Gore makes a zip-waist bib for the women - I wish a manu would do the same for a man's bib - I'd certainly give them a try.
there's good reasons for both and both will remain available, IMO

Brandon2002

Specialized shorts (small) I have a 29" waist

tagaproject6

If the Specialized shorts fit you well, then you could try their bib shorts. Check out the Specialized website and look at the outlet store. They have bibs for under $100. And stay away from the ebay "replica" shorts.

generalkdi

Giodana Lasers are great. Formared even better if you have the budget.

MDfive21

here's a novel concept.. go to your local bike shop or whatever big box bike store is nearby and try on every pair of bibs they have in the place in one trip. it will take no more than 30 min to pick up a small and medium of each variety and take the lot of them to the dressing room and try them all on. be a good customer and put them all back on the hangers correctly and hang them back up in their appropriate places.

worst case is none of them fit or they're too expensive but you learned more in 30 min than you will learn in a lifetime of reading BF posts on which bibs you should try. you have to go wrap some bibs around your ass to find out what works. yes, you can say ass.

edit to add: there is always a concern regarding the wearing of undergarments when wearing bibs. my personal pref is to try them on in the same manner in which i will be wearing them on the bike. sue me

IANative

For your less-than-$100 target, I really like the Pearl Izumi Attack bibs. Make sure you try them on for size somewhere before buying on eBay.

Cookiemonsta

I have Pearl Izumi bibs. For their cheapest to the more expensive ones. I like them all.

Taipei325

I'm surprised that bibs don't offer you any benefit (and not disagreeing...I respect your opinion!). I ride in Taipei...in 38C degrees of heat and humidity...and my Rapha and Etxeondo bibs are both super comfortable. I never notice the straps at all and prefer having no elastic which I feel causes the sweat to "pool" more above. In addition, I like that bibs mean I have a very strict "no crack" policy when I'm bent over low in the drops or aero bars...shorts make me wonder if the waistline is creeping down! I'm 180cm and 73kg so no gut, but still, just find the bibs stay in once place better than shorts/elastics. For relieving myself...it's quite straightforward...the front part of bibs has a "dip" in the center waistline for just this reason...pull down and you are good to go!

danielrbaer

If I may quickly hijack this thread in lieu of starting my own -- does anyone have suggestions for bibs whose length is between sugoi (a little too long) and P.I. (a little too short)? I wear size S in both.

cxwrench

I don't get how you can make such well thought out arguments about things like frame flex and power transfer, and not understand that lots of people find that bibs work better. It's totally subjective, maybe that's why you don't get it. It sounds like you like it when things are black and white, and that's that. Your arguments against bibs are just that, they're how you feel about them. If heat were an issue, racers wouldn't wear them. If peeing were an issue, racers wouldn't wear them. If waist bands weren't an issue, racers wouldn't wear them. Racers and other bib wearing riders use them because that's what they like.
They were definitely not "unknown" just a few years ago. I've been wearing bibs exclusively since '83. It's not "peloton envy"...if that were the case we'd all be riding around on tubulars and 130mm stems while wearing team kits for teams we didn't ride for.

koolerb

Garneau Fit Sensor 2, I just got a few pairs, really good.

SpeshulEd 

As a retailer, what would you put in your catalog...what customers want, or what you think they want. If more customers are buying bibs, that is the reason they are getting more space in a catalog. If product A has an 80% sell through and product B has a 50% sell through, you're going to give more shelf space to product A. This is basic retail 101. If you continue to push product B to a customer that wants product A, that customer is going to go to the next retailer and purchase that product.

I get that you don't see the difference. You don't have to. Enjoy shorts. Other people want bibs. It seems more and more people want bibs. I wore shorts way back when...all I remember about them is the waist cutting into me and them showing my crack when I leaned forward. I went with bibs when I got back into cycling. So far I have none of those issues from before.

bengreen79

My favorite for the money:

https://www.amazon.com/Tenn-Bib-Short...nn+cycling+bib

Also I watch chainlove incessantly (chrome plugin helps) and have gotten quality bibs for reasonable prices there, including a BMC team replica jersey and bibs for $50 for both.

StanSeven

So that works out to be, ah, ah, 170 degrees F in Merican talk?

znomit

These work for me:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/castelli-vel...-due-bibshort/

rpenmanparker 

Hey guys, lighten up a bit. I'm just having a little fun with you. I know from previous experience that bibs are a kind of mystical thing these days. Just pulling your chain a bit. True that I don't get it for me since I have never felt short's waist band bind and never had shorts ride down and expose my crack. (I certainly don't think so anyway.) And frankly in all my 30 years riding in Houston, I have never heard anyone complain about these things whether they use bibs or shorts. Nevertheless I respect your choice. The clear majority think like you, so I'm convinced there must be something to it for many folks. I'm really glad we can both have what makes us happy. Carry on.

rpenmanparker 

See my other post just above regarding this all not being so serious. Regarding the merchandising aspects, fear not, I agree with you completely. What I was saying is that the current catalog listings are a clear indication of the market's preferences (although a surprise to me). If I were in the cycling clothing business, I wouldn't do it any differently than what I am seeing. Thanks for the comments.

rpenmanparker 

I hear your surprise, but those are indeed the facts. Never felt a waist band binding. Never exposed a crack (that I know of). In summer in Houston I wear only lightest lycra fabric shorts and a very light sleeveless jersey. No socks much of the time. For me anything more than that is too much. As I said just above, I'm glad you have what works for you. It might be interesting for you to see how much cooler you would be with an outfit like mine, but no matter. Whatever floats your boat. Ride safely!

Taipei325

Hey man....I'd love to ride with you! Im Canadian, but have lived in Taiwan for over a decade, and only know Houston a little, and Austin a little more. Great riding around Austin...but yep....nice and hot the way I love it!

I terms of managing the heat...my favorite is my Louis Garneau cool black trisuit. Wicks moisture sooooo well, perfect fit, and just the most comfortable thing I've ever worn to torture myself for 10+ hours. But....if people think cycling kit makes you look a little odd....the trisuit on a training ride...hahahhahaha! Not for me! I love to ride with no socks and a sleeveless jersey...but that's just cause I don't want to fit in with my roadie buddies....so I can be that "annoying tri guy!"

All good guys...wear whatever floats your boat and keeps you comfy...just ride ride ride! I personally feel once the temperature is past 34C, managing the heat is all about managing hydration, electrolytes and a WHOLE lot of mental strength...clothing is probably only 10% of the equation assuming you are wearing basic quality cycling gear and not a parka!

cthenn

I have these and really like them:
https://www.wiggle.com/sportful-bodyf...short-classic/

I have the ones with the lime green collar around the leg opening, looks super cool. Plus, added bonus of not many people in the US will have these, so you can get something different from what everyone else has (if that matters ). But, more importantly, they are really super lightweight, perfect for summer. The chamois is very good, not the best, but very good. The bib is cut low, makes it really easy to go to the bathroom. I have some PI InRCool and the bib on these are much higher, I kind of have to hunch over in order to pull them down low enough.

BTW, I'm a size XL (!!!) in these, due to Euro sizing, when I am a Medium in PI. I'd say two sizes up will work, but YMMV.

justkeepedaling

Mother of God. Sleeveless.

Lol, as a wearer of both shorts and bibshorts, I like the bibshorts better. Almost seems like it helps me keep my upper body from moving around too much (which it certainly does with just shorts due to my gearing)

hhnngg1

I thought I'd love bibs as well, and while I don't have any major problems with them, after 5 years of riding, I definitely prefer shorts. I never have any issues with comfort, tightness in the waist, or any other so-called things that people typically say bibs do better - the comfort is identical in both for me, and I"ve used 5 different brands of bibs and shorts, all of which work fine for me.

The small convenience plus that makes me slightly prefer shorts:

1) Slightly easier to go to the bathroom. Actually, it's really not a on-road issue I'm talking about, it's at HOME pre-ride when you're getting ready for your ride and already put on all your bike clothing for a cold weather and realize you have to do that pre-ride #2 bathroom run. Off comes the jacket, jersey, cold weather base layer, all because you have to get those darn bibs off. WIth shorts, you can leave it all on (most of it at least) and hit the toilet. I actually find zero difference peeing on the ride between shorts and bibs - you just pull down with the bibs - it's the same as shorts.

2) I actually like the compression of the waistband. Maybe because I was a runner my whole life so that's what I'm used to, but I like that feeling there of some elastic.

3) Takes up less room when you're hand washing and rinsing it off after a short ride and hanging it to dry in the shower on a hook. Yes, it's trivial but it's a plus that makes the spouse a little less annoyed with it.

But again, I'd be fine riding bibshorts if for whatever reason I could no longer wear the shorts.

coasting 

I find riding in Taiwan you might as well forget about wicking away the sweat. I sweat so much in this humidity that the clothing becomes saturated anyway. Whatever I wear I end up having to wring it out.