Morning all,
Just looking for a little advice on replacement bibs please. In the past I've used Endura FS260's and more recently Castelli Competizones and found of both of them to be good. Currently considering trying either a pair of Rapha Core bibs or perhaps the Castelli Endurance bibs for some added comfort.
never had Rapha shorts before, any thoughts from the collective on how they compare to Castellis?
Morning all,
Just looking for a little advice on replacement bibs please. In the past I've used Endura FS260's and more recently Castelli Competizones and found of both of them to be good. Currently considering trying either a pair of Rapha Core bibs or perhaps the Castelli Endurance bibs for some added comfort.
never had Rapha shorts before, any thoughts from the collective on how they compare to Castellis?
Rapha bibs suit me, both the Core and regular bibs. I am not slim, and Rapha (in XL) have enough give, which Castelli didn't. Rapha also seem to have regular sales.
Just my (chubby) experience
Have a look at Stolen Goat as well (I use mine for road duties if that makes any odds). More interesting coloured summer jerseys than Rapha was what drew me in. 🙂
If you're bargain hunting and don't mind team colours the official Tour de France shop had some discontinued old kits over the Summer iirc. The boy got some Visma branded stuff when they changed kit supplier.
Save your money and buy some van rysel cargo bibs from decathlon. Super comfy, seem to last ages and usually < £40
I have some Rapha Cargo bibs and whilst a nice design I don't think the material or pad are worth the money, feel a bit low rent compared to Sportful and Castelli etc. They I feel would be more comparable to non Core Rapha yet are the price of Core.
Rapha suit me better than Castelli. Morvelo somewhere in between. The pad in the Core version seems to be identical to the posh ones, but the lycra doesn't last as long. IME the Core stuff is sized a fraction smaller than the normal kit (or it's less stretchy), but small Core is spot on for me.
I did a 700km of gravel tour this summer in a pair of Core bibs and they were absolutely un-noticeable (in a good way)
Castelli are good, Kostume are better. They've been comfortable on 600km+ audaxes.
Rapha Core have always been excellent for me. I have four pairs plus two pairs of 3/4’s in Roubaix and some cargo bib longs. All very comfortable. I also have some castelli espresso shorts and our TCC club Le Col and Kalas shorts. Of those, Le Col are the poorest. Rapha and castelli the best.
I'd not normally disagree with another poster but our experience of the Van Rysels is very mixed. We've got four pairs in the house currently. One had to have the chamois sewn back in after a few months and one has some issues with a seam on a similar timeline (and that was one of the £90 pairs). Two have been flawless.
They are a nice fit and material though. Just check them over carefully in the shop before buying.
pffft - you losers know that Thrudark make shorts, right ?
I didn't get on with Rapha, the pad is designed with a split and a seam right up the middle which caused 'irritation' 🙄
Lovely cut and material otherwise right enough.
Stolen Goat shorts are just re-branded Bioracer as far as I can make out, both excellent, my two pairs of Bioracer Epic have been my go-to big day shorts, excellent pad and really compressive material, makes everything else seem a bit flimsy!
That said, Sportful Supercomfort are my new favourites, with the Supergiara a close second.
Another happy Rapha Core user. Which reminds me that I need to buy a new pair.
Giordana FRC red for me.
tried a set of Rapha Core and the central seem was a major issue. Currently use Ale PRR or various cheaper Assos shorts with no real issues.
No issues with Rapha Core shorts quality wise but I prefer a thinner pad and shorter leg length.
My Ccurrent favourites are Gonso bibs with SQlab pad - thin but firm pad.
Thanks for the feedback and have gone with a pair of Rapha Cores.
Fingers crossed the sizing is right...
I only got into recreational cycling in '17 and was horrified by the cost of Castelli bibs, but I bought a pair a few years later in a Merlin sale with the top tier Progetto X2 pad and I was a convert.
Never tried Van Rysel, often forget to look on Decathlon for bike bits full stop, but there's been a store in Southampton city centre for ~2 years (not that I can remember the last time I wandered around there without a specific purpose since long covid began over three years ago).
On the basis of recommend what you have, I am very pleased with Galibier products. Although I should say I am racing snake shaped. I know this is not what the op was asking for.
I've got a pair of Castelli Competizones bibs I picked up in the Chiggle death sale, and ordered some £20 Cheji bibs to use indoors over winter. They're just as comfy and I've now ordered a couple more pairs. I've done a 6 hour ride outside on them and they're as comfy as anything I've used at 5 times the price.
Lusso - absolute top quality, comfortable, and, extremely unusual in this day and age, made in the UK, Manchester to be exact!
If we're going high end, you're all forgetting Assos (Arseoss?). I use theirs or Castelli's. I used to use Gore's but the pad stitching always comes undone double quick.
Lusso - absolute top quality, comfortable, and, extremely unusual in this day and age, made in the UK, Manchester to be exact!
I had a pair from them. They fell to bits rapido and were uninterested in my feedback. Never again. Cheap for a reason.
I have been trying to find a pad that is cheaper, but just as good as the Rapha brevet pad, and have been unsuccessful.
Stolen Goat are ok, Albion are a nice pad but I'm between sizes. Red White I didn't like. Rapha core are ok, but I prefer a dual density pad.
I've gotten on well with Madison Roam lately, Gravelly Cargo Bibs but not technically illegal to wear on Road or MTB...
pffft - you losers know that Thrudark make shorts, right ?
Unfortunately I don't have the pre-requisite sleeve tats or a matching 'Baerskin' hoodie... I guess I'll just have to save my money and not dress like a Gravy Seal 😉
My ranking list is:
1). Assos Equipe RS Stradavari S11 and Albion ABR1
2). Kostume Comfort Break
3). 7Mesh MK3 & Santini (various models but with their GitEvo pad)
4). Lusso Paragon & Perform (to be fair though the ones I have are too big for me as bought near the start of my Mounjaro journey which likely doesn't help with the comfort). I also have their deep winter tights (correct size) and they are on par with 7Mesh tights.
5). Various other random brands I no longer wear as have enough of the above to cover my riding frequency.