Do people use bib shorts on the mtb?

looking for a bit more comfort for longer rides – any recommendations for some cheap ones that work fine?

I’ve never worn a pair before – I assume the road ones and mtb ones are exactly the same? I don;t even know if they do all that much. I assume the benefit over padded shorts is that they don’t slip down?

I suppose if they had a pocket on the back that would be a plus,

Cheers

Would you be able to get to a pocket on the back under shorts and other tops?
I’ve never worn them before so know nothing

I suppose if they had a pocket on the back that would be a plus,

Madison Flux Capacity v. Handy pockets

I wear posh Castelli stuff on the road (lots of time spent in the saddle) but cheaper ones such as Craft under MTB baggies (shorter rides, more time spent standing). I have worn bibs without baggies but didn’t like the damage to my hip when I fell off the boardwalk one day!

Madison Flux Capacity v. Handy pockets

Those do look like some very handy pockets actually

yeah the plan was to wear them underneath my normal shorts/mtb trousers

Planet X bibs are good.
The pair I bought for £20ish a year ago are still going strong after about 5000km.
Barely worn another pair of cycling shorts all year, under shorts/trousers for MTB and on their own or under tights for road.

Back when I actually rode I always preferred bibs under normal MTB shorts, the only issue was sometimes the shorts would slip down at the back (as the bib short material is smooth) but at least you’re still not exposing your ass crack to anyone following :p I ended up preferring some Oakley shorts that had silicon grippers on the inside of the waistband so they didn’t slip.

Just bib shorts on their own – plenty of people do but for me it depends where you’re riding, open trails with not much risk of falling off then they make sense. But on trails where they can snag on stuff or there’s a decent chance of crashing then it could get spendy.

Have a look at Decathlon… I found a few pairs on a sale rail for £19 but even at full price they are going really well after loads of use. Now if there were bib baggies, it would stop the short shifting…

I’ve taken to wearing bob shorts under baggies, won’t be going back to liner shorts. Very comfy and removes the risk of grit in the crack if your baggies do slip down a bit.

Now if there were bib baggies, it would stop the short shifting…

Last year I got a pair of the Polaris baggies with elastic braces attached. Absolute revelation, so much more comfy than my Humvees and they don’t slip down at all so double protection against crack-grit.

Do people use bib shorts on the mtb?

It’s all I use. Bib shorts in warm weather, Bib tights (roubaix) in colder weather.

Nothing else comes close to the comfort and functionality and baggies shorts are horrible compared to them (or even worn over them)

Can’t imagine riding without them. On the very short rides I ever do with no bib shorts, it’s absolutely horrible.

Caveat, I haven’t ridden more than once in the last *couple* of years.

But when I do I find a bib stops any muck from splashing up and then tricking down into your nethers, for that reason alone, bibs off road work for me 🙂

I’ll check out planet X and decathlon cheers.

They will definitely be going under mtb shorts (or waterproof trousers right now) – my riding is more enduro style and want the extra protection – and don’t want to lose all my style points of course.

Also never had an issue with crack being out so wouldn’t solve this issue. More just wanting to try a pad as allways just used synthetic boxers and people tend to use the bibs rather than padded shorts

I only ever wear road kit offroad, fits better and more comfortable. I never really understood the whole baggy thing for MTB.

Doesn’t it make going for a wee a right pain? Or do they come with zips? I only ever wear cheap decathlon ones or the TLD ones that came with my shorts, which aren’t exactly high tech.

a few companies do the combined bib short with baggy outer – I got a few pairs of the Aussie Grit ones last year and they are excellent in warmer months. Gore also used to do them, not sure if they still do.

I never really understood the whole baggy thing for MTB.

Form over function and needing to look a certain way to feel like they fit in I guess.

Doesn’t it make going for a wee a right pain?

Pull down the front far enough to get your todger over the top. If it will reach!

I never really understood the whole baggy thing for MTB

Allows some more dynamic movement, CAN be better for heat management, compatible with pads/armour.

Does depend if ‘baggies’ means anything that isn’t skintight, or refers specifically to hugely oversized things that were briefly fashionable a few years back.

Endura do a Singletrack bib short with a few pockets (and a handy opening that lines up with the zip fly of baggies)
Also Morvelo Overland bibs have rear pockets.

compatible with pads/armour.

I never had any problem with pads and lycra….

I wear roadie kit, but with a pair of windproof, water proof not baggy overshorts. Basically the over shorts provide protection against mud up yet arse and less likely to get damaged when you come off.

I always pay for good quality bibs and roadie shorts. Not somewhere I’d look go compromise.

I never had any problem with pads and lycra….

Pads and Lycra are just wrong,
In fact exposed Lycra on any mtb except in an XC race is just wrong, I agree that it’s probably practical (apart from the lack of crash protection) but so are speedo swimming shorts and no one wears them in the pool 🙂

For me it’s Lycra padded shorts under baggies, never thought of bib shorts, use them on the Turbo, must give them a shot next time out.

so are speedo swimming shorts and no one wears them in the pool

Pissing about in the pool with your kids on holiday, obviously not. But all the serious swimmers I know wear them while training.

I can highly recommend the Howies bib shorts, they’re made on a circular loom so have no seams & the pad is really comfortable. they last well too.
I have posher ones that I wear, but none of them come close to the Howies ones for comfort.