Lycra bib shorts – most comfortable for big distances??

Got to do a 250 mile road ride in 24 hours for charity next month and i’m up to 150 miles now in training but am having the usual butt ache after about 70-80 miles, i’ve been for saddle fit and have a comfortable saddle, but was gonna treat myself to a half decent pair of bib shorts.

I’ve been wearing a pair of Skins shorts but have worn them out (bought from CRC for £50) but to replace them now is £120 and i think i could probably get better for the price?

Any recommendations for most comfortable chamois or shorts overall?

Got a few pairs of Polaris bibs which are pretty good but just invested in some DHB Aeron Pro bibs and found them to be very comfy indeed. Depends on how much you are willing to spend. I imagine the £150+ ones are great but Ill likely never find out!

I can recommend some kind of cream. Been using the Paceline Eurostyle Chamois Butt’r and found it to be very good. A nice cool feel which seems to last a fair while.

Thanks TC.

I’ve been using the Assos minty ar*se lard which is great, i was gonna see what people recommend, i’ve never spent anything like £150 on shorts before, but thought i might treat myself as a one off. I’ll have a look at the DHB ones.

I was disapointed in the Assos shorts I bought a few years ago. Not that comfy and the stitching came apart.

The Lusso Gel insert ones I bought last year were amazingly comfy so I bought some more. They are lasting very well and over a year later still have the thick material feeling rather than going soft/baggy.

Made in the UK if that bothers you.

I wear the Assos Mille long distance ones. Did 220 miles in them at the weekend and my arse was the least of my troubles! Saw a lot of other people wearing the same.

These:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/assos-t-fimille-s5-bib-shorts/

Shorts are like saddles, depends on the person.

I’ve had good luck Sugoi shorts (and they’re a lot cheaper than assos). I’ve used their Evolution bibs (the cheaper model) on long stuff, 200, 250 miles without too much bother. In fact, I have a pair of their more expensive RS bibs and prefer the Evolutions (so much I have 3 pairs now).

I reckon the most important thing is that the shorts are relatively tight fitting so the chamois doesn’t move about.

Yeah shorts are like saddles some are cheap and sh*t and some are Not… Id go for Morvelo shorts if I was You they have pads similar to your assos ones and fit is as good…

Can I recommend shorts from the Castelli range? Have used Endura kit for many years for mountain biking. But I now ride road more these days and I have been embracing more road brands. I’m afraid I can’t remember off the top of my head what I got (paid approx £90) but for a comparative price thought they were excellent. Actually here they are – http://www.castellicafe.co.uk/castelli-velocissimo-due-mens-bibshort?var=1770 I shall be spending a wedge on a really nice pair for longer days in the saddle.

I’ve just bought some Scott bib shorts from Start Cycles with loads of cash off. Still waiting for them to arrive but I’ve got high hopes because the other Scott stuff I’ve bought has been really good quality. The other half loves the Scott shorts I bought her.

I’m not a hardened roadie, but quite like the DHB stuff that I’ve bought to date.

Mate of mine has got a couple of pairs of ‘Funkier’ shorts from CRC and reckons they are very comfortable. Keep meaning to get a pair to try them out.

I’m in a similar situation. Doing the LEL in July so getting some new shorts.
So far, I’ve got some Mavic ones which are REALLY nice, but quite thin, so good for a hot summer’s day. Just got some of the Howies Leadouts and I’m very impresed with them, awesome value for money.

DHB +1.

DHB aeron pros +another (prefer them over my Assos S5 Uno’s and Castelli Free Aero Race’s, both of which were a fair bit more.

From Wiggle, in reference to the Assos Mille bib shorts:

Temperature range: Summer – 22-32°C

Perfect for the UK then 😀

get the ones that fit the best, get them so they feel snug.

bum cream, good for preventing rubs and chaff if that is an issue but just aching is fit, saddle, shorts, position on bike, etc etc

as for brands, Gore, PI and Castelli all good, though I used form £15 in the sale cannondale ones on lejog and they were fine – hardly any padding as they were snide ones

Anyone know what the sizing like on the dhb Aeron Pros?

I’ve got a set of the dhb Vaeon Roubiax 3/4 bibs and found that the XL was a much better fit for me despite the size chart reckoning I’d be a Large.

Are the Aerons likewise sized?

(I’m 188cm, 86kg, 34 waist jeans)

I’d say you’re between a L and XL, I’m 185cm and 90Kg and XL are fine for me (not loose by any means but not soprano-inducingly tight either). Just buy one of each and return one via collect+

Anyone know what the sizing like on the dhb Aeron Pros?

Large is perfect for me at 33-34in waist (and medium in normal clothes).

Very comfy, but I’ve only done about 60 miles max at a time in them.

Just buy one of each and return one via collect+

Sounds like a plan. Thanks.

I won a pair of Rapha bib shorts a couple of years ago, they’re still going strong, I use them weekly for road, cross, MTB, even on the odd DH day. Hands down more comfortable than any of the other bibs I own, but at a price, especially with the whole WIGGO SKY thing going on!

I also use a set of Giordana bibs for commuting and the odd road ride, worth a look!

Graham – they are snug. I’ve had other DHB bibs in small, got the Pros in small and they were pretty “race” fit, so sent them back and got some med which fit perfectly. Go XL I’d say.

Lovely shorts 🙂

Thanks for all the replies. Now looking at the DHB shorts as for that price I may buy a couple of pairs and change half way through ride to have a clean dry pair for the final 100 miles.

Trouble for me looking at the sizing is that the medium fits my height and waist size, the XL fits my chest size, yet most bibs and shorts i already own are XXL due to thigh size (typical mis-proportioned rugby lad)!

Anyone experience of Sugoi bibs, local LBS had a pair at £99 where the chamois seemed to actually contain a “gel” part to it instead of just foam??

If you’re looking at Castelli, go a size up. They seem solely designed for pie dodging Italians.

Pearl Izumi stuff can be very nice as well.

Oh and if you haven’t already got some, I’d also suggest some knees and/or leg warmers. They can make a big difference when the temps change.

I have some Sugoi bibs. The pad is odd. It makes it feel like the saddle is loose.

Giordana do some with gel in the pad which are regularly recommended, never used them myself though

Assos Mille are my favourites but they are bloody expensive.

Not particularly impressed by the current range of dhb shorts (used to really rate them) – the top of the range ones might be better but with the middle range ones the pad is thin, particularly at the front and the lycra is sort of shiney too and has gone see through after about 5 washes! Would go with Lusso or Decathlon for good value

had loads of shorts, everyones bum is different but the most comfortable ones for me are

rapha
LeCol
Nalini
Santini
Gore
Exte-ondo(sp?)

i dont do cheap shorts, they are generally rubbish imho.
anything from lusso has fallen apart in days

GORE Xenon bib shorts are absolutely fantastic. Far superior to the dhb aeron pros I used before.
The padded insert just feels invisible on the bike but totally comfortable.

So I ordered the XL and L of the dhb Aeron Pros, as suggested.

On the XL the leg gripper was loose and flappy, rather than tight against skin.

The L is a snugger fit, but I’m still not convinced by them.

Not sure if I’m just not used to roadie wear but the feel quite “short-shorts”:

(Maybe I should stick to 3/4s)

Also the seams aren’t flat: the butt-crack one in particular is tickly and irritating. And there is some loose stitching on some of the seams.

The pad does seem to be excellent for the price though.