Cycling Bib Shorts – An Alternative To Regular Cycling Shorts

When you have been a cyclist for some considerable length of time, you will probably have been involved in one or more clubs or teams for cyclists, and perhaps even been involved in some racing. At that level of riding, and when you find yourself surrounded by other serious bike enthusiasts, you'll find that your kit has completely changed. It used to be just a bike helmet to keep your head safe in case of accidents, but now you find yourself clad in Lycra, with jerseys and cycling shorts, and shoes and gloves, and probably a lot of other stuff.

Like with any kind of sport, different people support different teams, and if you are participating yourself, then the arguments can soon start about which gear is best. With runners, it is which brand of running shoes, and so with cyclists, it is often the pros and cons of the cycling shorts which get people hot under collar. Some prefer regular ones, which are fairly similar to ordinary sports shorts, with an elastic waistband, but are tighter fitting. The other type is called cycling bib shorts. This are held up by suspenders, or straps, which you pull up over your shoulders, doing away with the need for elastic waistbands. For the guys who race seriously, the bib shorts are more common because of the amount they sweat during a race. Once the elastic waistband has become wet, it is usually very uncomfortable as it chafes against the skin. So using the bib shorts instead does away with this painful problem.

Whichever style of cycling shorts you select, you will pretty much always get the same technical features to provide you with the best possible riding experience. That means high performance materials which are able to remove moisture from your skin and take it to the surface of the garment where it will evaporate, leaving you cool and dry. The other most popular feature is the padded chamois, designed to protect your sensitive regions on long rides. This should also be made from moisture management materials.

Bib shorts do have a minor disadvantage that is worth mentioning. If you are caught short and need to perform a "toilet stop", you will need to have planned ahead that morning while you were dressing. It is easy to forget, especially if you are wearing bib cycling shorts for the first few times, to pull the straps over your shoulders only once you have a single jersey left to put on. This really applies to cold weather riding, as you will be more likely to need several layers, including a base layer or compression top, a regular cycling jersey and perhaps even a cycling jacket or poncho. If you put all these layers on after you have strapped your bib shorts, then when the time comes to answer the call of nature, you will have to remove them all. The solution for the experienced rider is to pull the suspenders over your shoulders when you just have one layer left to add! Or if you are particularly worried, for long distance touring perhaps, then maybe it would be better to choose the regular shorts.

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