Your best bib short recommendations - 2018-2022ish

I used to swear by Rapha but la Passione are my go-to for long days on the bike.

I now have gotten in quite a few rides in the new Assos Equipe RS S9 bib shorts. https://www.assos.com/equipe-rs-bib-shorts-s9?quantity=1&g=equipe-rs-bib-shorts-s9_blackSeries-1-M.jpg&color=113

I have found them excellent and the best Assos bibs I’ve owned to date. I’ve used them on my road bike, on the trainer, and also for XC MTN bike riding, and have been very good for all of them. You really don’t notice the shorts when you ride, which to me is a very good thing.

I went ahead and ordered a pair of the new Cento Evo Bibs, which are an update to the old Cento S7. CENTO Evo Bib Shorts, blackSeries » ASSOS Of Switzerland They just arrived today so haven’t gotten a ride on them yet, but they do appear to be fairly similar to the old S7 with some new materials and different leg grippers. I like the thicker pad for long endurance rides on the trainer as well as long slower paced rides outside.

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I have some garneau shorts, they’re alright (bought 3 pairs) and i use them mainly on my 25km commute on sketchy street asphalt
I have some of theblackbibs and i love them, kept me pain free for the 50km rides and the 75km ride i’ve done with them.

I haven’t seen them mentioned yet, I’ve been through all different kinds of bibs, many mentioned in this thread (No Rapha yet though) but my favorite all time by some margin are Etxeondo. They are popular in Spain.

I bought them for the comfort/fit for 4hr+ rides and even though I’ve re-bought the last 3 seasons all the bibs are still in working order, so not only my fav. bibs but also the most durable I’ve had.

I picked up a pair of Performance bibs at one of the local shops that was closing. The straps are too big for me, and the legs are a bit narrow for the size. The chamois is really thin and only use for short recovery rides. I picked them up for $30 which I don’t believe is worth the price.

Just got a set of theblackbibs in the mail yesterday and hopped on the trainer with them.
They seemed really good and for $40, what’s not to like?

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I have a pair and they are, by far, the worst bibs I’ve ever owned. Even worse than the old school real chamois we rode before synthetics took over. They have huge hard pieces in the insert that press on all the wrong places. They may work well for others, but for me, they would not be worth even $1.

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Personally I love rapha stuff and pick up a few when they are on sale. The styling and comfort are #1 in my book.

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Galibier.cc for me, great fit, very comfy and excellent price.

Has someone tried out oakley bibs?

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I have two pairs and they are very nice. I have noticed they are slightly longer and the lower portion is just above my knee. I wear a medium in the Oakley’s and a medium in everything else!

:slight_smile:

Rapha bibs = only thing I splurge on. Hard to find on sale these days. I got frustrated last summer and ordered ten bibs at once and returned nine. Rapha classic were far and away the most comfy for my privates.

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I got one pair of Oakley bibs at an Ironman expo and love them. I recently saw a sale online and picked up their aero bib because I loved the one I got so much. For what its worth, they are the bibs I grab for long rides (3+ hours) or tough trainer sessions. Definitely my favorite, although I have not tried Rapha ones yet. I do have a pair of Giordana bibs and while I like them, i still prefer my Oakley ones. I guess the bum likes what the bum wants :stuck_out_tongue:

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i heard the new specialized ones are 3d (so raised i guess) :man_shrugging: ive ordered a pair so when they arrive ill let you know.

I have three pairs of Galibier that i use on the trainer as they are comfy but the cut is relatively high so hard for toilet stops. However, after around three months of use the stitching is coming away in the same place in two pairs. I contacted Galibier who said that they would send me another pair out but i never received them and they are not responding to my emails now.

I wore Performance Bike’s “Ultra” bibs for several years and, although the quality declined some recently, always found them to be decent. With Performance Bike going away, I decided to give the Black Bibs a try. Not sure what I really expected for $40-65, but they’re terrible. The chamois is terrible and the fit around the old “twig and berries” is horrendous. I’m going to order a pair of La Passione’s PSN bibs and give them a try. They’re a little more than I’m used to spending at $150/pair, but I’ve heard good things…

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After using them for a few weeks, I am reasonably impressed by Black Bibs for general use. Fit me fine (5’9", 152lbs - 175cm, 68.5kg) in a medium. Comfy right from day 1, and just did a 70km fixed gear ride in 30C weather with no discomfort. Leg openings could be a touch smaller for my legs and I ordered 2 pairs, one with powerband and one without. IMO, the powerband is not worth the nearly 60% premium ($65 vs $40) over the standard although both are still inexpensive

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In case anyone is looking for more bibs, Competitive Cyclist has a bunch on sale today for the annual Tour sale. I decided to get a pair of the Shimano S-Phyre’s to try since they are half price and have reviewed well.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/rc/annual-tour-sale-daily-deal?INT_ID=IB25452

One of the reviews on the Gore C7’s is pretty funny…

Does seem like a bit of an odd design decision…

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Do you find the S9 has very aggressive grippers? For me the S9 digs into my hamstring a lot more than the S7 cento.

Regarding the Assos RS Equipe S9, they stay in position well but I haven’t had any discomfort or other issues related to the grippers. I’ve used them for both long road rides as well as some 5 - 6 hour days on the XC mountain bike.