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| Just Two Men In Tights at Sunset |
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TLDR: it depends on your anatomy, physiology, saddle, and riding style. If you change saddles you may notice that some bibs do not work for you, so once you find a combination that works, stick with it, and change with caution.
I liked
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I tested a bunch of different bib shorts over the past year in an effort to find something that I liked. Price is a factor because they can get expensive; I got all of mine at some type of discount, either on sale or through a contact at Competitive Cyclist, so you can do the same. I put at least 10 hours in the saddle on each set of shorts, with a two hour minimum for each test ride (after initial break in rides of about an hour). I tried two different saddles (more on that shortly), across several months and these are the bib shorts and saddle combinations that worked for me.
A few words on fit: I am barely six feet tall, with a 32" inseam and a long torso. I have a 34" waist, and wear a 42" regular suit coat. I weigh about 190 lbs, and I am built like a sprinter, not a GC rider. Most of my riding is leaned forward, with my wrists and forearms on the bars, or on the drops. So I roll my hips forward to flatten out my spine and reduce flexion. I used a Specialized Phenom saddle for several months before switching to a Specialized Power saddle (143 mm width).
Tested, in descending order of preference:
1. Eliel Hollywood Bib Shorts in size L - Excellent shorts, and no issues with either saddle in any riding position. All day comfortable. These are their priciest model, but you can get the same chamois and build quality in their Laguna Seca short. Made right here in California, which is important considering how hard it is to run a small manufacturing business in this state.
2. Specialized RBX Pro in size L - Good shorts, suited for long days in the saddle. The best thing about these shorts is that you can often find them on sale for $125 or less, which is a good price for a premium bib. They are extremely plush, and aimed squarely at maximum comfort. I rated them higher than the Giordana shorts because they fit me better and are easy to find for half as much money.
3. Giordana Lungo Bib Shorts in size L - Good shorts, but not well suited to my body / saddle. They are beautifully made in Italy, with a light, technical fabric and a seamless chamois and only one seam on the legs. You can tell they were designed and assembled with some considerable care, as they hardly weigh anything and it's very hard to make a garment in this way. They feel fine when you first get them on, but I did not get along with them very well with the Phenom saddle. After switching to the Power saddle things improved, but they are still not a great fit for me and I cannot wear them comfortably on a ride longer than an hour. I keep them in the rotation because it's too late to return them, but I would not buy them again. It's a shame, because the fit and finish of the shorts is top notch, and the shorts are superb aside from fitment.
4. Assos T.tiburu_s7 Bib Shorts - These are their cold-weather bibs, and I am not very impressed by them. Build quality is fine, but the chamois does not agree with me at all. Also the front of the short stops well below my belly button, which seems very odd when compared with other insulated bibs I own from Rapha. Moreover the insulation is weak as hell, and they do not actually keep you very warm. Reviewers on Comp Cyclist say they are 'fantastic' and 'extremely warm', but I am here to tell you they are 'not worth it' and 'not for you if you like the way a Rapha Pro Team chamois fits'. Some riders like them a lot, but my experience is that there are better options elsewhere. YMMV
5. Rapha Pro Team Bib Shorts II in size XL- Good shorts until the elastic fails, which happened even before I wore the most recent set on an actual ride. Comfortable, good chamois suitable for most types of riding. The elastic at the very bottom of the leg does not grip as well as it should at the very edge of the cuff. This has happened on both of the Rapha Pro Team bibs that I own, and I think in their next iteration the leg opening will be smaller to correct this issue. $270 a pair it should not happen. It's beyond a cosmetic issue - it flaps in the wind. For reference my legs are 47 cm around where the bibs should sit.
That's my experience. Hope it was helpful.
See you out there.
1. Eliel Hollywood Bib Shorts in size L - Excellent shorts, and no issues with either saddle in any riding position. All day comfortable. These are their priciest model, but you can get the same chamois and build quality in their Laguna Seca short. Made right here in California, which is important considering how hard it is to run a small manufacturing business in this state.
2. Specialized RBX Pro in size L - Good shorts, suited for long days in the saddle. The best thing about these shorts is that you can often find them on sale for $125 or less, which is a good price for a premium bib. They are extremely plush, and aimed squarely at maximum comfort. I rated them higher than the Giordana shorts because they fit me better and are easy to find for half as much money.
3. Giordana Lungo Bib Shorts in size L - Good shorts, but not well suited to my body / saddle. They are beautifully made in Italy, with a light, technical fabric and a seamless chamois and only one seam on the legs. You can tell they were designed and assembled with some considerable care, as they hardly weigh anything and it's very hard to make a garment in this way. They feel fine when you first get them on, but I did not get along with them very well with the Phenom saddle. After switching to the Power saddle things improved, but they are still not a great fit for me and I cannot wear them comfortably on a ride longer than an hour. I keep them in the rotation because it's too late to return them, but I would not buy them again. It's a shame, because the fit and finish of the shorts is top notch, and the shorts are superb aside from fitment.
4. Assos T.tiburu_s7 Bib Shorts - These are their cold-weather bibs, and I am not very impressed by them. Build quality is fine, but the chamois does not agree with me at all. Also the front of the short stops well below my belly button, which seems very odd when compared with other insulated bibs I own from Rapha. Moreover the insulation is weak as hell, and they do not actually keep you very warm. Reviewers on Comp Cyclist say they are 'fantastic' and 'extremely warm', but I am here to tell you they are 'not worth it' and 'not for you if you like the way a Rapha Pro Team chamois fits'. Some riders like them a lot, but my experience is that there are better options elsewhere. YMMV
5. Rapha Pro Team Bib Shorts II in size XL- Good shorts until the elastic fails, which happened even before I wore the most recent set on an actual ride. Comfortable, good chamois suitable for most types of riding. The elastic at the very bottom of the leg does not grip as well as it should at the very edge of the cuff. This has happened on both of the Rapha Pro Team bibs that I own, and I think in their next iteration the leg opening will be smaller to correct this issue. $270 a pair it should not happen. It's beyond a cosmetic issue - it flaps in the wind. For reference my legs are 47 cm around where the bibs should sit.
That's my experience. Hope it was helpful.
See you out there.
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