3/4 bib shorts are they worth it? Necessary?

on-yer-bike

I'm thinking of buying some. Last Autumn I went straight from shorts to tights. Is it worth having something in between? Can you wear 3/4 bibs most of the winter? I have been looking at the Rapha ones.

bompington

I'm still waiting for an explanation on what the bib does for you? I'd have thought if anyone needed one it would be me, as my belly tends to roll the top of my shorts down - but it makes no difference whatever when it does, so what is the point of bibs?

ride_whenever

more comfortable without the rolled down bit IME.

OP, i'd say that 3/4 are more necessary than shorts! Knees are best covered until the weather gets above 18 degrees celcius or so. Read it somewhere, seen a significant reduction in knee pain following it both for me and many others.

MrChuck

bompington wrote:

I'm still waiting for an explanation on what the bib does for you? I'd have thought if anyone needed one it would be me, as my belly tends to roll the top of my shorts down - but it makes no difference whatever when it does, so what is the point of bibs?

Two things for me: the wasitband doesn't dig in on long rides and it feels like there's less of a draughty gap when it's colder.

I must say I was a bit sceptical about the wasitband thing because I didn't see it as that big a deal, but having tried some bibs out of curiosity I'm sold.

As for 3/4 I guess it depends on how hardy you are and where you live. Round Birmingham way I could probably fairly happily wear 3/4s right through winter- there'd probably only be a few days I'd be wishing for full-length.

That said I do have some full-length ones too so I'm covered!

fast as fupp

on-yer-bike wrote:

I'm thinking of buying some. Last Autumn I went straight from shorts to tights. Is it worth having something in between? Can you wear 3/4 bibs most of the winter? I have been looking at the Rapha ones.

the answer to your question is 'knee-warmers'

bompington

I'm still waiting for an explanation on what the bib does for you? I'd have thought if anyone needed one it would be me, as my belly tends to roll the top of my shorts down - but it makes no difference whatever when it does, so what is the point of bibs?

StrangelyBrown

I don't get cold very easily so tend to cook when wearing longs outside of very cold days. 3/4 just give you more options when it gets a bit colder. Could wear shorts with knee warmers but a proper 3/4 short is slightly more comfortable.

I like mine but to be honest I only bought them because I got them dirt cheap, otherwise I doubt if I would have bothered. But glad I did

IMHO, bibs are more comfortable than shorts as they don't have a restrictive elasicated waist. When you are working hard, any pressure around the middle is not nice. And with no elasticated waist you don't have a lovely sweat line around your tum tum.

bompington

No idea how the double post happened but thanks for the replies to my query - I've just bought bib longs at Aldi so we'll see how they do.

Slow Downcp

Knee warmers are good on days when it's likely to warm up later in the day, but if it's going to stay around 10-12 degrees, the 3/4's are better IMHO. Also, if you get 3/4's, get the ones with a roubaix lining as they help keep your thighs warmer, whereas shorts woth knee warmers can lead to chilly tops of legs.

cougie

Bibs are much better than shorts. No waistbands to cut into you.

I think 3/4 shorts are great. But I'd go for the DHB ones and save the £100 extra from the Rapha ones.

bompington

cougie wrote:

Bibs are much better than shorts. No waistbands to cut into you

This is the bit I don't get - believe me, my belly is seriously cut-into-able, but shorts have never been a problem for me.
But of course when you actually get something new you're often left with that "why didn't I try that before?" feeling.

cougie

Maybe it depends on the belly ? But if you dont want to have that baggy crotch thing - then they need to fit right. In the olden days it was probably harder to do that so the bibs were invented. I think with modern materials fit is better now, but I still prefer bibs.

on-yer-bike

Bibs are for making sure that the pad stays firmly in place

DonDaddyD

I'm 5'11, 15st and have got a beer belly. My 3/4 bibs are great, not because of the belly, but because they fit (think babies romper/jump suit) and the length of the legs keep my knees warm and ankles cool and weirdly this creates the perfect tempreture to ride my bike... can't explain it but they're wicked.

By a cheapish DHB pair to try-em-out if you have the money.

guilliano

I just find that my lower legs don't get cold when I'm riding, so unless it's properly freezing I don't need full length thermals. But having had numerous knee problems I do like my 3/4 length bibs. OK, they are MTB lycra shorts but they work for road as well.

I'm seriously tempted to get some Endura Stealth Lite tights for the winter though..... purely for the waterproofing.

neeb

Knee warmers are certainly the much more economical option... If you are relying on 3/4 lengths for several months of the year you will need to get 2 or 3 pairs in addition to your 2 or 3 pairs of summer shorts. With knee warmers you can get away with one pair of knee warmers (they are quite cheap and unlike shorts you don't really need to wash them after every ride) and use the same shorts you use in summer. Knee warmers work very well - I never believed that they would be comfortable and stay up until I tried them, but as long as you get the right size and have the lower edge of the shorts over the upper edge of the knee warmers they are fine, and give you exactly the same coverage you would have with 3/4s. Just don't do what I did and get non-matching colours...

Dustine

Apart from cheap shorts just for the ride to work, i would never buy another pair of non-bibshorts. Bibs are just so much more comfortable if you are going any significant distance.
As for 3/4's, I have knee warmers for the milder days when summer weight shorts are enough, but as the temperature drops, i would rather have the thicker 3/4 shorts. I wear them more than some i guess, cos of achy knees...