Bib Shorts Comparison - Advice needed!

portland_bill

Morning all,

Ok so I want to get myself a new pair of shorts for a sportive I'm doing on Saturday since I'm not having the most comfortable time with the shorts I currently have.

I have two pairs of Altura shorts which I've never been particularly happy with. I bought two pairs so that I didn't have to wait for one pair to be washed, and within 2 months the pads came loose and they started falling to bits even though I'm always anal about caring for sports clothes, not least because they're expensive. I took them back to my LBS who got them replaced with a newer version and to be fair they've lasted since then, however they're now too big for me and move around on me so I can't wear them without being chaffed now so they're done with.

I have another pair of shorts from my cycling club (unsure of the manufacturer off the top of my head) which are the correct size and generally feel ok for the first hour or so but start to get a little abrasive after that and after speaking with other club members the general consensus was that the fit was good but the pads were rubbish so that could be why.

So now, I've been reading around and found good reviews of DHB Aeron Pro shorts, especially considering they don't cost much money. I've also found good reviews on the Castelli Evoluzione and while I was looking at them found the Castelli Endurance X2 which from the reviews sound like they're perfect for my situation since most of the reviews say they're great for people who are of a reasonable fitness and do long rides but still carry a bit of weight which sums me up pretty well.

I just wondered if anyone could offer any advice or experience on them or whether there are any other shorts I should consider for around the same prices since if money was no object I'd be getting myself a pair of Raphas...

Cheers all!

Grill

Rapha bib short quality is iffy (mine came apart in a dozen rides) and they don't hold a candle to Assos S7 bibs so you're not missing out. The Castelli Endurance X2 is a good choice as th pad is lovely. I've been using DHB tights for the last 2 winters and the pad is good for the money. Also check out some of the Endura stuff as they do decent gear for the price.

CXrider

Very happy with my DHB Aeron Pro shorts. IIRC they were about £65. I am somewhere between a medium and a large and the large fits me perfectly.

jotko

Endura FS-260 Pros are pretty unbeatable for the price IMO - about £65 before you start mucking about with voucher codes etc.

navrig2

jotko wrote:

Endura FS-260 Pros are pretty unbeatable for the price IMO - about £65 before you start mucking about with voucher codes etc.

+1

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/end ... t-ec002082

jotko

Navrig2 wrote:

jotko wrote:

Endura FS-260 Pros are pretty unbeatable for the price IMO - about £65 before you start mucking about with voucher codes etc.

+1

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/end ... t-ec002082

They are just normal FS-260s, not the pro ones.

Cant vouch for them, but the pros are excellent.

rmw

Got a couple of DHB shorts and these are great value but I also have a few items of Santini gear and the bib shorts are fantastic. Just bought a pair of these and they fit like a glove, are very comfortable, supportive and they look great:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... antzbbs240

Decent price too from Ribble with a chamois cream offer

mattyarse

I'd have a look at the Assos factory outlet. £89 for a pair of decent bibs that I would say are more comfortable and feel better quality that the ones I have from both Rapha (Classic) and Castelli (Nanoflex).