The most comfortable bib shorts

Dippydog3
Dippydog3 Posts: 414
edited September 2014 in Road buying advice
I am willing to experiment, but for those of you out there who have tried several different makes, what do you think has the most comfortable pad?

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Good luck finding an answer from someone whose anatomy is identical to yours....
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Everbody is different but for me Assos (all pads) seem to work for long distance comfort. I have tried spesh, castelli, rapha etc and none come close.
    Brian B.
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    As Imposter infers, there is no standard answer - we're all different. Having said that, I too have found Assos to be a superb maker of bib shorts and longs. For out and out comfort, their long distance, and slightly more padded versions are S5_Mille and their new S7_Cento. As the S5 range is being run out, if you hunt around you should be able to pick up a decent price on the S5_Mille.

    Peter
  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    Of course I realise that everyone's rear end is different.

    However, if lots of people have tried several makes and all come to the same conclusion then perhaps we are not as different as you think.

    That's why I phrased the question to those who had tried several different makes.

    If there is any sort of consensus then I am quite happy to go and buy several different makes.

    I just need help with a short listing process.

    At the end of the day it's padding under a couple of sit bones on an already comfortable saddle. Quite frankly the rest of my body is not that unusual so I find almost anything can be ok there if I buy the right size.
  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    northpole wrote:
    As Imposter infers, there is no standard answer - we're all different. Having said that, I too have found Assos to be a superb maker of bib shorts and longs. For out and out comfort, their long distance, and slightly more padded versions are S5_Mille and their new S7_Cento. As the S5 range is being run out, if you hunt around you should be able to pick up a decent price on the S5_Mille.

    Peter
    Good comment, thanks.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    Grill wrote:
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]

    ^^^^^
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • Jimbeam3678
    Jimbeam3678 Posts: 54
    Budget depending I found these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/etxeondo-orhi-bib-short/ superb. Although there are better if you are willing to pay more...
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]

    ^^^^^

    Not in the same price league as the Assos, I found the Endura FS260 Pro Bib Shorts pretty comfy over 10 hours of cycling.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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  • twgh
    twgh Posts: 102
    The top of the range shorts from the top brands are all good - "you get what you pay for".......

    Saying that the best value / performance combo for me would be Sportful R&D bibshorts - 95% as good as my Rapha Pro Bibs and 1/2 the price.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Rapha Classic – really good pad but not enough compression in the lycra for my liking.
    Assos Uno – bought in 2011 and still getting use although the pad is getting quite compressed now – well worth the money and a great intro into the higher end of bibs.
    Assos t607 – thermal bibs with S5 padding – good compression – combined with a pair of quality leg warmers these can see me right through the winter – on cold spring/autumn days they get used with embrocation. Good long distance bibs too.
    Etxeondo Attaque – luxurious lycra, OK pad but not as thick as Rapha/Assos, less compression than Rapha PT’s – they’re meant to be long distance bibs but I wouldn’t trust them for anything over 40/50 miles before the ar$e ache kicks in.
    Vermarc FRC (our club kit – OPQS team issue) – good pad, nice compression but the legs are a tad too long for me, even in a small.
    dhb somethings (I’ve tried to put them out of my mind) – it was like sitting on a sanitary pad – rubbish – and the logos cracked up after a few washes.

    Rapha Pro Team – IMO the best you can get. A pad that stays in place and is shaped and thick enough to give me comfort for 3 days of back to back century plus rides. Fantastic compression via quality lycra and cut.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    ^ On the subject of Sportful - those new 'plastic' logos are a bad design. Had to send two pairs of the Total Comfort bibs back to Wiggle because they kept peeling back at the corners after a couple of rides. A real shame as the bibs were nice.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,979
    Jimbeam3678 wrote:
    Budget depending I found these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/etxeondo-orhi-bib-short/ superb. Although there are better if you are willing to pay more...

    I believe these are all the bibshorts I will ever need, perfectly comfortable, as in zero saddle discomfort, on a 102 mile ride, and a bargain for £70 each from Merlin when they had stock - I ended up buying 4 pairs I liked them that much, quality through and through.

    I also ordered (but never rode in) some Assos S5 and S7 pads, the S5 seemed fine, but the pad was a bit large and nappy like for my liking, and the S7's were cut really low, and I didn't get on with the cut at all - all down to personal body shape of course.

    I also have Craft Elite, Mavic Sprint and Sportful bibs, and would rate them in that order for comfort and quality of pad.
    As good as the crafts are, the Etxeondo's are just better in every way, blown away by the quality.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
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  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,851
    drlodge wrote:
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]

    ^^^^^

    Not in the same price league as the Assos, I found the Endura FS260 Pro Bib Shorts pretty comfy over 10 hours of cycling.

    I've got them and they are very comfy even after a year of regular use.
    Jimbeam3678 wrote:
    Budget depending I found these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/etxeondo-orhi-bib-short/ superb. Although there are better if you are willing to pay more...

    I've also got them and they are comfy but, so far, not as comfy as the Endura.

    Typically ride 50-80 miles with the occassional longer day either distance or climbing.

    Given the choice I'd but the Endura again.
  • furiousd
    furiousd Posts: 214
    Navrig2 wrote:
    drlodge wrote:
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]

    ^^^^^

    Not in the same price league as the Assos, I found the Endura FS260 Pro Bib Shorts pretty comfy over 10 hours of cycling.

    I've got them and they are very comfy even after a year of regular use.
    Jimbeam3678 wrote:
    Budget depending I found these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/etxeondo-orhi-bib-short/ superb. Although there are better if you are willing to pay more...

    I've also got them and they are comfy but, so far, not as comfy as the Endura.

    Typically ride 50-80 miles with the occassional longer day either distance or climbing.

    Given the choice I'd but the Endura again.

    I have recently bought some FS260 Pro's and very happy with them. Sizing is good, and pad is good. Longest i have done in them so far is 78 miles and they were great. The padding is not as thick as my Hincapie BIBS but for the price you cant go wrong.
    D
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Are the T.Cento the ones with the c0ck pocket?

    How thick is the pad on these vs. Castelli, Etxeondo etc? I'm a big fan of both and prefer a thinner pad vs. a nappy. But if the T.Cento are the nuts, could be tempted!
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Bondurant wrote:
    Are the T.Cento the ones with the c0ck pocket?

    How thick is the pad on these vs. Castelli, Etxeondo etc? I'm a big fan of both and prefer a thinner pad vs. a nappy. But if the T.Cento are the nuts, could be tempted!

    Yes, they have the KuKu Penthouse. The pad is slightly thicker than T.Campionissimo but it's a lot cheaper as well. Pad thickness really doesn't mean anything as shape and materials are what's important.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    FuriousD wrote:
    Navrig2 wrote:
    drlodge wrote:
    Bar Shaker wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Assos S7 T.Cento[/thread]

    ^^^^^

    Not in the same price league as the Assos, I found the Endura FS260 Pro Bib Shorts pretty comfy over 10 hours of cycling.

    I've got them and they are very comfy even after a year of regular use.
    Jimbeam3678 wrote:
    Budget depending I found these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/etxeondo-orhi-bib-short/ superb. Although there are better if you are willing to pay more...

    I've also got them and they are comfy but, so far, not as comfy as the Endura.

    Typically ride 50-80 miles with the occassional longer day either distance or climbing.

    Given the choice I'd but the Endura again.

    I have recently bought some FS260 Pro's and very happy with them. Sizing is good, and pad is good. Longest i have done in them so far is 78 miles and they were great. The padding is not as thick as my Hincapie BIBS but for the price you cant go wrong.
    D


    +1 on the FS260, fould them very comfortable and wear the year round
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • marshall_a
    marshall_a Posts: 90
    For me, sportful bodyfit pro pad and have tried the Sportful TC pro, Assos S5 uno & S5 mille, and a few variations of the one's in the dhb shorts.

    I seem to prefer a smaller pad without any channels so plan on trying a Castelli X2 at some point.
  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    Assos S7 ordered.

    If they aren't comfortable I shall move to plan B.

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