Have I slimmed out of my bibs?

voicycle
voicycle Posts: 95
edited September 2019 in Road buying advice
Folks who have lost weight and had to move down in bib sizes, how did you know when it was time to make the jump?

I'm noticing lately that several formerly chafe-free pairs of shorts are starting to give a bit of irritation at the junction of the seam running up the inside of my right thigh where it meets the seam at the edge of the pad. It's not bad but I'm keeping an eye on it and sticking some chamois creme in there to make sure it doesn't grow into a real problem.

No other complaints so I can't work out if it's just a wee phase, if I've shrunk out of my bib size, or if it's down to a different riding movement as a result of increased strength/mileage over summer.

I suspect the fact it's right side only has to do with the fact that I dismount the bike to the right rather than the left.

--
For those who want it in numbers I'm 172cm, and dropped from 75kg+ to 69-70kg since January, but always assumed the training bulked out my thighs in roughly equal proportion to the fat loss. My inches were lost mostly around my middle.

Biggest offenders are my 2 beloved pairs of Rapha Classic II bibs in M.
I also notice it with some Pactimo 12hr bibs in M which I only bought in July (and even bought and returned both the S and L just so I could check out all the options at home first - hopefully I didn't buy too big as a result of comparing to my existing bibs).
And a bit of issue with the Rapha Classic lightweight in M.
No complaints about my Brevet Cargo M - they still feel great all the time.
No issues with Sportful NoRain pro in L.
No issues with Castelli Free Aero Race 4 in L either.
Not had the winter gear out yet so I couldn't comment on my tights.

I did just replace a couple pairs of 32/30 Gap jeans with 30/30s. And I've downsized some jerseys but that seems a bit easier and more obvious to just make changes as and when I'd buy new stuff anyway. Mostly it's just that I'm buying more aero fit kit but haven't actually changed size. My Gabba has been the only full on size-as-the-only-reason replacement so far.

Hopefully it's just a temporary issue with my bibs as the prospect of replacing the whole drawer is eye-wateringly expensive.

Sound familiar to anyone? Am I about to become an ebay bib-short fiend?
Custom Albannach Torragar [BUILD IN PROGRESS]
2020 Ribble CGR SL
2019 Vitus Vitesse Evo CRS Disc

Comments

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,490
    As an experiment try rotating your saddle 2 degrees to the left.
    The worst offenders may just be revealing a slight issue.
    Helped me, but I did have to downsize, and all shorts (even from the same company) are cut and/or sized differently.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Cheers! Good shout on rotating saddle, I may give that a go (though the offending seam is actually further down my leg than the nose of the saddle reaches). Will hopefully mean I can carry on in existing shorts til they wear out before sizing down.
    Custom Albannach Torragar [BUILD IN PROGRESS]
    2020 Ribble CGR SL
    2019 Vitus Vitesse Evo CRS Disc
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    If you have gone down a size im pretty sure Rapha do a discount scheme along those lines which may lessen the pain a bit.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Step83 wrote:
    If you have gone down a size im pretty sure Rapha do a discount scheme along those lines which may lessen the pain a bit.
    I like what you did there... :wink:

    PP
  • Pilot Pete wrote:
    Step83 wrote:
    If you have gone down a size im pretty sure Rapha do a discount scheme along those lines which may lessen the pain a bit.
    I like what you did there... :wink:

    PP

    Very clever. Unfortunately that offer is for jersey only - and looks like it needs to be within a year of purchase too: https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/jersey-downsize-offer
    Custom Albannach Torragar [BUILD IN PROGRESS]
    2020 Ribble CGR SL
    2019 Vitus Vitesse Evo CRS Disc