BIB Tight recommendations....need one with a comfy pad

BIB Tight recommendations....need one with a comfy pad

Author
Discussion

turboman786

Original Poster:

1,081 posts

193 months

Saturday 28th May 2022
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Im after a pair of BIB Tights with some decent padding...

I bought some Castelli BIB tights for £68, so the cheaper end of the market, and whilst they are OK I feel the padding isnt brilliant and Im prone to an aching backside in a couple of hours riding

Can you guys assist me with a make/model where the pad is top notch and provides genuine comfort rather than just kess discomfort !!

Budget is up to £100 I guess.....and has to be tights....i dont do shorts !

Harpoon

1,942 posts

220 months

Saturday 28th May 2022
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I have the previous version of these and they are great (especially for the price)

https://www.galibier.cc/product/mistral3-bibs/

You would melt wearing them in summer though!

anonymous-user

60 months

Saturday 28th May 2022
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What works for me may not work for you, I like Castelli kit and it fits me well, as does Bioracer bibs. Chamois cream is also really important and how often you apply to the pad really makes a difference.

defblade

7,583 posts

219 months

Saturday 28th May 2022
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Annoyingly, it's one of those things where you've just to to try some and see. Which can rapidly get expensive frown
No-one else can tell you what will comfortable for you, and every time someone posts saying "x" is brilliant, someone else will post and say they didn't get on with that one!

I tend to hunt the sales and mark-down sites (like StartFitness and SportPursuit) and try and pick stuff up at a good discount.

I've got a couple of bits of Polaris stuff (from their own sale) that I've only worn about twice as the pad's too wide for me; I found some Scott bibs down to £30-odd and liked them so bought a couple more pairs quick - they're starting to lose their padding thickness after a couple of years, but at that price who minds?; I've got maybe 3 other pairs of bibs all down from £100+ to £30-40 which are ... ok, but not great enough to go back for more. (Galibier - shoulder straps a bit short for me as I'm lanky... if I had an extra couple of inches sewn in they'd be great but I just haven't got around to handing them to my better half; Oakley nice pad but a bit tight on the legs and slippy on the saddle; Madison good fit but pad a bit thin for longer rides).

gazza285

10,088 posts

214 months

Saturday 28th May 2022
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I don’t mind the SportPursuit stuff myself, I find the Rivelo stuff comfortable. bks to wearing tights all year though.

MelbourneWoody

1,398 posts

167 months

Monday 30th May 2022
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I recently bought a pair of the Rapha cargo bib shorts. If you're after the biggest pad possible then go for these, it's huge! to the point that it's a bit big for me and slightly rubs in between my legs which is annoying.

_Hoppers

1,329 posts

71 months

Tuesday 31st May 2022
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Are you sure it's not the saddle that's part of the problem?

Scoobyshue

237 posts

168 months

Wednesday 1st June 2022
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pablo said:
What works for me may not work for you, I like Castelli kit and it fits me well, as does Bioracer bibs. Chamois cream is also really important and how often you apply to the pad really makes a difference.
This^^^^

I use Planet X bibs most of the time (I have others by Altura, Rivello) but I have a few sets of the Planet X ones.

They are fine for me for 40-50 miles without chamois cream and I have done a few 100 milers in them with chamois cream. Work fine for me and less than £25. They don't look too great but I always wear a set of baggies over the top.

ukbabz

1,589 posts

132 months

Wednesday 1st June 2022
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It's one of the many trial an error things in cycling as to what works for you - bit like saddles annoyingly.

Personally I find castellis a bit meh whilst le col work really well for me.

WestyCarl

3,405 posts

131 months

Wednesday 1st June 2022
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MelbourneWoody said:
I recently bought a pair of the Rapha cargo bib shorts. If you're after the biggest pad possible then go for these, it's huge! to the point that it's a bit big for me and slightly rubs in between my legs which is annoying.
I tried these and couldn't get on with them (I really wanted to like them due to the leg pockets) I think it's due to being 186cm tall and the shoulder staps are very tight (pulling the shorts up tight).

I find DHB much more comfy

tvrfan007

413 posts

180 months

Wednesday 1st June 2022
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Comfort is subjective and the saddle should not be discounted. Evans can check you're sitting on the right width. For me, I made an investment in shorts for comfort as it helped me defeat sores (not exclusively). My mate just rides in no names and dhb whatevers and he never has issues!!

Although not unhappy with my first bikes saddle, when I got my second bike I realised what a revelation the saddle was on it and immediately changed the first bike's saddle!

I never pay full price, but have a few shorts including castelli at both ends of the spectrum. The cheaper pad is OK for shorter rides but I wouldn't look to them to do 100k on. Conversely the expensive castelli pad I'd happily ride for 100+, there is a difference. From memory castelli only use two pads.

First pair of bibs I ever bought were the entry level assos ones on a colleagues recommendation. I still have them and they're still super comfy. I went on to get other assos ones from mid range and they're even more comfy! I was also given a pair of Rapha Pro team trousers by the wife, and that pad is also awesome so would happily buy a pair of their shorts although money off is hard to come by!


Gareth79

7,966 posts

252 months

Thursday 2nd June 2022
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tvrfan007 said:
I never pay full price, but have a few shorts including castelli at both ends of the spectrum. The cheaper pad is OK for shorter rides but I wouldn't look to them to do 100k on. Conversely the expensive castelli pad I'd happily ride for 100+, there is a difference. From memory castelli only use two pads.
Yes, Castelli have the Kiss in the lower end stuff, and X2 pads in the top end. The difference is pretty huge to me - the X2 pad fits extremely well (it seems to wrap better) and the density is correct in all the right places. When I ride with my 3/4 tights with the Kiss pad, or my Alé shorts it's a noticeably different feeling, and not quite as comfy.

TheDrownedApe

1,161 posts

62 months

Thursday 2nd June 2022
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I've tried. Dhb aeron, castrelli, endura fs, assos mille gt, giordana frc.

Of them all the assos was the best but the pad wasn't quite wide enough. I used the giordana frc for my 9 day JOGLE and with cream and didn't suffer at all. However for 2-3 hrs any of my choices were good enough.

BUT I had different results depending on my saddle choice. In the end with testing about 12 saddles upto £100 I settled on the cheap but most recommended charge spoon

gazza285

10,088 posts

214 months

Thursday 2nd June 2022
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Scoobyshue said:
pablo said:
What works for me may not work for you, I like Castelli kit and it fits me well, as does Bioracer bibs. Chamois cream is also really important and how often you apply to the pad really makes a difference.
This^^^^

I use Planet X bibs most of the time (I have others by Altura, Rivello) but I have a few sets of the Planet X ones.
Definitely this. I don’t get on with Planet X bibs at all. It’s a bit hard to try before you buy though.

nammynake

2,606 posts

179 months

Sunday 5th June 2022
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Bib shorts plus leg warmers.

Sway

28,532 posts

200 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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One brand not listed, but that gets incredible reviews that certainly my experience has matched is Lusso.

British made, and the only shorts/tights I've ever worn where the pad wasn't just 'comfy' but 'disappeared'...

gazza285

10,088 posts

214 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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Sway said:
One brand not listed, but that gets incredible reviews that certainly my experience has matched is Lusso.

British made, and the only shorts/tights I've ever worn where the pad wasn't just 'comfy' but 'disappeared'...
Where has it disappeared to, and how? Although on second thoughts, don't tell me.

Sway

28,532 posts

200 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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gazza285 said:
Sway said:
One brand not listed, but that gets incredible reviews that certainly my experience has matched is Lusso.

British made, and the only shorts/tights I've ever worn where the pad wasn't just 'comfy' but 'disappeared'...
Where has it disappeared to, and how? Although on second thoughts, don't tell me.
rofl

More that it's just completely unnoticeable when wearing.

dontdobends

485 posts

220 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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Still have a pair of Lusso winter bib tights and still going strong after 5years, and the pad is still super comfy.

mooseracer

2,050 posts

176 months

Thursday 9th June 2022
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I really like my Lusso kit as well.

As someone else mentioned though - discomfort could well be to do with bike setup and/or saddle rather than your BIBs