DIY bib longs

[Abitrary]

Almost bought a pair of cannondale bib longs today for 93 quid (30 pints).

Has anyone ever used braces with normal shorts to get the same effect as bib shorts i.e. can they hold up a pair of normal shorts without too much discomfort?

Maybe one for the ladies.. but does anyone use suspenders to stop their leg warmers from sliding down? I don't mean the white fluffy ones that porn mags use in wedding fantasy articles, but more like the proper strict german nurse ones.

 

[Noodley]

I use strings on my wellies, much like small children use strings on their gloves. Up the inside of my shorts, round my neck and down the other side. It was a bit of a struggle getting the cleats fitted but I think I did not too bad a job. I suppose I could add an extra fixing point on my shorts and they would be bibshort-like...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Braces with shorts were common years ago... pre-lycra probably when shorts had real chamois inserts and were made of mildly itchy wool. I used them without problem, but modern bibs are better.

 

[Chuffy]

Almost bought a pair of cannondale bib longs today for 93 quid (30 pints).

It's lucky you live somewhere so expensive otherwise they'd look like even worse value....

Has anyone ever used braces with normal shorts to get the same effect as bib shorts i.e. can they hold up a pair of normal shorts without too much discomfort?

I have here in front of me a photo of Louison Bobet, triple Tour winner in the 50s. Bibshorts hadn't been invented then and he is wearing shorts held up with braces. If they're good enough for him, they're good enough for you. Please don't go for the suspenders though. My dreams are weird enough as it is.

 

[Abitrary]

Braces with shorts were common years ago... pre-lycra probably when shorts had real chamois inserts and were made of mildly itchy wool. I used them without problem, but modern bibs are better.

Are there specific cycling braces though? Not like the city banker red ones usually worn over a blue stripey shirt.

 

[domtyler]

I bought some new bibshorts the other day from Wiggle, the DHB Fearnly ones, they are really good quality and were around thirty quid.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Are there specific cycling braces though? Not like the city banker red ones usually worn over a blue stripey shirt.

Sorry Abitrary, this was the early '80s, either thick red ones or anything Paisley was de-riguer to hold up our Tudor-brand shorts... we didn't need poncey Rapha to tell us what to wear.

 

[Abitrary]

I bought some new bibshorts the other day from Wiggle, the DHB Fearnly ones, they are really good quality and were around thirty quid.

Ah, but in the absence of full longs, how do you keep your leg warmers up?

I might actually just get timpsons to sow my spare pair into some shorts (I bought two pairs of leg warmers from wiggle by mistake thinking they were sold singly).

 

[Fab Foodie]

Come to think of it... the braces might have been why people were always calling us cyclists a bunch of bankers...

 

[Crackle]

Very good for attaching yourself to scaffolding lorries as they went past though.

 

[Noodley]

Ah, but in the absence of full longs, how do you keep your leg warmers up?

Sinuous muscles...or fat.

 

[Abitrary]

I was just toying with the idea of another set of braces to hold my leg warmers up. Maybe it would even give you more pedalling power?

 

[Chuffy]

I was just toying with the idea of another set of braces to hold my leg warmers up. Maybe it would even give you more pedalling power?

Abbers, just a thought. When you say you have 'leg warmers' you don't mean these do you?

 

[Abitrary]

No chuffy, and stop being coy. I can just imagine you boring your victims in the pub to sleep with your stories of 1950s cycling and taking them home in a wheelbarrow to your lycra love dungeon.

 

[Chuffy]

Abbers! Hanoi Jane has the answer for you!
Assume the position bitch...