do you feel a fool wearing bib shorts?

[Atyl1972]

guys i would just like to know if anyone feels a bit of a twit wearing bib shorts, any length and i know when you wear a shirt no-one can see the straps but still, and if you do feel a fool how do you overcome your thoughts and paranoia?

 

[Fnaar]

I know what you mean, but that feeling was gone within a few minutes.

 

[Nebulous]

Becoming a roadie is a bit of an incremental process. You don't become one just by buying a road bike.

By the time I had bought the bike, cycling jersey, padded tights, clipless shoes etc the bibshorts were just another step along the journey. So they didn't really bother me at all. Trying them on, with the straps tight across my shoulders, felt quite strange, but as soon as I got on the bike I forgot about them.

My family seems more conscious of them than I am.

 

[funnymummy]

I swore i'd never wear lycra, Never.
Then I bought a pair of shorts but always hid them under baggies for years, then one day was rushing round running late, got as far as the garage & putting the bike on the rack before realised I hadn't put my baggies on, I decided I couldn't add another 10 minutes to my lateness I had friends waiting to be picked up.
I was incredibly concious all the way round the route of my bare lycraness, but everyone else was waering them & no-one shouted "Oi Wide Load" at me so I couldn't have looked that bad.
After that I started wearing the shorts on their own - But only if I was cycling in a group, never on my own.
Last winter I bought a pair of long tights to wear over my shorts on cold days, I moaned to a friedn that I felt all uncomforatable round my middle, the shorts sat about 1/2" below the waistband to the longs and after a 40 mile ride, I had two big red marks where they'd pinched & rubbed.
He told me I should get some bibs, "No Way" was my repsonse.
After much hassle getting decent fitting shorts ( I'm very tall for a woman & have to buy mens cycling kit) I decided to bite the bullet & i'd try a pair...
Blimey! I love them, first time in years I can actualy say i'm really comfortable, No more bunching up round my waist, no more red marks on my belly...and TBH they are far more figure flattering then normal shorts, several of my friends have commnetated I look so much slimmer in them & asked if i've lost weight - I havn't.
The only downside I have found so far, is the 'complete' strip off behind a hedge if you need to go pee!

 

[Rebel Ian]

Bib shorts - my fat wrestler gear as my son refers to them!!

I don't see them as any difference to normal lycra shorts except they have less of a tendency to roll down over your fat stomach on a road bike when you are leant over!!

 

[Cubist]

I can't imagine any reason to go back to waist shorts to be fair. I wear them on the commuter and the MTB. I'll put on a pair of baggies over the top if I'm wearing kneepads, but otherwise they're grrrrrreat!

 

[NormanD]

The simple answer is "NO" for me, I put my own comfort over any comment or opinion people might have about the way I'm dressed, after all, you don't go swimming in an Armani suit when you visit the local swimming pool.

Dignity? what's that

 

[Haitch]

Bib shorts also have the advantage of covering the small of your back and your kidneys. Buy some, the only thing you'll regret is having wasted money on bib-less shorts.

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

The bloke I once saw who put his shorts over his jersey probably should have done, but he looked as happy as could with his individual style and I didn't see the point of upsetting him by pointing out that all of the logos on his heavily sponsored top were covered up.

 

[Fran143]

The simple answer is "NO" for me, I put my own comfort over any comment or opinion people might have about the way I'm dressed, after all, you don't go swimming in an Armani suit when you visit the local swimming pool.

Dignity? what's that

I'm with Norm here.....love to be comfy but what worries me most is that everyone laughs when I ask if my bum looks big in them!

 

[perplexed]

I've got bib 3/4 length thingies, and they're great! You just don't notice them when you've had them on for a few minutes.


My wife calls one pair my "baboon pants", because the padding is bright red, so they look funny when they're hanging on the line inside out to dry!

 

[Atyl1972]

lol, excellent story real entertaining, thank you

I swore i'd never wear lycra, Never.
Then I bought a pair of shorts but always hid them under baggies for years, then one day was rushing round running late, got as far as the garage & putting the bike on the rack before realised I hadn't put my baggies on, I decided I couldn't add another 10 minutes to my lateness I had friends waiting to be picked up.
I was incredibly concious all the way round the route of my bare lycraness, but everyone else was waering them & no-one shouted "Oi Wide Load" at me so I couldn't have looked that bad.
After that I started wearing the shorts on their own - But only if I was cycling in a group, never on my own.
Last winter I bought a pair of long tights to wear over my shorts on cold days, I moaned to a friedn that I felt all uncomforatable round my middle, the shorts sat about 1/2" below the waistband to the longs and after a 40 mile ride, I had two big red marks where they'd pinched & rubbed.
He told me I should get some bibs, "No Way" was my repsonse.
After much hassle getting decent fitting shorts ( I'm very tall for a woman & have to buy mens cycling kit) I decided to bite the bullet & i'd try a pair...
Blimey! I love them, first time in years I can actualy say i'm really comfortable, No more bunching up round my waist, no more red marks on my belly...and TBH they are far more figure flattering then normal shorts, several of my friends have commnetated I look so much slimmer in them & asked if i've lost weight - I havn't.
The only downside I have found so far, is the 'complete' strip off behind a hedge if you need to go pee!

 

[Atyl1972]

cool, yeah im going for the 3/4 too, thanks

I've got bib 3/4 length thingies, and they're great! You just don't notice them when you've had them on for a few minutes.


My wife calls one pair my "baboon pants", because the padding is bright red, so they look funny when they're hanging on the line inside out to dry!

 

[avalon]

I am a fool so I dont realy care what others may think.

 

[ianrauk]

Just wear them. No one really cares what you wear.