Life’s too short not to wear bib shorts

One of the less debated part of cycling is the shorts. It’s the least glamorous part of the sport especially if its black. You’ll never know if your cycling buddy is wearing a new one or wearing the same shorts he wore last week. But really, if you’re uncomfortable with your short, then you can just bid the enjoyable and fun part of cycling goodbye or a race, and say hello to, “chafing.”

When I started cycling back in the late 80’s, wearing lycra was still something new. It was ok when I was with other cycling friends but wearing them during other occasions, with my non-cycling friends, I felt naked and exposed. It was like wearing denim shorts at the Abellana pool at 6 p.m. But not today, though. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you’re not in cycling shorts when you’re out on the road.

There are two types of cycling shorts– “shorts” and bibshorts or bibs for short. Shorts are those that are cut above the waistline and bibs are those that have those sewed up suspenders over the shoulders like what the WWF folks wear.

But which one is better than the other? There is really very little debate on what is better shorts, but still, I’d like to put in my 2 cents.

The first cycling shorts were made of wool with a chamois padding. Of course wool was heavy and it absorbed a lot of sweat and water. Any liquid on your clothing will eventually lead to skin irritation, so when technology developed spandex and lycra, cycling utilized them with synthetic chamois. True chamois can dry and harden over time so you need a chamois gel to soften it. For that reason, synthetic chamois is now the majority.

The thigh part of the shorts are prevented from rolling up by elastic grippers and on the waistline is a garter. Shorts are obviously cheaper than bibs and the main reason cyclists use them is that it’s easy to relieve yourself when you are in the road. The cons is that if you have a pot belly, it would be impossible to prevent the waist from rolling down during a ride. It can also make breathing difficult and feels like your waist is zip-tied! Besides, it makes you kook like an amateur.

Bibs on the other hand are quite expensive, and the good brands like Rapha, can cost almost 10K but they are as comfy as an easy chair. Your stomach doesn’t feel hogtied, and you can breath better. The problem of your belly overflowing from your shorts is not going to happen because the tummy is held in place like you would lie on a hammock. While some riders will say that it is an inconvenience when you have to go, the designs today are good today that you can go anywhere- toilet or beside the road, with nary a problem. And most importantly, you look and “feel” like a pro when wearing one.

So if you are really serious about cycling, follow the code.