Just get a pair - you will never go back to regular shorts (except for a tri). They are FAR more comfortable biking in, especially long distance and when aero or in the drops.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Because bibs look sexy when I wear them to the grocery store with no shirt on


Actually I think the pad in the bibshorts stays in place better

I'll be the dissenting opinion and say that, to me, bib shorts offer NO advantage whatsoever. In fact, ignoring the inconvenience factor of having to nearly disrobe when ya gotta pee, I just don't like the feel of them.

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Some are born to move the world to live their fantasies...

https://triomultisport.com/
http://www.mjolnircycles.com/

I used to swear by bib shorts after I bought a pair when I was in France. It had a real leather chamois and I wore those shorts until they were threadbare. With a little lotion in the morning those things fit like your skin and never chafed. However, in my present location bibs are much too hot. My Pearl Izumi shorts get the job done and now that no one uses natural chamois anymore I'm just not that impressed with any of the shorts.
Chad

I agree with rroof - bibs are far more comfortable than normal bike shorts. I'm certainly never buying a 'normal' pair again.

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Saving up to join the Felt Mafia!

Once you go bibs, you will never wear regular bike shorts again. There is no comparison.

Spot

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

Bib shorts are also great if you tend to spill stuff on yourself. :-)

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Grant

Chad,
Some bibs have 'airier' (word?) straps than others. It ain't as hot here as in Phoenix, but it gets hot enough (110F) I just compensate by using the airiest bibs and really cool jerseys.

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

You MUST get a pair BUT make sure you get the bibs with "DIMPLES". They make you faster.

Whatever you do, don't get bibs, cuz then you'll have to figure out what to do with your all of your bike shorts.

I use them on the trainer and on really short rides, just to use them up. THey just hold the BOYZ better and they are easier on the back.

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

i dont like bib much......i feel way better with normal cycling short in hot summer long rides..... try both and see what feel best...

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

Are there any females out there with experience with bib shorts? Most of the advantages seem to be for males but I've never known a woman who wears them, although women's models are available. I imagine that they would hold the chamois in place better but I'm reticent to shell out the extra money purely on speculation.

I can't imagine they would be comfortable for a woman with breasts. I would think the straps would be WAY uncomfortable. Not sure though, because I've never tried. But I definitely wouldn't pay the money until I'd tried a pair on...

Jodi

[reply]and now that no one uses natural chamois anymore I'm just not that impressed with any of the shorts.[/reply]

Actually, the Nalini Mog 1 chamois is very close to a
natural chamois. Check em out.

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Lewis

Jodi,

They do make women specific bib shorts. See this link for pics.. http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=18029

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Paul..

I am such a fan of bib shorts that I designed my own.

Click on the image below to see the De Soto 400-Mile Bibshort. I welcome anyone to compare the quality of our Bibs to anything on the market. Even the bibs out there that cost $275.00.

The De Soto 400-Mile Bib Short is less than 1/2 the price.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

The advantages of bibshorts are that they hold your equpiment more snugly, they don't have a waist strap and thus don't chafe around the waste, and when the back of your jersey rides up, they keep you covered, so you don't get a thin tanned stripe across your low back. Not to mention they're much more comfortable. The only slight disadvantage comes when taking pee breaks, but most of them, you can leave the straps up, and just yank down the front low enough to whip it out and take a leak. Now if the kids had to swim, that would be more of an ordeal.

I may be the only dissenter here, but i prefer my bibshorts on hot days, I've got specialized ones at the moment with meshy straps and I find them cooler on hot days than any of my regular cycling shorts or tri shorts. I'll have to see how our MS Tina ones are when they come in next week.

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Adam

Euro-Sports.ca/The Foodery Team member

The pad of your short isn't seamless therefore I'd hate to ride 400 miles in them. Even the 2006 version of the disco channel shorts made by nike which is much cheaper is better than the de soto short. Your short is overrated.

Frank

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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.

"Your short is overrated."


Shut yo mouth - we talking about Desoto, Emilio Desoto!

Seriously, have you actually tried the 400 mile bibs? I actually prefer them to my top of line Assos.


Jim

Sorry, I did not know that your opinion is of an higher value than mine.


I judge my shorts by ride comfort and not by the name of its creator. They are way overrated and not worth its price. I prefer shorts with seamless padding.

Frank

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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.

My opinion is no more valuable than yours. However it is still unclear if you have actually ridden in a pair of the Desoto bibs. I have used bibs from santini, assos, pearl izumi, verge, voler, giordana, castelli, nalini, adidas, .... and can say that for me the Desoto bibs are as comfortable for long rides as any of the above.

I used to burn all the time with my jersey riding up, especially in aero.

Bibs are the way to go, but you MUST tape your nipples, which I never do if I wear normal bike shorts.

Also with some normal shorts I get abdomen compression which can make me nauseous or give me GI distress, but bibs with the lack of waistband do not create those problems.

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Swim - Bike - Run the rest is just clothing changes.

My opinion is based on experience. I've ordered two pairs last year and used them. I'd not buy them again.

Frank

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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.

I went to bibs and don't think I'll go back. For people carrying a little more winter weight, it feels better in bibs than having the waistline cut you off and have some handles on the sides, bibs conceal this. Some are harder to get your stuff out to pee in though, probably depends on the brand.
give them both a try. I never thought I'd like them either.

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Great things never come from comfort zones.

I guess opinions really are like, you know - everybody's got one.

Oh well, surprised you didn't like the 400m bibs, I love them.

I'm not a paid DeSoto shill or anything, just a happy customer. For the $, the 400m bibs are the most comfy togs I've worn on a bike yet. (no, I've never tried Assos, but I do have top o' the line PI and Castelli stuff to compare 'em to, and I like the 400m bibs better)

Diff'rent strokes. Ride on-

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float , hammer , and jog

hmm, Interesting...you could have returned them if you did not like them. If you bought them last year in Germany, then what you bought are counterfeit...imitation, as we did not sell them in Germany or in Europe, and there exists a guy in Germany by the name of Christof Werschkull that was making cheap knockoffs of a number of our garments.

If you bought them from us, you could have returned them.

Anyway the 2007 version is better than the ones you bought.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

The Assos stuff is never nice, by all accounts, but far too pricey for me. But yeah, bibs are just plain better if for one reason. Not much is worse than going on a group ride and staring at ass crack.

They are also more comfortable, and aren't any hotter than regular shorts.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Bibs are, for me, the most comfortable piece of athletic clothing I own. I rotate three pairs through my training week.

I carry a little more up front than I should so the bibs do a good job of concealing my stomach and don't roll down so that I am mooning the riders behind me.

Just my opinion.

 I live and train in Tucson and Emilio's bibs are by far the most comfortable bike shorts I've ever worn in 20+ years of training and racing.

Bibs are very comfortable for long training rides. I don't know about you, but if I'm doing 40+ miles, and taking in the proper nutrition, I tend to get full and a little bloated. Bibs have no waistband so there isn't anything cutting in to your stomach.

I love bibs. I also wear trisuits over tri top and bottoms for that very same reason. Good stuff!

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"It is not the great things we do in life that really matter, it's the small things we do with a great heart..."-Mother Theresa

I did mail order them from trigeeks in Canada. They are not fakes. Its not that I hate them its just that I prefer seamless padding for longer rides.
BTW, I like your five pocket power shorts.

Frank

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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.

For dedicated bike workouts or races I only use bibs.

I find them much more comfortable than regular shorts.

Invest in a pair of De Soto, Biemme, etc. bibs & I am confident that you won't go back to regular shorts.

Cheers,

Paul

How is swimming in the 400 mile bibs? Are they easy to swim in, or do they trap a lot of water in the back? These would be worn alone, with no wetsuit over them.

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Your favorite mafia sucks.

Why do you put the words '400 mile' in the name of the short?

After using the new Forza tri shorts today for the first time...and liking them alot...I ordered a pair of the bibs. I have been a VERY long time customer of DeSoto, always thought it was very good and relatively affordable gear, but the new products seems a real step up. Looking forward to trying the bibs.

Mark

They are bike bibshorts. Not made to swim in, especially without a wetsuit. I recommend you try our Forza Tri Shorts for racing.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

The "400-Mile" name came from testing the product. I did a 400 mile ride in 4 days and wore these shorts. The logic was that there are a lot of shorts that work okay for 100+ mile rides. A lot of trishorts as well. But the real question is, how does that saddle feel the next morning when you get on the bike for another 100 miles....and the next morning? This was the inspiration for the design, the pad, and the name.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

You are going to love them...of course if you don't you can always return them.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

Hey Emilio,

Can you explain what the invisipad is ? It says it is "suspended from the inside", but not really sure what that means. Is it a separate piece from the rest of the garment (if so it doesn't sound very comfortable). Are there any pictures of it ? Thanks

Why did a serious question (my vote is for bibs all the way) get turned into an advertising thread?

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______________________________________________________

Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

I will be happy to answer you directly, please email me at the email address below my name. Sorry for the accidental hijacking of this thread. I wanted to keep the conversation about bibs here.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

Sorry about the accidental hijacking of the thread. I have PM'd replies to a number of the posters.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

Shorts are like saddles, you gots to find what works for you. Me, bibs are what I like best; and Desoto 400 mile bibs are my current favorite. They really are very good, and the fact they are reasonably priced doesn't play into that opinion at all. I also have topend Castelli, PI, and Craft, and the Desotos are my favorites. The pad is excellent, not too thin not too thick; the length is great, etc. They are just a very well thought out bibshort. It's obvious the designer is a rider. I don't have a single criticism of them. Mine are last years model.

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*****
"In case of flood climb to safety"