# Expensive shorts, worth it or waste?



## Steppylud (23 Jul 2014)

I have got some relatively cheap cycling shorts, they seem to offer fairly decent protection but after a long ride my butt does hurt, alot. Is it worth spending a load on shorts, how much better can they be?


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## Fab Foodie (23 Jul 2014)

Lots.
But they all differ, in general you get what you pay for though. Bib shorts tend to be preferred as they keep the pad in place more effectively.


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## screenman (23 Jul 2014)

I can ride all day in my Impsport shorts, they were about fifty quid, I have other more expensive brands but these work very well for not a lot.


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## jay clock (23 Jul 2014)

Certainly the cheap end of the market do not suit my arse for longer rides. I have two oldish pairs, and a brand new pair of these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/endura-fs260-pro-bib-shorts/rp-prod71001 and they are superb. The DHB ones from Wiggle get good reports. Assos get great reports but pricey


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## morrisman (23 Jul 2014)

I have happily done 100 and a number of 75ish mile rides wearing my cheap as chips Muddy Fox shorts from Sports Direct. YMMV


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## Berties (23 Jul 2014)

I've had a run with dhb ,and thought they were ok for the money , but just been given a pair of castelli rosso corsa and they are the dogs , the build quality the pad all top stuff, no rubber slip tapes to chaf and irritate in this heat,so the price tag does ,buy more


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## S.Giles (23 Jul 2014)

I did 102.5 miles recently wearing a pair of 'George' denim jeans purchased from Asda for £6, and had no problems at all.

(That was before the hot weather kicked in. Were I to repeat the endeavor now, I'd probably convert them into shorts using a pair of scissors.)

Steve


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (23 Jul 2014)

Worth every penny IMO, said the female cyclist who has just had to finally replace her Assos summer cycling shorts after +7 years of use (including months' long tours).


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## TissoT (23 Jul 2014)

As above pay more get more....Comfort/better fit/last longer 
I Would only buy bibs with a good name Assos , Castelli etc


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## screenman (23 Jul 2014)

tissot said:


> As above pay more get more....Comfort/better fit/last longer
> I Would only buy bibs with a good name Assos , Castelli etc



IMPSPORT.


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## TissoT (23 Jul 2014)

screenman said:


> IMPSPORT.


They used to be our club clothing supplier .... I do have shorts and top in this name !


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## vickster (23 Jul 2014)

Sportful or gore for me. Saddle also key


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## jazzkat (23 Jul 2014)

Definitely worth it. I've got shorts of all prices and this year I thought I'd find out what all the fuss was about and bought some Assos bib shorts.
They are last years 'model' sold at a bit of a discount. I then got some money for my birthday and decided to treat myself to some of the newest version, they are even better!


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## Enis Baysal (23 Jul 2014)

S.Giles said:


> I did 102.5 miles recently wearing a pair of 'George' denim jeans purchased from Asda for £6, and had no problems at all.
> 
> (That was before the hot weather kicked in. Were I to repeat the endeavor now, I'd probably convert them into shorts using a pair of scissors.)
> 
> Steve


102 miles in denim?! Hats off to you sir!


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## screenman (23 Jul 2014)

tissot said:


> Thay used to be our club clothing supplier .... I do have shorts and top in this name !



They also made the UK team kit for many years, that said they did not and do not I expect have the advertising budget of some companies.


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## up hill struggle (23 Jul 2014)

interested in this thread thought id check out some of the items you lot were talking about & oh my god, now i am the first to admit that im a tight stingy git & bought a few pairs of lidl specials last week as my first venture in to the lycra clad world of cycle riding & was trying hard to justify spending £10 on a pair of shorts but ive just came across bib shorts on a few sites at £278.00, do these come with golden threads woven into the fabric? Or come with a massage function built in to constantly rub baby oil on your plums while your riding to increase fertility?

Seriously £278.00 for shorts why so expensive? that's £38 more than my bike cost. For that kind of money id expect them to do the peddling so i could sit back & relax. Being blissfully ignorant can somebody explain why (unless you were in the tour de France & needed every advantage you could get) would anybody spend that kind of money on something that is basically going to cover the plumbing. When ive heard you guys & girls talk about dear shorts i kinda thought may be £80-£100 max


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (23 Jul 2014)

up hill struggle said:


> <snip> Being blissfully ignorant can somebody explain why (unless you were in the tour de France & needed every advantage you could get) would anybody spend that kind of money on something that is basically* going to cover the plumbing*. When ive heard you guys & girls talk about dear shorts i kinda thought may be £80-£100 max



that bit is essential to sitting on the bike for an extended period of time, day in, day out...

the ones I purchased have worked out at less than £20 per year which I have no issues with. I commuted in them, I have toured extensively in them and I would not be without them, having tried much cheaper ones and know how bad some of them can be!


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## the_mikey (23 Jul 2014)

Dhb pro race bib shorts, best shorts I've ever had, you can spend more money on other 'premium' brands and get a lot worse.


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## welsh dragon (23 Jul 2014)

I must admit, I'm a bit of a cheapskate. I have 3/4 tenn shorts, that cost me less than £20.00 and I also admit I'm more than happy with them. On the other hand I freely admit that I don't do anywhere near the mileage that some people on this forum do. Maybe when I up my mileage, I'll feel the errr need to buy more expensive kit.


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## vickster (23 Jul 2014)

I buy my shorts from mid range brands in the sale. It helps that I tend to be at the larger end of the sizing and can get some good prices on clearance. It also means some brands simply don't fit me - DHB for one, higher up the tree Castelli, Mavic, Rapha, Assos


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## zizou (23 Jul 2014)

If i could only afford one expensive bit of kit then it would be a good quality pair of bib shorts (assos is my prefered brand). Some people are lucky and get along fine with budget shorts unfortunately. The price is difficult to stomach but as it makes a huge difference to my riding enjoyment i feel it is money well spent at the end of the day.


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## up hill struggle (23 Jul 2014)

each to there own i guess, i do know this though, if i was to home at any point & inform the other half i needed to spend a mere £278.00 on a pair of shorts id be told that its my decision but the money may be needed to put towards the divorce.

when riding the motorcycles i could have justified to myself the need to spend big money on tyres, clothing, helmets. Quality helmet saved what little amount of brains i had at 17, Good boots saved my lower right leg being removed in another accident at the age of 18, hundreds spent every 2-3 yrs kitting myself out in the best i could afford from a safety point of view.

but i don't think that i could ever justify £278 on pair of shorts unless i won the lotto, in which case id be a pair for each day of the week & a pair for each member of the the cycle chat forum with matching tops & helmets & shoes of course.


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## Dave 123 (23 Jul 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> Worth it....I've got several pairs of Assos bib shorts and wouldn't ride without them.




And we're all thankful for that......


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## jazzkat (23 Jul 2014)

up hill struggle said:


> each to there own i guess, i do know this though, if i was to home at any point & inform the other half i needed to spend a mere £278.00 on a pair of shorts id be told that its my decision but the money may be needed to put towards the divorce.
> 
> when riding the motorcycles i could have justified to myself the need to spend big money on tyres, clothing, helmets. Quality helmet saved what little amount of brains i had at 17, Good boots saved my lower right leg being removed in another accident at the age of 18, hundreds spent every 2-3 yrs kitting myself out in the best i could afford from a safety point of view.
> 
> but i don't think that i could ever justify £278 on pair of shorts unless i won the lotto, in which case id be a pair for each day of the week & a pair for each member of the the cycle chat forum with matching tops & helmets & shoes of course.


While I can't argue with your sentiment and I'd agree that £278 is a lot of 'hard earned' for a pair of shorts, it's 'only' £23 a month or £5.80 a week _if_ they only lasted a year. Some of my 'lesser' spendy shorts are many years old. 
As I ride at least four times a week (usually 3x 1hr ride and a long one, 3hr+, at the weekend) thats £1.45 a ride.
£1.45 a ride to have my backside cosseted? 
Sounds like a bargain.......... where's that credit card?


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## GreigM (23 Jul 2014)

I thought spending £20 on some bib shorts at Decathlon was a bit too much


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## Shut Up Legs (23 Jul 2014)

The expensive shorts are worth it if you do a lot of distance, because the cheaper ones can result in some pretty painful saddle-sores.


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## up hill struggle (23 Jul 2014)

GreigM said:


> I thought spending £20 on some bib shorts at Decathlon was a bit too much


 
see, now that's more the kind of price range i would be thinking about, i ain't never gonna ride the kinda distance that requires £278 shorts. For me that's what the car is for, lazyitus is a hard condition to get rid off. Besides northern Ireland ain't that big, our longest motorway is only 27 miles or something along those lines.


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## Matt-g (23 Jul 2014)

Anyone considered a gel seat as an alternative instead?
I did this (after a sit bones measure) and now buy cheap shorts(aldi, lidl, etc) as the seat has a gel pad


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## up hill struggle (23 Jul 2014)

Matt-g said:


> Anyone considered a gel seat as an alternative instead?
> I did this (after a sit bones measure) and now buy cheap shorts(aldi, lidl, etc) as the seat has a gel pad


 
when i bought my first bike ( mountain bike) that was my first upgrade the original felt like i was sitting on a razor blade, ass was cut off me after the 2nd ride so the seat was replaced for the 3rd ride improved ride & comfort by since getting the hybrid i haven't got round to fitting the gel seat, original hybrid seat seems to be pretty comfortable.


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## Garethgas (23 Jul 2014)

S.Giles said:


> I did 102.5 miles recently wearing a pair of 'George' denim jeans purchased from Asda for £6, and had no problems at all.
> 
> (That was before the hot weather kicked in. Were I to repeat the endeavor now, I'd probably convert them into shorts using a pair of scissors.)
> 
> Steve



Your poverty is embarrassing.
However, I too regularly do 50 to 60 miles in the more up market Matalan jeans. I've never had the need for all these girlie shorts.
I never had them as a kid (not even invented) nor as a teenager, nor an adult, and not even now in my later years.
A brooks is all you need


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## AndyWilliams (23 Jul 2014)

Mine were £4.99 and seem ok up until 48 miles, that's when the pad starts to move from arse to front. So well protected balls but your arse, the bit that needs it most was just lycra. 

I will very soon spend a good amount on padded shorts. This thread has been very helpful, thanks.


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## S.Giles (24 Jul 2014)

Garethgas said:


> However, I too regularly do 50 to 60 miles in the more up market Matalan jeans.



I'm saving up for some of those.

One day!

Steve


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## Garethgas (24 Jul 2014)

S.Giles said:


> I'm saving up for some of those.
> 
> One day!
> 
> Steve



Whilst I mock your poverty, your ambitions are commended Sir.


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## Keith Oates (24 Jul 2014)

One of the most comfortable pair of shorts I have does not actually have any 'padding' but only a felt lining. I bought them very cheaply at a stall near a race meeting that I attended in Manila. I wear them on fairly long 2 to 3 hour rides and find them OK. I also have some more expensive thickly padded shorts that are also good but on very hot days the padding absorbs the sweat and then the skin can get a rash. But like most things we are all different so it's a matter of trying them and see what suits you for comfort !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Klassikbike (24 Jul 2014)

The important thing is everybody is different and rides different.
Some might be happy with the 5 pounds short others with the 200 pounds.

I have some padded shorts from Pearl Izumi that I really like (Mid-Top range), but when a friend tried this model on a tour he felt some burning pain.
For me with saddles its long slim and hard saddles, somehow I feel the most comfortable with them.


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## screenman (24 Jul 2014)

What is expensive to one person is good value to another.

One thing for sure, nobody ever regrets buying quality.


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## vickster (24 Jul 2014)

screenman said:


> What is expensive to one person is good value to another.
> 
> One thing for sure, nobody ever regrets buying quality.


As long as it's comfortable


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## John the Monkey (24 Jul 2014)

welsh dragon said:


> I must admit, I'm a bit of a cheapskate. I have 3/4 tenn shorts, that cost me less than £20.00 and I also admit I'm more than happy with them. On the other hand I freely admit that I don't do anywhere near the mileage that some people on this forum do. Maybe when I up my mileage, I'll feel the errr need to buy more expensive kit.


I've bought £20 shorts that had pads that weren't so much uncomfortable, as *abrasive*.

Which isn't to say that pricey shorts are better (my most expensive are dhb) but you're probably more justified in moaning about them if they're awful


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## Over The Hill (24 Jul 2014)

I think the answer depends on your cycling and how much/how long you cycle. We are in beginners here.

If you cycle perhaps 10 miles max for around one hour and you are not used to it then you will probably find anything is OK and you may be a bit tender anyway. You are sitting on part of you that is not usually sat on with a normal chair. It just needs to get used to it.
Over 10 miles/ 1 hour then the quality shows through. Comfort is more important and better quality foam inner holds its shape when cheap stuff just collapses. 

If you are new and extending your ride length/time then even if you are collapsing after 5 miles now, you will soon be fine with 20 or 30 mile rides, you can get used to cycling and really improve dramatically in say six rides if you go twice a week. People go from nothing to doing the London Brighton ride of 54 miles in 2 months. So if you are aiming to push the miles up then go for decent from the outset.

Also make sure you are happy with the saddle first! They are all very different and what is right for one person is not for another.


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## John the Monkey (24 Jul 2014)

up hill struggle said:


> but i don't think that i could ever justify £278 on pair of shorts unless i won the lotto, in which case id be a pair for each day of the week & a pair for each member of the the cycle chat forum with matching tops & helmets & shoes of course.


If you rode 100s of miles a week, you'd be spending a lot of time on that pad. 

If you do a 50 every other Saturday, you're probably more sanguine about inexpensive shorts, and more dismissive of expensive ones. Horses for courses, and so forth.

Comfort in this area is pretty important though, having owned the single least comfortable saddle in the entire world (the Pro-Logo Nago PAS, thank you for asking) I know that it can mean the difference between feeling like doing an extra few miles, and turning back early.


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## John the Monkey (24 Jul 2014)

Matt-g said:


> Anyone considered a gel seat as an alternative instead?
> I did this (after a sit bones measure) and now buy cheap shorts(aldi, lidl, etc) as the seat has a gel pad


Personal preference again, but a too heavily padded saddle doesn't work for me - tends to rub on my thighs. 

The saddle on my Giant SCR2.0 (my first "proper" road bike) was changed in short order, for a Fizik Arione.


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## yello (24 Jul 2014)

gel seats can too soft, ime

"worth it or waste" is only really something you can answer for yourself AFTER you've bought and worn the bibs on your rides.

I don't think my Assos shorts are a 'waste', because they are comfortable and they work. Equally, my cheaper dhb bibs work and were significantly cheaper. Ditto my ages old Nike bibs. Do I ride around in the Assos full of regret, thinking 'what a waste of money'? Hell no! Quite the opposite. They're lush!

But I have learnt that I personally don't need to pay Assos prices to achieve a level of comfort that I find acceptable. In today's market that tends to be around the £100 mark.

The only time I've thought 'what a waste' is with stuff that hasn't worked for me - and that does tend to be cheap stuff. I'm thinking of some Ozzo bibs I bought many moons ago. So, by extension, I include Aldi/Lidl and Tenn etc. Yes, I do use price as a first level indicator to quality and performance. YMMV.


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## jay clock (24 Jul 2014)

up hill struggle said:


> interested in this thread thought id check out some of the items you lot were talking about & oh my god, now i am the first to admit that im a tight stingy git & bought a few pairs of lidl specials last week as my first venture in to the lycra clad world of cycle riding & was trying hard to justify spending £10 on a pair of shorts but ive just came across bib shorts on a few sites at £278.00, do these come with golden threads woven into the fabric? Or come with a massage function built in to constantly rub baby oil on your plums while your riding to increase fertility?
> 
> Seriously £278.00 for shorts why so expensive? that's £38 more than my bike cost. For that kind of money id expect them to do the peddling so i could sit back & relax. Being blissfully ignorant can somebody explain why (unless you were in the tour de France & needed every advantage you could get) would anybody spend that kind of money on something that is basically going to cover the plumbing. When ive heard you guys & girls talk about dear shorts i kinda thought may be £80-£100 max


Cycling (and triathlon) are my fun leisure time and my hobby. Other people spend money on Sky TV, flash cars, flash clothes, I choose to spend mine on long lasting kit and accessories that help me enjoy what I do. And my experience of the cheaper kit is that it does not last


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## cyberknight (24 Jul 2014)

Klassikbike said:


> The important thing is everybody is different and rides different.
> Some might be happy with the 5 pounds short others with the 200 pounds.
> 
> I have some padded shorts from Pearl Izumi that I really like (Mid-Top range), but when a friend tried this model on a tour he felt some burning pain.
> For me with saddles its long slim and hard saddles, somehow I feel the most comfortable with them.


+1
Your body shape, pad shape and saddle all play a part .
I used to get on really well with one brand but now my derrrier must have changed because the pad just rube my raw so i have switched to another brand with a different pad shape that suits me perfectly.


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## Mark1978 (25 Jul 2014)

Cheapo padded shorts from sportsdirect - after 10 minutes it feels like i'm sat on a wet flannel resting on a brick.

My mid range Altura ones from halfords are tons better, much better with sweat, good seams and better padding by a country mile.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/clothing/shorts-trousers/altura-gel-mens-bib-shorts


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## Mark1978 (25 Jul 2014)

I'm about to try ordering from Aliexpress. not sure on the padding quality in the bibshorts, but i'll report back with how good they are

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2014...e-bike-wear-shirt-bibs-shorts/1652250063.html


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## ChrisEyles (25 Jul 2014)

Cheapo sports direct muddfy fox shorts for me all the way, and no complaints so far, up to 5hrs in the saddle. Padding is not too thick, but I don't think I'd necessarily want any more. Mind you if anyone want to lend me a £100 pair of shorts I am prepared to change my mind 

Some saddle cream is definitely a worthy investment on longer rides, comfort-wise.

Of course without a decent bike fit and the right saddle, even the best shorts aren't going to make the difference... I'd definitely rather drop that sort of money on a nice brooks than on a pair of shorts!

Edit: Having said that, if it made the difference to me in terms of riding enjoyment, it'd be worth every penny, no question.


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## BAtoo (28 Jul 2014)

Recently did 1000M+ in 2 weeks using some Planet-X £35 bibs bery good for the money and I would not like to have done the ride in my £20 Tenn shorts.... (or denim for that matter....)


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## Biscuitfrisky (11 Aug 2014)

morrisman said:


> I have happily done 100 and a number of 75ish mile rides wearing my cheap as chips Muddy Fox shorts from Sports Direct. YMMV



Love the muddyfox shorts!


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## Colby (5 Sep 2014)

Foxracing makes really good biking shorts and so does under armour


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## Supersuperleeds (5 Sep 2014)

I did my 158 miler yesterday wearing a pair of DHB shorts, cost just over twenty quid


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## Mark1978 (5 Sep 2014)

I have found that the shorts i bought from aliexpress to be pretty good for the price. Good padding, just the same as my altura ones. Have done up to 90 miles in them with very little discomfort.


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## Arthur (5 Sep 2014)

Mark1978 said:


> I have found that the shorts i bought from aliexpress to be pretty good for the price. Good padding, just the same as my altura ones. Have done up to 90 miles in them with very little discomfort.


 
That's worth knowing. I've hesitated from buying through aliexpress, as a lot of their stuff (named-brand kit especially) is so incredibly cheap compared to any UK online retailer, and the fact it usually is sent direct from Chinese suppliers has made me assume it's likely to be poor-quality counterfeit stuff.


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## vickster (5 Sep 2014)

Certainly counterfeit


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## Mark1978 (5 Sep 2014)

Yep, counterfeit unless you buy a generic non-team one.


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## Nigelnaturist (11 Sep 2014)

BAtoo said:


> Recently did 1000M+ in 2 weeks using some Planet-X £35 bibs bery good for the money and I would not like to have done the ride in my £20 Tenn shorts.... (or denim for that matter....)


Just got a pair of planet-x Pro-Line 365 bib shorts and so far they are the best I have had. I also have On-One Raceline Bib Shorts these are ok but prefer the proline I had hoped to try the Planet X Clubman Bib Shorts but I haven't yet.


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## phil_hg_uk (11 Sep 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> Worth it....I've got several pairs of Assos bib shorts and wouldn't ride without them.



Glad to hear it


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## Nigelnaturist (11 Sep 2014)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Glad to hear it


Not saying owt


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## Globalti (11 Sep 2014)

Expensive shorts wouldn't be any good if they weren't expensive, would they?

dhb for me, alwyas comfortable. The only time I've had a problem was one day recently on C2C when I allowed myself to get very sweaty and began to feel a sore spot in the saddle area. Changed to a non-sweaty top, cooled down and dried off and I was fine.


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