Bib Shorts recommendation.

Don't get Skins.

My clubmates have reliably informed me (and provided pictorial evidence) that they're rather see-through. It's a good thing I wear knickers, skimpy as they are, otherwise my arse crack would have been on display to most of Surrey/SW London before now.

I just got a pair of the Morvelo Nth Series Classic. Easily the most comfortable bibs I've ever had but the leg is very long on me and the leg gripper very tight. Neither of these are a problem for me per se but worth noting.

Most bib shorts or tights are all pretty good if you ride for two hours or less. Price would be a major consideration, durability another. For rides longer than that (3 hours or more), it gets a bit trickier. Castelli has been my go to brand for a while, but has since been replaced by Assos. I know the price is prohibitive, but the chamois on S5 Mille is nothing short of amazing. I know Assos has the new S7, but I don't have need for anything new yet, but would definitely be interested in the future!

I've got the DHB bibshorts same as you. I find them comfortable, but compared to my Endura ones the padding isn't as good. I'd choose Endura over DHB but it's close. No experience of any others..... yet....

The official Velothon Wales ones are Endura and not a bad price.

http://www.endurasport.com/shop/dept/product/?SelDeptID=15&SelProductID=767

First things first, you need to make the decision soon before any tan lines start to develop. You can't change brand of shorts mid summer and alter the the tan line position.

Anyway, more seriously, why change? If you are comfortable in what you currently use then surely continue to use them. I have 5 pairs of the same bib shorts all of varying ages. New ones for longer rides, older ones for quick blasts. I also have 3 pairs of longs of the same brand. DHB do make some very good stuff at great value.

If your dhb aeron bibs have been good for long rides, just get a new pair of those and don't worry about it anymore.

Don't listen to anyone else because they don't ride like you with your backside on your saddle.

With that said, here's my 2pence worth

Rapha Classic. My 5* go-to pair for long rides. If they were cheaper I'd buy three and forget anything else.

dhb aeron. OK. A bit too long and I had one bad experience at random. Perhaps I was sitting funny.
dhb roubaix-y midweight OK. Wear all winter without complaint, but after a few hours I want to get off the bike.

Howies. OK. The material is very stretchy, so fit is good, but that stretch allows more movement, so make sure everything is aligned correctly from the start.

Endura. OK, but seem to rub over long distances

Castelli Italian fit (small). Comfy pad (progetto?), but mine (Free race and body paint) both broke seams or went weird quickly

Descente 3/4. Awful. Too stretchy and pad like a nappy.

I found some really old bibs from 1999 in the back of a cupboard recently, they have what looks to be 2-3mm of unshaped foam zig-zag stiched into the lycra; they probably wouldn't qualify as budget pair in today's market - how could these possibly be comfy? But they were what I wore back then for everything from races to 200mi rides....

This kiwimike fella talks a lot of sense!

Agree try on if possible. I have 6 pair of bib shorts and reach for my Castelli and Galibier Pro every time. I will wait until one of them are in the dryer rather than put on the rest.

I have found if you hold the shorts up by the bib and they hang in a cycling position, rather than straight down, the 'cut' of the material is good. if the chamois has silicone pads , it will last. foam compresses after a season and should be binned when the support goes....regardless of the cost.

I've tried quite a few different brands of bibs - everything from DHB to Castelli - and my favourite are my two pairs of Morvelos. They're always the first ones I take from the drawer. Good quality, REALLY comfy (though the power lycra is pretty tight if you're not used to it), cheaper than Castelli, more interesting styling (though not always that subtle) and a British brand too. What's not to like.

You won't go far wrong with the Lusso pro-gel bibshorts,I've used these on plenty of 6hour plus rides, great fit and pad! They get fantastic reviews from the online sellers,and made in the uk!

I've had a few, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Assos S5(maybe?)- last really well - getting on for 5 years I think? Faded but still good. Good pad.
Chapeau green pad - nice bit a bit thin on padding. Slight tear in the mesh around the stomach appeared almost instantly. OK for shorter rides.
Exteondo - no idea of the name, but they've got fluro branding on the cuff - really good, lovely panels to dissipate heat and whatnot. Good pad, though the shoulder straps must be a bit short because my bum often tries to eat it.
DHB 3/4s - think they were pretty cheap, and it shows. The pad's ok, but they feel a bit nasty, and bunch behind the knees. Fuck em, use a decent normal bib and knee warmers.
Scott - again no idea of the type, but they were on sale and for some inexplicable reason I thought it was a good idea to buy white shorts. No no no no. Pad's ok enough for turbo sessions. They've gone grey in the wash.

I rate the Aeron Pro bibs very highly. If they are comfy for you why change?

Read a review recently of 14 or so makes around or under 100, and they went for Morvelo Unity 80's. Will be trying a pair soon, need something for a day in the saddle.

I recently got some Howies Sh34rts and although they are comfy, I still find my Decathlon B'Twin 700 bibs comfier over long distances (the same pad as in the 900's so I assume the same pad the FDJ team ride in). This is despite the pad being less substantial than the howies pad, they just seem to fit me better. The review on here did say it will break in, so maybe in a month or two I won't be able to tell the difference.

I'm not saying don't buy Howies, they are decent shorts and are comfy enough to have seen me through a 9-hour ride on their first outing, but just not the comfiest shorts (for me) that I have.

I'd go with KiwiMike's advice and get out to a shop and try a few different shorts on, the fit for you may not necessarily be the top of the range or the most respected brands, I could get embarrassed wearing decathlon kit, but at least its whats comfy (and cheap!) for me.

Spent a lot on my two pairs of Casteli;s which are great but also brought the DHB's as in the OP and they are great and would recommend them to anyone.

My bibs came from China via eBay. I can't find the same ones anymore but these seem almost identical:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2015-New-Fashion-Road-Bike-Cycling-Jersey-Bib-...

I'm told that the ones with the white tops are the ones to go for.

I knew it was a bit of gamble but I've found them to be great and they fitted well. You need to trust the sizing advice provided as they are very often Asian sizes. I thought that there was no way I would be and XL but they fit great. A big pro is that as, long as they work for you, you could order 2 or 3 sets for the same price as one shop-bought set; useful if you do multiple rides each week. The con, of course, is that you're not going to be sending them back if they don't fit.

And don't assume that shorts across a manufacturers range will all be the same size even if their labels say they are. I'm looking at you Sportful

ABANDON HOPE OF ANY SENSIBLE CORRELATION BETWEEN PRICE, COMFORT AND SIZE, INDICATED OR ACTUAL.

I have at last count probably a dozen pairs of bib shorts - one of the 'perks' of being a Road.CC reviewer along with doing summer clothing reviews in sub-zero temperatures. I don't think a single one of them is the same indicated size. Some say I should be a Small but I need an Extra Large to be comfy whilst others say I should be Large, I fit Large, but the pad is simply wrong. Some brands use the UK 'complimentary / flattering' sizing system that sees jeans labelled 3-4" tighter than they actually are, whilst others use ridiculously optimistic Italian sizings.

It's a crapshoot. My advice? Buy in a shop, asking to sit on a bike to try them (BYO speedos for H&S reasons). Turn them inside out and try them back on, so you can get a friend/spouse to see if the pad actually covers the whole arse/seat interface, when in the drops or sitting up. You might get a good online retailer who is happy to take returns, but be prepared to prove to International War Crimes Tribunal levels of evidence that they are 'unused'.

Then accept that even having done all that, you might do a 40-mile ride to find they feel like you're riding on rolled-up socks.

I got a pair of santini's form Ribble last year and can say they are the comfiest I've ever owned. I always shop around for the high end shorts on sale, it really doesn't matter to me if they arer last years (good luck finding cheap Rapha and Assos).

+1 for Howies, their 3/4 bibs are firmly my go to bibs since purchase, excellent padding, stretchy yet supportive material, and inexpensive (I brought mine in a bundle with a jersey can't go wrong price wise)... AND a British brand to boot!

Chapeau! Pave bibs are great and there are three pads to choose from depending on your riding style.

www.chapeau.cc

I've just picked up some Castelli Evoluzione bibs from Evans for £64 (with a discount code), similar thinking to you of wanting to move on from the supposedly lower-end DHB and B'Twin stuff.

Although these seem to be their entry level shorts, the pad is decent (and looks to be the same one they use in their shorts at the next price point of £100), and my backside has been perfectly comfortable on a recent couple of 3hr+ rides.

Would certainly recommend those, plus they're a bit more subtle than some of Castelli's other offerings, which is a plus in my book.

Howies. Simple, comfortable, they cosset my backside in glorious comfort

I use Sportful Total Comfort, get about two years good use out of each pair. Own a couple pairs now , not cheap but I find they work for me, might be worth a try for you.