Best Road Shorts

As the 2nd poster said, which ever ones fit you and are comfortable to ride distances in.

For me I am happy with dhb for 100km or so, longer & particularly in summer, craft or sportful (but those are kits, lighter coloured than DHB shorts and I live down under ie bloody hot 30C for 7am morning commutes).

Santani knicks I find uncomfortable after 30 minutes in the saddle.

Surprised nobody has mentioned Giordana.

In my view their top-of-the-line stuff is as good quality and comfort as Castelli, Rapha, Assos etc usually for about two thirds of the price.

But it is true that you just have to try stuff. I have never been happy with any bit of Assos kit I've bought, but love Castelli, Rapha and Giordana.

Santini very good too.

You are going to get as many answers here as there are people I think.

I used to only use Castelli, but then I switched to Morvélo. To me - they are way more comfortable. They are longer in the legs and quite tight which suits my body shape. I find the Chamoix to be more "firm-gel like" while Castelli are more spongy.

But then again, thats my opinion. I have several Morvélo shorts by now. They are quite stylish too.

http://www.morvelo.com/cycling-shorts/mens-cycling-shorts.html

GBW "Xenon 2.0 Bibtights short+" are just the best you can get!

Castelli body paint 2, I've got garmin team ones in discount, awesome kit,

I did all the research and chose DHB Pro bib shorts, ordered them and when they arrived they didn't fit.

The thing I learnt is that you have to get a good fit. I visited a bike store that had half a dossen pairs. I tried Castelli and they didn't fit. I didn't like the Gore ones in the flesh. I ended up with Lou Garneau bib shorts which had a good pad and fit me well.

At the end of the day its all about fit, which you can't get buying online.

I've been using DHB Roubaix 3/4 Bibs solidly for 8 months - 1 long ride and 4 days of commuting. Amazing and I'll get another pair if they ever wear out.

I thought I would treat myself to a pair of Assos bib shorts yesterday and have just ridden home from work in them. They feel weird compared to the dhb's - the grippers niggle a little and they pull a bit when you first put em on. I was a bit disappointed tbh.

However its when you are riding in the blazing sun and sweating like a pig, it's then that you realise why people love them. Quite frankly they are worth every penny. My undermeats feel like I have been to a spa. The pad grips the seat and the material wicks and keeps you feeling ace

In addition I averaged 17.9 mph which is a new record for me.

In conclusion. Buy some!

I just took a bit of a risk and got a pair of the new howies leadout bibs for £59. Lovely 'no seams' process they have for putting them together and they look and feel great quality. They have simple styling and a matt black finish that I prefer to the sometimes shiney effect you can get from cheaper lycra. First ride today and very impressed...

Etxeondo make fantastic shorts. I have two pairs and cannot fault them.

Very little between Assos, Rapha and Castelli in terms of comfort, main difference is that Assos/Rapha are a touch pricier and are better made. Assos also come with a lifetime repair service which I have used and is brilliant.

Castelli are the raciest IMO but it is worth bearing in mind that Sportful (who are owned by Castelli) make bibs that are cheaper still and just about as good. Give them a go if Castelli prices still make your eyes water.

I have a pair of ASSOS and whilst they are super comfy to ride in, after a couple of years the material is starting to get a bit thin and see-thru to the extent they may soon become turbo trainer only. Not super impressed to be honest and I dont think I'll be buying another pair.

just something to think about, elastic Interface make the Assos pads they also make the DHB ones and Gore i believe.

I suspect the exact model will vary by brand and for some it will be custom, but i would expect that over the course of a couple of years the best features will filter from the custom pads to the OE pads.

What the manufacturer does with the pad well....

The heart of any bib shorts is the chamois, so check that part of the shorts first of all, then it's getting the correct size which can be a bit of a minefield as sizing varies so much between manufacturers - I always think that Northern European and American brands are more suited to our body types whereas Southern European sizes come up a bit smaller, meaning that you'll have to "go up a size".
As far as brands go, i think Gore Bike Wear is as good as it gets without being ripped off by "paying for the brand" by certain brands. Always Riding were doing a good deal on Summatory stuff last year and it's also highly recommended. I've Assos F1_13_S5 too but the laws of diminishing returns kicks in big time with these so you'd need to get them at a discount.

Thanks Dave, I'll keep an eye out for the Castelli shorts and make sure I stick to wearing my dhb on the bike only!

Funkier.

I've got both the dhb Aeron Pro's and the Castelli Free Aero Race. The Castellis are far and away the better shorts - the chamois is superb and they are super comfy. The dhb's are very good as well but they, um, don't leave much to the imagination up front due to the position of the pad.

+1 for the DHB's, which I wasn't going to mention among all the talk of Assos and Rapha..

I've had their bibs in both short and tight form and they're well made, well padded (aeron pro, particularly) and CHEAP!

4-5 hr rides no problem on a very thin saddle..

Never worn Assos which I suspect would be even better fitting and designed, but a lot pricier.

OK then, dhb Aeron Pro. I have four, they are comfortable all day and I ride over 8000 miles a year. I haven't tried any other bib shorts but then I've never considered needing to get anything more expensive. Give them a try, they work for me.

Another vote for Assos. But Guy hit the nail on the head completely. Horses for courses innit?

Rapha Classic bibs I own and are great to wear and last forever - also got a De Marchi pair which are also ace and pricey - De Marchi come up small (as with most Italian kit) so get a size bigger. As several others have mentioned, try some on because I found Gore did not fit right, despite being well-made. Pearl Izumi I own, too - good bet - similar sizing to De Marchi.

Castelli Free Aero race

Now close the argument

Shutt Velo Rapide. Club for training, Pro for racing.

Another vote for Assos. I've bought other, cheaper shorts before, and have worn them maybe just a few times.

Buy Assos, buy once.

Assos.

Close the thread.

Yep, Castelli are great.....

Assos are generally considered the best,

I ride castelli as they are just a bit cheaper

Castelli would be my recommendation too - great quality and certainly not cheap but good value compared to similar quality brands.

I've got a pair of Santini bibs that a far more comfortable than the DHB and Altura shorts I started out with.