Bib shorts or just padded shorts

Bibs are that little more expensive but they are truly worth every penny. No 1's are easy, yes No 2's are a little bit of a pain, but hey, do it before you leave and stay off the caffeine gels ; )

I only wore shorts once and i hated them, so uncomfortable compared to Bibs. Bibs also keep the wedding utensils in the right place and they stay there, unlike my experience with shorts. The other plus with Bibs depending on what you buy, you also get a bit more top protection that you would with shorts which sometimes can negate the need for any base layers

Assos are very good albeit tres pricey, i prefer Castelli or Santini but i've worn cheaper dhb from wiggle and they are fine

I have some nice Shutt bibs but don't find them notably more comfortable (though the pad is nicer than most of my others).

Haven't found an issue with waist or hooking onto seat with plain shorts, but I'm not carrying much of a paunch - I put that down to lots of cycling and not enough cake.

How much you spend is an question only you can answer. I'd have to have a damn good reason to pay more than £50 but that's just me. My bibs were £15 from ebay so worth a gamble.

the only faff with bibs other than the toilet issue is height, different brands recommend upsizing if you are tall, which can mean an ill-fitting waist if you are tall and skinny like me. Rapha, Assos and Shutt VR have stretchier shoulder straps which allow one size up or for R and A the same size.

If your slightly overweight with a bit of a kite (like me) then bib shorts are a must. I used to wear normal shorts but they just roll over at the top and tuck under your belly which, on a hot day, becomes uncomfy. Spend the extra money to get good quality and you wont be disappointed.

Wear whatever you feel fine wearing, I use waist shorts mostly, but bib-shorts are generally a bit more comfortable and tend not to catch on the saddle when returning to the seat from the standing position, which means you're not pulling up your shorts one handed while negotiating potholes. But the convenience of waist shorts for short rides/commuting/convenience when nature calls etc shouldn't be overlooked.

I expect you're about to get hit with loads of recommendations for brands so I'll just put in my tuppenyworth for Assos arguing for the higher price being worth it for the long life, as long as you wash them nicely. However, my main point is for the benefits of bibs. They are a little bit of a pain if, as I did at the Dragon Ride, you need to visit the bathroom for a 'No.2' and then everything has to come off before you can drop them. But, mostly it's all plusses. The big one being not having a bunching waist band. Really, once you've tried you'll never go back.