Talking Lycra: The Pros and Cons of Cycling Bib Shorts

This season I have been trying out the Endura FS260-Pro SL Bibshort. I’ve also been using the Bibknicker (3/4 length) from the same range. For more than a decade, I’ve been a fan of Endura bike clothing. Much of the gear I bought for mountain biking many years ago is still going strong – always a testament to quality and value.

It’s also nice to be supporting a UK business, based not too far away in the central belt of Scotland.What has this all got to do with a pair of bib shorts? Well, after a few months on the road it quickly became apparent that riding around with baggy shorts and bike jerseys and a peak on the helmet just doesn’t cut it.

Beyond a certain point, road biking and mountain biking requires different kit and the longer you ride the more you start to appreciate the value of well fitting, comfortable clothing.See some of the best highland road cycling routes here!

This review is as much about bib shorts as it is the Endura FS260 Pro. I figure that’s helpful as many of our clients ask about them and equally I have many friends who have recreationally ridden on the road for years but don’t own a pair of “bibs”. Having made the switch from shorts to bibs (I still use shorts for shorter rides), here’s my take on the advantages and disadvantages:

Endura FS260-Pro SL Bibshort

The Endura FS260 Pro Bib Shorts have been my go-to bibs this year, especially for longer rides. I find them incredibly comfortable compared to some other bib shorts I have owned in the past. For sure, there are cheaper bib shorts out there but what Endura offer with the FS260 range is the ability to customise the shorts to your body shape. While we’re not talking Saville Row for cyclists, you can, in addition to the regular size choice, choose between three different widths of pad (narrow, medium, wide) and two leg lengths.

Endura suggests that the choice of pad width will depend upon several factors including your sit bones, saddle and rider position. There are currently ten stores in the UK which have the technology to create the ultimate fit by mapping “backside” pressure (a non-technical term) and matching this with the pad choice. I kept it simple when ordering by using the approximate guide available on Endura’s website here, measuring my saddle and matching it to the pad.

• http://www.endurasport.com/support/pad_fit/

My experience with leg length on bib shorts varies widely. Far too many pairs I have make Daley Thompson’s shorts from the 80’s look a generous cut. It doesn’t do much for your confidence or comfort when you’re riding in a pair that look more like dodgy hot pants than bib shorts. For this reason, I opted for the longer leg length in the Endura shorts and they fit great despite me not having particularly long legs.