Help! I need a decent recommendation for training shorts/chamois. I seem to burn holes quickly in the inner thigh area where my upper inner leg makes contact with the saddle…does this happen to other people? I don’t care the cost. I need long lasting and relative comfort due to all the friction. The chamois itself isn’t the issue, it’s the material of the bib shorts…thank you!
I have had good luck with Desoto bibs, but it’s all I’ve worn. I have three pairs–1 tri and 2 400 milers.
Dhb classics are great for me and pretty cheap at around £40 a pair.
have you check that there isn’t something rough on the leading side edge of your saddle that’s not causing this rubbing to destroy bibs? There could be a crease in the material or something that may be focusing the friction and causing this much damage.
Ive been using the specialized rbx line of bib shorts. A little more padding and bullet proof. I have over 15000 km on one pair!
How are you caring for your bibs? (washing & drying) If you are drying them in the dryer you could be cooking the material and its just falling apart. Also you get what you pay for as far as the quality of bibs goes. Cheap bibs will wear out a lot quicker then the more expensive one. I am not suggesting going out and buying the most expensive ones. I am just saying that $120 on bibs typically will last longer then say $75 ones. Also as RONDAL suggested make sure there is not something on the saddle that is causing wear.
I’ve never had this experience. It may be a saddle issue rather than bibs. Is the nose of the saddle extremely wide? Are you sitting in the correct position?
For bibs, my favourite pair are Mavic Pro Elite (or something like that). Good chamois and the material is thick in the leg.
Mavic Cosmic Elite is the name.
I definitely wash them correctly and never put in the dryer. It is not a bike fit issue b/c my fits are correct. I would have to have a super thin saddle tip to not rub, but my inner thigh still rubs on the inside railing of any saddle. The bibs I DO use are usually the Izumi $75 ones, and they don’t seem to last. I need a super durable material that is tight and sleek. Thanks for the info! Keep the recommendations coming…
Imho, pearl makes garbage bibs and liners in general. Try specialized, easy to come by and average price.
Shout out for Shutt Velo Rapide - one of the best pads in the game
Without a doubt the best in the market. Beats Assos, Cuore, Champs SYS, the lot… try it and convince me I’m wrong
Not at all! Fine for outdoor rides.
Sugoi shorts are awesome.
+1 for the sugoi bib shorts. For me have been the best fitting chamois so far.
They are actually having a sale on their pro version ones at the moment and picked them up for 40% off.
This is a helpful topic as the winter indoor season begins. Like the original poster, I am always looking for bibs that are durable in the saddle area. The fit of my bike and saddle are not the issue (I’ve been riding 20 years and have a great fit), but rather it’s because there’s so much more sitting in the same spot while indoors and a relative lack of “thigh-gap” ( ). Thank you for any suggestions people have!
You’re not going to find bibs that solve the problem of rubbing your thighs on the saddle. That is absolutely a saddle/fit issue.
Well, I had the same problem with Brooks Cambium saddle (less so with a Fabric), no matter what bib shorts I used. The only solution was to get a shorter saddle.
Cool, that’s helpful! Apologies if I sounded overconfident! I just moved back by saddle a bit to see what effect that has. I may re-try an ISM Adamo saddle, and I have tried a shorter Selle Italia. I prefer medium width saddles (~145 mm wide) with the saddle parallel to the ground, so I may also try some forward tilt. Thanks for the suggestions and people sharing their experiences!
I had this with the Syncros Belcarra. Switched to a prologo dimension which is an identical shape but a narrower nose which solved the problem