Same here. I have had shoes all over the spectrum.
Right now the shoe i like the most is the $100 Reebok Forever Floatride Energy… 400 miles in and is not showing life of giving up just yet!
Its all about what works for you…and you dont know if it will work until you get it.
I would rather find a $60 bib doesnt work than finding a $250 bib didnt work!
Higher price does not equate to higher quality.
A great example of this are cars. Land Rover is a prestige maker that if money was not an issue, i would never ever in this life time buy. EVER.
I have $60 bibs and i can ride 4 hours no problems… so 
So what items/service do you make for a living, Joel?
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Why does that matter on this argument?
You’re arguing that because YOU are happy with something, everyone else should be too. It’s kind of like saying, “I drive a Honda Fit and it gets me from here to there so anyone who has any other car is being scammed and falling for marketing mumbo jumbo”. Any part of cycling that makes contact is going to be highly personal. Gloves, tape, bars, saddles, shorts, shoes, cleats, helmets, glasses, etc. Just because a shoe works great for me doesn’t mean it’s not a horrible fit for you.
As an example, any time anyone mentions bibs, we always see the “The Black Bibs are the best thing since sliced bread” posts. I bought a pair. For me, they were honestly the worst piece of cycling kit I’ve ever purchased. They were a torture device. For me. For someone else, they might be great.
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Same.
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What was hypocritical here? Also, perhaps there’s a more civil way of putting this.
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Same here too. The chamois bunches up and migrates completely to one side cutting off circulation. Now I only use them for trainer rides 1 hour or less, mostly so that when I put a real pair of bib shorts on for the longer rides I’m reminded of the difference.
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This thread can be boiled into 2 basic principles. 1) “quality” is highly subjective and often misconstrued with “value”. 2) when people ask for suggestions the responses will be highly based on personal preferences since, let’s face it, we are all built very differently.
Those that have no issue with The Black Bibs naturally love them for the value they provide. Those that have the money to shell out for Rapha kit will obviously appreciate the quality associated with paying a premium for “better” materials. But paying more for kit is pointless if said pricier kit doesn’t fit you personally.
That being said, we can all agree that cycling (and athletic gear generally) is expensive. We’re cyclists/triathletes, that fact is undeniable. So those seeking value shouldn’t be judged and neither should those who don’t mind paying extra. Discounting someone else’s preference because it doesn’t work for you is kinda nonsensical.
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I have one pair of premium bibs that went see through, when others from the same brand are still perfect. I suspect I chucked it in the washing basket then one of the kids put their wet swimmers from the chlorine pool on top…
Funny. I don’t find fact as hypocritical. But if you need to justify purchasing expensive gear with the argument of superior quality, more power to you.
Not everyone has the resources to spend 250 for bibs. Other don’t want to. Some other find the 60 perfectly fine for them. So calling the argument hypocritical because I don’t work on manufacturing is a little silly…
As a person who actually buy stuff I can see when things are expensive because of name and not necessarily because quality is much higher than alternative solutions. Saying anything else is just rationalization over spending lots of money.
I agree that quality and price are sometimes unrelated aspects, especially with cycling clothing. Having said that, of all the bibs ive worn (lots of brands), Rapha Classics and Attaquer are the most comfy. That doesnt mean they will be for everyone though, as we are all built differently, and we are all riding on different saddles anyway
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Nothing needs to be dried in a machine. They’re designed for convenience, not as a necessity.
Washing & drying clothes puts them under stress, lycra based clothing in particular is notorious for not coping well in higher temperature washes.
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I’m the first person to call out over priced nonsense. I’ve spent many hundreds of thousands on equipment that I use to make a living.
The expensive stuff is always better quality IME. It’s not always necessary however and sometimes the $$$ for extra features aren’t worth it.
That’s the crux.
Lately, I’ve been forced to take whatever bib shorts I could get in the LBS. None of the remaining medium sizes were cheap.
I bought all three pairs in the weird Covid shopping environment.
The ridiculously priced pair of Pearl Izumi are now my favourite bib shorts.
Sure, cheap stuff can be amazingly effective. It just never seems to remain cheap if it is.
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You clearly said this better than I did 
Thought the same thing.
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This is one of the oddest, most entertaining conversation threads I’ve read in a while. I think the rider of the original post is at the beginning of a learning curve, or his crotch is bullet proof. Mine isn’t. Those of us who have been putting thousands of miles a year on our trusty steeds know that bibs eventually wear out. Replacing them is just the cost of depreciation investment.
Why spend so much on bike bibs? Innovations in materials science costs. The padding in the $150+ bibs’ is better designed for supporting your sitz bones while not impinging on thigh muscle movement. This doesn’t mean that the padding is necessarily thicker. The chamois pattern plus differentiated layers of padding in these shorts is constructed to allow more freedom of movement without binding different parts in the crouch area as you move about on and off the saddle. The lycra material in these bibs is significantly more breathable while doing a much better job wicking away moisture from the crotch area. No diaper rash. The lycra in some bibs also have better leg compression for supporting thigh muscles. On long rides in hot weather, I really appreciate these last two properties - the quicker the moisture is wicked away the cooler you feel and the less fatigued are your quads and hammies. Lastly, some of these bibs are designed to hold your junk more comfortably instead of squeezing it.
I am a strong believer in shopping at high-end clearance sales. These sales usually occur at the end of a season (summer, shoulder seasons, winter) or are special sales sponsored by bike clothing manufacturers. Sometimes manufacturers use discounts to move out current inventory, or sometimes they offer really large discounts when they are about to launch a new model line. Almost all of the bibs I’ve purchased are $200+ but I got them for 20-50% off. I look for bibs designed for endurance/training rides. On a 5-hour ride, I don’t want my butt to hurt more that it has to. Featherweight racing bibs go for $300+ and are cut for a really thin racer’s body (which ain’t me).
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Anyone got any scientific and credible sources to why dryers are bad for clothes, especially synthetic? All I ever hear is anecdotes and guesses.
Yes, I dry all my synthetic clothes in the dryer at low heat with no issues, but will change my mind immediately if someone can present good arguments or research on the subject.
Agreed! There are a lot of places in the world where tumble trying is a pretty unusual thing to do
The dryer can pretty hard on clothing in general. Running the delicates cycle on my machine is pretty quick and gets my stuff clean without a ton of detergent. Hang dry and good to go for the next day.
I think kit fit/preference/whatever is pretty personal. Go with whatever works for you but keep it out of the dryer!
Edit: @hugo1 Not a peer reviewed journal but the consensus seems to be that a hot dryer breaks down the structure of lycra over time. Double knit polyester is probably fine . Low heat could be why your method is working for you. I am on the other end of the spectrum and really prefer natural fibers for everyday clothes, wash pretty much everything cold and hang dry because it keeps things from shrinking and is less energy intensive. Since I am already hanging up clothes, I find it easier to just do the same with my cycling gear but can’t imagine that bib shorts would actually self destruct on impact with the dryer. And I want to keep that pretty team kit minty.
How to wash your clothes without wearing them out | Popular Science
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100% Agree … Performance bikes sold their Ultra shorts that were indestructible, I have had them for 10+ years and they are a bit worn but still great. On the other hand two different pairs of Castelli … ugh things were falling apart super delicate disintegrated… and yes I air dry and use distilled vinegar to wash … would love to find a durable fabric with a good pad and 60 bucks or so … the bontrager and pearl izumi much better than castelli in terms of durability … but I just don’t get the over priced aspect of cycling gear in general …