Unfortunately, more expensive bibs just work better for me. Fortunately, I am a member on another forum where someone in charge of distribution of a few quality brands is selling leftovers for cheap. I paid about $40 for top-shelf bib shorts from Castelli and Sportsful. They are not as good as my 7Mesh bib shorts — but neither are the MAAP ones I got as part of our team outfits. But they are a huge improvement over the budget options I have tried.
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I might just get a rocker plate ahead of the winter training season.
Shipping is nearly as much as the product itself, though.
The Saris rocker plate looks very nice, but it costs more than my trainer did.
If I had that much money, I’d just buy a Concept2 rowing ergo and use it whenever my bum was too sore.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the inclination to build my own rocker plate. Sounds like too much work and I don’t have the tools.
As for axle height, when riding indoors you should really have your front end a bit higher to take weight off your hands, as you don’t have the benefit of wind resistance to help hold you up. I find my hands are as much an issue as my undercarriage.
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Is that really cheaper than two pairs of quality bib shorts, though? 
The stupid thing is that bib shorts are also personal. The MAAPs I have are too tight around the thighs for me, which makes them uncomfortable. The straps of the Sportful ones are a bit too narrow and they tend to crumple up. The straps of the Castelli ones are a bit too short, which makes them a bit uncomfortable while walking. Finding good bib shorts feels like finding a saddle that fits your bum — except that in my experience all the cheap options are no bueno for my derriere.
At this exchange rate, it’s cheaper than two pairs of mid-tier Assos bibs…
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True, although that depends on where you live. The dollar has appreciated about 30 % over the yen within the last 12 months, stuff has gotten expensive here in Japan.
Once I went for a biomechanics study and the guy said, if I felt saddle discomfort after the fit was correctly dialled in, one of the remedies was to push harder on the pedals. Apparently, pushing hard on the pedals gets some of your weight out of the saddle…
Yes, that is what we have mentioned here above and in other threads. Lower cadence requires higher force for the same wattage. I and others found this hack particularly useful for endurance rides or anytime you have excessive saddle pressure discomfort.
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Do NOT trust the Assos size calculator. I suspected it was way off, and I was right.
It said I needed an L, but just as I thought, I needed an XXL! Just like with Castelli and dhb.
So I wasted $50 on customs for two shorts that don’t fit. When in doubt, order two sizes you think will be too big…
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I do the opposite - I wear my budget range shorts for the turbo and reserve my best shorts for outdoors at the weekend. I don’t move around nearly so much on the trainer so fit isn’t quite as important. You still need a good pad, obviously, but I’ve found excellent pads for 1 hour sessions in Gore and Northwave shorts.
You’re right, a company called Elastic Interface make the pads in Assos, Dhb, Gore and many other brands. If you know a pad is made by them you generally can’t go wrong.
Agreed.
I have two pair from The Black Bibs that I love and use exclusively on the trainer.
I think that bike fit and saddle are more important that the bibs, though.
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Maybe a crazy thing to say, but I’ve done ten hours per week on the trainer in my boxers with no saddle sores or discomfort because I’m comfort with my fit and my saddle. Conversely wearing bad bibs on the trainer has given my lots of saddle sores.
I wonder if many people would be better served by trying a number of workouts with zero padding to really lock in their saddle, fit, and position.
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yes, good bibs are always worth it. the biggest contact point to the bike and the worst repercussions when things go awry (saddle sores, chaffing, etc)
try them!
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Not crazy at all. I’ve done 3 And 4 hour days in jeans (no chamois underneath) and sometimes race cx and xcc in jorts.
I value saddles more than bibs—
I currently have 7 Specialized Power saddles across my bike fleet.
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Assos says XL for me and that is just right. I’d be swimming in Assos XXXL.
Assos size calculator worked for me too, on a pair of bibs, jersey, thermal jersey, and jacket.
I just checked it and it’s a size too small for me, but I do have a beer gut (even though I haven’t drank in years). Maybe I should call it a peanut butter banana smoothie gut (see Alacrity thread).
Don’t trust it if you know from experience that other brands from the same continent have you two sizes higher.
In my case, it’s just too tight around my upper thighs.
Elastic Interface makes the pads, but they’re all designed to widely different designs and specs.
$30 dhb Classic bibs and $350 Assos Mille GTO bibs both have pads made by the same company… and one of these two is barely suitable for outdoor rides over an hour.
The Assos pad probably costs Assos twice as much as the entire dhb bibs sell for.
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I can confirm that the cheapest DHB bib shorts aren’t worth it. I ordered a pair, thinking I could save my expensive bib shorts for outdoor rides and wear cheap stuff indoors. My rear end disagreed vigorously, they aren’t worth it.
I didn’t know the chamois were made by the same company, though.
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Let me guess, you are under 75 kg and have a sizable thigh gap? Hehehe…