When I did a women’s night chat on Zoom a couple weeks ago, we ended up spending 15 minutes on my favorite topic, bib shorts. If you’ve never tried a pair, I 10/10 recommend making the switch from regular shorts to bibs—much more comfortable!!
Bib Shorts: Velocio Luxe Bib Shorts
These are the gold standard for me. They’re comfy, they pull down in the back so you can pee, they have great colors, they last forever (my one pair is over 10 years old and still great!). They also avoid the sausage leg situation with really nice grips at the bottom, and while they’re nice and compressive, they don’t feel *tight*.
Full Tights: Velocio Luxe Bib Tights
I hate thermal tights. There, I said it. But I *love* these bib tights because they’re the only non-thermal tights that I’ve found, which I think is all 99% of people need since most of us aren’t riding outside in temps under 25 F, which these tights feel totally fine for. If it’s colder than that, you’re likely wearing multiple layers on a fat bike so thermal isn’t a major issue. I just get too sweaty in thermal bibs, honestly. (I’d also make a note to keep an eye on these in the spring since you might catch some end of season deals.)
Budget Bib Shorts: The Black Bibs
I didn’t expect to like these, but honestly? They’re pretty darn decent! They’re not as good as Velocio’s shorts that I love, but they don’t have any of the problems that I’ve had with other shorts. I also have to shout them out because despite being the cheaper brand, they offer plus sizes, up to 4XL… and they keep the price the same, $40 for the regular, $65 for the upgraded chamois. Honestly, SO impressive.
Custom Bib Shorts: Jakroo Cadence Pro Bibs
This is what we use in the Consummate Athlete store and we’ve heard from a few different men/women (of varying sizes) who LOVE them. I also appreciate that they have up to 5XL in sizes! If you have a team, even a small one, you can easily build a store and the prices are totally reasonable. (Around $200, but sometimes on sale.)
Under MTB Shorts: Giro Boy Undershort
Just wanted to shout these out since I know a lot of MTB women who ride in baggy shorts. These undershorts are a great addition to MTB shorts versus wearing a full on bib short under MTB shorts in the heat.
