Poll

Bib tights. Pad or no pad?

Pad
9 (42.9%)
No pad
12 (57.1%)

Total Members Voted: 20

Author Topic: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?  (Read 1550 times)

Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« on: 12 September, 2021, 08:13:55 pm »
I've always bought bib tights with no pad. Apart from the fact that that's how they all were years ago, there are two other reasons:

1. Seeing as you're wearing shorts underneath, you don't have to wash them that often.

2. You can get the most out of all those shorts that are still perfectly wearable but you can't wear them on their own as they are now almost see through.

But am I missing something? I need a new pair for the no doubt imminent shitty weather and there seems to be much more choice of tights with a pad.

So are they any good? Or am I better off sticking to shorts under padless tights?
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #1 on: 12 September, 2021, 08:48:55 pm »
I know howies used to sell their bibbtights with or without pads so could wear over bib shorts if you preferred

I generally wear something like ronhill bikesters or similar over bib shorts if cold as find full on tights too er tight on the legs and only go full on tights if really cold

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #2 on: 12 September, 2021, 08:57:09 pm »
I've got a pair of padded tights (which IIRC are Howies) and a pair without pad from Lusso. The Lussos have some sort of water-shedding coating, which is useful in horrible weather, and it seems to me that in those conditions you'll also be thankful for a bit of extra warmth from the shorts under the tights.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #3 on: 12 September, 2021, 09:01:59 pm »
Unpadded with padded shorts underneath.

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #4 on: 12 September, 2021, 09:06:38 pm »
I have about even numbers of both, and don't have a major preference.

On long winter rides (being away for a few days) being able to change shorts and wear the same longs saves some luggage space. They can also be pulled on at the roadside at the end of the day when it's getting too cold to wear shorts. As you say, they do also give the ability to wear those older thinning shorts, which are still comfortable (but not so comfortable viewing for the wheel sucker behind him). My best pair of winter tights have windproof/splash proof front and normal roubaix rear, no pad.

Throwing on a pair of tights with no shorts is faster to dress, and less faff doing a loo stop.


Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #5 on: 12 September, 2021, 10:06:50 pm »
I have about even numbers of both, and don't have a major preference.

On long winter rides (being away for a few days) being able to change shorts and wear the same longs saves some luggage space. They can also be pulled on at the roadside at the end of the day when it's getting too cold to wear shorts. As you say, they do also give the ability to wear those older thinning shorts, which are still comfortable (but not so comfortable viewing for the wheel sucker behind him). My best pair of winter tights have windproof/splash proof front and normal roubaix rear, no pad.

Throwing on a pair of tights with no shorts is faster to dress, and less faff doing a loo stop.



Maybe that's the answer - get a pair of each! I tend to buy one pair at a time and wear them until they are falling apart. I have a draw full of them - all with massive holes in!
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #6 on: 12 September, 2021, 10:45:27 pm »
Bibs are a work of Stan (and I'm sure there's a paving slab around here somewhere...), but my tights are unpadded.  In winter, when I'm confident they're going to stay on for the duration of the ride, I use old transparent-but-otherwise-functional shorts under them.

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #7 on: 12 September, 2021, 11:08:33 pm »
I'm mostly in the unpadded longs over shorts camp, but I have one pair from Aldi which are padded, which are warm enough for the period between wearing 3/4-length shorts or shorts with knee warmers, and going for the full winter get-up.
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #8 on: 13 September, 2021, 08:15:18 am »
One of my early experiences with padded bib tights involved standing on the pedals then sitting down again on the family jewels because the somewhat short legs had pulled the body part out of whack. Nowadays I use unpadded + shorts, even going to the extent of unstitching the pad from a pair of pricey Assos tights I was given as a present.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #9 on: 13 September, 2021, 08:18:32 am »
I have both padded and unpadded longs. The padded ones are for coldish weather. The unpadded ones are proper cold 'n wet weather ones with windstopper panels etc., and get work over padded shorts.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #10 on: 13 September, 2021, 08:59:10 am »
I prefer no pad, for all the obvious reasons. The only thing I use padded tights for is for cold commutes.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #11 on: 13 September, 2021, 12:09:19 pm »
My tights are all padded. I don't like the look of shorts on my thighs under tights, and two layers makes my arse even sweatier.

I might wear unpadded overtrousers for commuting or tile bagging where there's walking and or hanging around, but if I'm going to be riding all day in them, padded tights all the way.

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #12 on: 13 September, 2021, 12:44:46 pm »
Every pair of bib tights I've ever had end up like this:



I wonder if the way a padded bib tight is stitched might help prevent this?
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #13 on: 15 September, 2021, 06:12:38 pm »
Padded tights are nice when it's barely cold enough to warrant full leg coverage. When it's really cold, padded bib shorts under bib tights give my core a little extra insulation, which is nice. I seem to end up doing >90% of my riding in tights and shorts.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #14 on: 15 September, 2021, 06:28:39 pm »
My tights are all padded. I don't like the look of shorts on my thighs under tights, and two layers makes my arse even sweatier.

I might wear unpadded overtrousers for commuting or tile bagging where there's walking and or hanging around, but if I'm going to be riding all day in them, padded tights all the way.
Fair point, but having an extra layer over the padding can reduce the baboon arse effect that some pads produce.

And when people are talking about shorts under tights, I've kind of assumed we were talking about waist shorts; bibs under bibs seems a bit too strappy on the shoulders. But Mark's comment about core insulation suggests maybe double-bibbing is a thing too.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #15 on: 15 September, 2021, 06:30:37 pm »
I own lots of bib shorts and bib tights but only one or two waist shorts. My shoulders are broad enough to cope.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #16 on: 16 September, 2021, 08:34:58 am »
Whether pads are in shorts or tights doesn’t change that they have to be washed after every ride.
Shorts are much easier to wash and dry.
I also find that I like shorts close and cosy fitting to keep everything in a comfortable place. I find that tights tend to drag the pad area down more.

Re: Bib tights. Pad or no pad?
« Reply #17 on: 16 September, 2021, 08:19:17 pm »
I’ve got one pair of padded bib tights, that are also warm round the knees. Lovely for a properly chilly winter ride. Otherwise I use bikesters over shorts, or without a pad if it’s commuting.