Quality or Quanity?

[teenroadwarrior]

I'm fairly new to cycling and my current pair of shorts (I think it's Hind but the tag and logos are pretty well worn off.) are falling apart on me...

So, seeing as my budget is pretty small I was wondering if I should:

(a) Buy 2-3 pairs of cheaper shorts off of nashbar i.e. these: ( they're on sale for $30 USD at the moment)
Louis Garneau Spectrum Short - Shorts

(b) Buy 1 pair of nalini bibs off of procyclegear i.e. (I've heard alot of good things about nalini.)
Nalini Corniola Bib Shorts

(c) Look around on ebay??? I haven't bought any cycling clothing off of there so I'm not sure what's what as far as quality goes.

I only ride 90-140 miles per week, but I ride pretty much every day so I find it annoying when I don't have a clean pair of shorts...

 

[tonyzackery]

both. Buy the name brand stuff only when you can find them on sale. Never, ever pay full retail for this stuff - anything for that matter.

You can get some very good deals on slightly used, high quality, name brand kit on eBay if you don't mind pre-owned. Check the seller's description very carefully, check their rep, and ask questions if you need to. There are plenty of scammers there, but there's also great deals to be had too.

Further, do not buy the cheap, pro tour knock-off bib shorts on eBay. The pads, stitching, and material are of substandard quality, in my experience. As the jerseys don't take the abuse the shorts do, you can get away with lesser quality there.

Please, only cycle with clean shorts.

 

[dhk2]

Price and durability don't really relate when it comes to shorts. I've had good wear from Pearl Izumi and Performance medium-priced shorts. OTOH, a buddy got an expensive pair of Assos bibs as a gift a couple of years ago. They looked great, but lasted about 6 months.

If you're riding 90 miles and more a week, suggest you should have at least 3 pairs of shorts/bibs so you don't have to do laundry every day. It doesn't cost any more to have a selection of shorts/bibs to wear on different rides or temperatures. You can pickup your favorites when they go on sale rather than waiting until you've got the classic "screendoor" or other wear issue.

The key problem with online sources is going to be fit. Performance shorts used to be my standard, but seems like the sizing has become inconsistent in the last few years. Some guys here just stick with a quality brand (eg Pearl or Voler) as they trust the sizing and fit. Nalini seems to fit me very well (italian sizing) so I'm on the lookout for deals on their lower-priced shorts/bibs now.

 

[teenroadwarrior]

Thanks for the advice.

Any opinions on this pair of shorts? I know they don't come in black but navy blue will do.

Louis Garneau Spectrum Short - Shorts

Also, are there any major pros/cons of bibs vs. shorts? I mean, is it worth spending ~$20 extra for bibs?

 

[alienator]

There's no formula for determining what shorts are best for you. It's a combination of fit needs, chamois preference, and price constraints. In terms of fit, Euro brands tend to be sized for thinner people, i.e. a bit smaller, but I've found that the sizing charts for Euro Brands are pretty accurate if you follow them closely (In terms of Euro brands, I've used Assos, Giordana, and Nalini). Brands like Pearl Izumi, American house brands (Performance, Nashbar, et al), Voler, Sugoi, and a few others fit the heavier, wider North American rider better and are thus sized a bit larger than the Euro brands.
No one can tell you what kind of chamois--thick vs. thin--that you like. I think you'll find that of the two brands you listed, the Louis Garneau shorts will have the thicker chamois. Nalini chamois are typically thin. I don't think you should really concern yourself too much with durability. There aren't too many shorts out there that are poorly made with thin, delicate materials. As opposed to dhk2's friend, I've got Assos shorts that are 4 years old that are still in great shape. Of course, Assos shorts can be insanely expensive, as can a few other Euro brands, and even Pearl Izumi.

I suggest, until you find what shorts you like, buy them one at a time. I think it be kind of silly to buy two or three pairs of shorts only to find that they don't work for you at all.

Great deals can be had on eBay for new shorts/bibs. IMHO, buying used bibs is some place I don't go, but to each their own.

 

[Froze]

I buy whatever is on sale; the same Nashbar your looking at has Cannondale Climb Short on sale for $20 regularly $70.

Personally I like MTB shorts better then road shorts because road shorts like the one your looking at and the Cannondale I mentioned shows your bulge in great detail, you might as well ride your bike naked. It's a little weird walking into a store and the whole store is gasping with the women all saying: "OooOooh teenroadwarrior!" On second thought if your unmarried maybe you want to show the world your bulge.

 

[dhk2]

I buy whatever is on sale; the same Nashbar your looking at has Cannondale Climb Short on sale for $20 regularly $70.

Personally I like MTB shorts better then road shorts because road shorts like the one your looking at and the Cannondale I mentioned shows your bulge in great detail, you might as well ride your bike naked. It's a little weird walking into a store and the whole store is gasping with the women all saying: "OooOooh teenroadwarrior!" On second thought if your unmarried maybe you want to show the world your bulge.

Froze, lol on "showing the world your bulge". Honestly have to say I've never walked into a store/coffee shop/restaurant in road shorts and had women gasp......at least if they did I didn't hear them. Despite being married, I'd love to have that happen just once, but in decades of riding, no audible gasps.

Maybe the pad on my shorts comes up enough to hid the bulge, or my "great details" aren't so great after all. I've had the "Petacchi" problem once or twice, but have remembered to adjust things before exposing myself to the curious and/or potential admirers. There was this women in the club who claimed she liked to follow my wheel just for the view but suppose that's getting off-topic