As the weather gets colder and cyclocross season comes into full swing, the question always arises within my women’s cycling club: “So what’s the deal with bibs?” An enhancement to cycling shorts or tights, typically worn in cold weather, bibs are like sleek microfiber suspenders. People either love them or hate them. How does one seemingly innocent piece of clothing elicit such strong opinions in the cycling community? I spent a week talking bibs with some of the best cyclists in Boulder, Colo. Here’s what I found out.

The concept of bibs originated way back in the days of wool cycling shorts, which would get weighed down from a rider’s sweat. To avoid saggy shorts, cyclists preferred to add suspenders to their shorts rather than cinching the waist down.

The bib has since evolved into almost a full body suit, held up by shoulder straps. The material extends far past where the waistband on non-bibs ends, moving upward over the belly, and similarly, over the lower back. Proponents claim that bibs are more comfortable, offering a more streamlined fit than just shorts. One triathlete mentioned that you don’t get those pesky waistband indentations on your skin when you wear bibs, and you don’t have to worry about your lower back becoming exposed to sun if your jersey rides up when you’re in the aero position. Bibs also provide support across the lumbar region, as well as the abdomen. One of my teammates mentioned that with bibs, you didn’t have to worry about your jersey sliding up and exposing your midriff while hucking your bike up over your shoulder during cyclocross run-ups. This also applies for “spare tire” exposure or that last bit of pregnancy weight. Bibs keep everything nicely concealed.

But besides personal fit preference, I failed to uncover proof that bibs offered performance benefits. The best argument for loving bibs seems to be that they keep your core warmer in the winter by reducing wind resistance and adding another layer. Plus, bibs are moisture-wicking, breathable, and antibacterial, so you’re putting a more technologically advanced fabric against your skin than just the waistband you had there before. For warmer weather, there are featherweight bib options using mesh construction allowing you to enjoy the comfort and moisture-wicking properties of bibs without adding bulk.

Those who steer clear of bibs seemed to have the more compelling argument. In the absence of a public restroom, number one gets pretty complicated with bibs. And number two? Might as well forget about it. For most women, number one or two, bibs are inconvenient on long rides where side-of-the-road potty breaks are an order. Those who wear bibs have devised a way to slide their arms into their shirt sleeves, and slide the shoulder straps down from under the jersey, keeping the jersey intact. Others just leave their modesty at home and figure that what happens on the bike (or in this case off the bike), stays on the bike.

Then there are the purists. They reject anything that adds fuss to either their bike or their garb. But you can bet they’re kicking it singlespeed and avoiding spandex and lycra all together anyway, so bibs are a moot point.

Besides in fixie circles, the future of bibs looks promising. They continue to be the preference of most professional cyclists, and Euro-minded recreational riders. Manufacturers from the other side of the pond like Descente and Assos have always offered more bibs than non. American manufacturers like Pearl Izumi and retailers like Performance have just recently gotten in the game, offering the same number of bibs as non, and sometimes even more. Pearl Izumi’s latest lineup includes five shorts, and nine bibs. The exception is women. Pearl Izumi, for example, makes only one women’s bib. Whether that trend will shift as more women take to racing is yet to be seen.

The hottest trend we’re seeing now with bibs is using fabric technology to make them specific for warm or cold weather. Cold-weather bibs offer the expected greater coverage and thicker material, but also utilize cutting-edge fabrics that go beyond moisture-wicking to thermoregulation. Warm weather bibs are barely there, or what Italian manufacturer Castelli calls “truly free,” with hardly any fabric on the midriff or lumbar, and featherweight suspenders. Each manufacturer has their own version of summer “breathe” fabric which is designed to encourage airflow and evaporate moisture from the inside.

For the guys at least, the question no longer seems to be “to bib or not to bib,” but rather, “which bib best suits the temperature for today’s ride” For the ladies, the “to bib or not to bib” question remains more complex.

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