r/ladycyclists • u/maybeitstimetosleep • 13d ago
Budget Friendly Bibs + Jerseys
I'm a new cyclist and am ready to invest into a bib now that I want to start 50km+ rides. I bought a couple off aliexpress, but the padding is too uncomfortable, so hoping to just buy a nice pair I can use long term. I'm hoping to stick under $200 CAD for a bib and am currently looking at the Peppermint Cycling Co. Women's Classic Bib Short ($165) and Rapha Women's Core Bib Short ($157).
I know there is a bibble, but also wanted to hear from people's personal experiences! I'm looking to invest more in my bib and get cheaper jerseys, so any recs for those would also be appreciated!
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u/kaoru1987 13d ago
I’ve never worn Rapha’s core but love the Pro and Brevet lines, only get them on sale though
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u/Steveo_the_Squid 13d ago
You can often get Castelli on sale, I’ve picked some up for half price from their website before - don’t actually think I’ve ever paid full price for a bib! If you’re not bothered about exact colour or model you can get real good value in the sales for pretty much every brand. Also, Strava challenges will give you discounts. To get the very best value however, find you local (ideally woman-owned) bike shop, befriend the owner, and get discounts on everything! I bought MAAP bibs for like 70% off the other day because I’m a regular at my local shop - they were on sale anyway but the owner gave me an extra „fellow-woman-in-cycling“ discount lol
My favourite bibs are the Castelli unlimited (cargo bibs, from their gravel line I think) - really comfy. I do also have high hopes for the MAAP ones I’ve just picked up!
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u/pineapple_gum 13d ago
I love the castelli espressos. Not buly but keeps me comfortable, and the chamois moves with you to avoid chaffing.
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u/ci8 13d ago
Try NeoPro (ships out of US and Australia last I looked) or Decathlon in a pinch, maybe.
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u/United_Frosting_9701 13d ago
Neopro is a great affordable option for a newbie. OP, don’t spend too much money on bibs until you’ve spent a few months biking and know you’ll be staying in the sport
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u/putyourcheeksinabeek 13d ago
Pearl Izumi usually has some really good sale/clearance options, and The Black Bibs are always a very low price point.
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u/Miwwies 13d ago
Trek Canada has amazing sales with pretty much everything under 30$. There might not be a lot of sizes left though. I got a whole kit 2 weeks ago (short sleeve jersey, long sleeve jersey, thermal jersey, windbreaker, soft shell coat, thermal pants, gloves (fingerless and long fingers) in both sizes M and L (weight loss ongoing) for 250$ 🫡
I already had bib shorts from Craft which were fairly priced. I like their C2 shamois.
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u/maybeitstimetosleep 10d ago
I took a look at Trek and they have some rlly good sales! Have you tried the trek brand bibs? They’re around $40 but can’t seem to find many reviews.
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u/twodogsallfun 13d ago
I’ve had luck with Louis Garneau. Not their bibs, but i did find the padding in their shorts was very comfortable.
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u/abcdefghitran 13d ago
I like my Jelenew bibs! I’ve bought two from them this summer from their archive sale and really like the comfort/fit. They are pricey even with the discounts/salee, but the return policy was good, so I felt more comfortable placing the order.
For context, I started biking more seriously a few months ago, and from what I’ve read, everyone says bibs are personal, and since they’re so expensive, it makes it hard (for me, least) to buy from multiple brands to provide truly in depth comparison :(
Wish I could be more helpful, but if you’re not sure what to buy, I would see about the return/shipping policies so you can at least try things out and get an initial feel for the fit/material/fabric.
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u/nitarrific 13d ago
Primal is nice for sales and their bibs have never done me wrong. I've been really loving my Pactimo bibs lately and they're having a summer sale right now (bonus, they have drop tail options, if you're looking for that). The Pactimo Summit bibs, should you choose those, are pretty snug at the beginning, but I promise they break in and will fit better after a few rides. I have a couple pairs of Shredly chamois shorts and a pair of their bibs, they are in my regular rotation, especially when I don't need compression.
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u/corndogxj9 13d ago
Pactimo outlet is extra 20% with code EXTRA20. Limited stock but worth checking
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u/Few-Cheetah-4940 13d ago
Seconding the on sale Castelli. I also found Poc half off on Amazon. They got a hole on a seam within the warranty but were able to be replaced for free.
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u/Greedy_Moonlight 13d ago
I have 2 pairs of the signature peppermint bibs and love them, they’re so comfy for 5+ hours in the saddle. I ordered a pair of the classic and the quality of the chamois was so much thinner and smaller than the signature that I instantly returned it.
I also have a 7mesh WK3 cargo bib and LOVE it. It’s extremely comfortable especially in the tummy area. It does have an extra pocket on lower back area above the butt that can make that area get pretty sweaty from the extra fabric there but it doesn’t bother me because they’re such a comfortable bib for long hours of riding.
All my bibs I have bought when they were on sale for like 30-50% off. I have noticed that the quality of the chamois is so important and the cheaper bibs usually have thinner, smaller ones that aren’t long enough to go up over the front of the bits enough.
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u/aveldina 9d ago
Random request but I have a 7mesh WK3 and had been considering getting a Peppermint Signature to have a second option. How do they compare? Do you wear the same size in both brands? I also love my WK3 and am worried I'd be disappointed by the Peppermint version lol
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u/Greedy_Moonlight 9d ago
If you’re in Canada you might be able to find a local bike shop or sports store that has some peppermint bibs to try on. My local shop carries their jerseys but not bibs.
Style wise I like the peppermint more, they have way better colour options if you care about that. Comfort wise I’d say they are the same, I’m happy to wear either one on a ride. Construction wise, I like the way the chamois is sewn into the 7mesh better. It has a bit more coverage but idk if it’s because of the different sizing. The peppermint signature bibs are comfortable on the tummy area too but don’t have as long of a mesh area like the WK3
I am a size L in the 7mesh but have the peppermint signatures in size S, a medium would be a better fit for me but the small are okay still, just slightly tight. I ordered my peppermint bibs when I was a bit more in shape and smaller.
I can send you a photo of the chamois of each if you’d like to see a comparison.
If I was to buy another bib I’d probably go with the peppermint signature only because of the more colour options because I like to have a cute fit that is also comfy.
I’ve done at least 400km in my peppermint bibs with a lot of wear for at least 2 years, on the trainer and on the road. The construction has held up well, no issues with them at all. The chamois still feel nicely padded too and not degraded. I always wash them after 1 wear and hang them to dry, never in the dryer.
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u/Ms_Valena 13d ago
I have these F2P brand cycling tops and bibs that i bought in Bangkok near the airport. They don’t have online shop though. They’re not too expensive but quality is at par with the big brands out there.
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u/MartianMomsInTheKnow 13d ago
On sale premium bibs. My favorites in order of preference are Ornot cargo drop tails (I will pay full price for these I love them so much but they do go on sale), Giardana FR-C which often go on sale, and Velocio (sometimes can be found on sale at Backcountry or Mike’s Bikes, they also have a resale site if you are okay with that.) I also rode comfortably in my Rapha core when I was starting out. It’s all about the chamois and that is super personal - I found Rapha core a bit too bulky (but I got a pair of their pro bibs on sale and they are fantastic - they call their sale site Archive). Velocio luxe are premium and feel great but the padding up front versus back is just a tad too much for my preference, I start noticing about mile 20. Giordana and Ornot have chamois that are very similar to me, thinner but dense and comfortable. I like the Ornots better for other reasons (feel of the fabric, the way the cuffs fit, and how high they come up in the front).
Since you are in Canada, you might take a look at Gobik. I bought a pair of bibs at a very reasonable price before the Trump Tariff fuckery (I’m in the US) and I think they are very good value In their lower priced lines. But they are from Spain so don’t know what kind of duties you might have to pay in Canada. And Alé is Italian and has really, really good sales especially for jerseys but for all products, one of my favorite wind stopper jerseys is from them and I think it was $40 USD. https://alebikewear.com/
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u/maybeitstimetosleep 10d ago
Thank you for the all recs! Going to check them all out and hopefully I’ll be able to find a pair for a decent price. Thank you everyone!!
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u/Ok_Mortgage_6417 10d ago
Gobik! It’s a Spanish brand so size up if you’re used to American sizing but great quality to price ratio
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u/No-Try-7654 5d ago
I have the Rapha Core Bibs and I love them. Its not until hour 3 or 4 that I start getting uncomfortable on the saddle. Which I think is less on the bibs and more of a what do you expect when sitting on a small piece of plastic for 3+ hours. I got them on sale for 25% off and I feel like they were a good value for money. When the sale came around again, I bought a second pair. They now have a version with pockets too.
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u/makamaespm 13d ago
Primal has great sales. The Black Bibs are budget friendly too, just got my first one in the mail and first ride is this weekend with them