Why not bib shorts for mountain biking?

[E38Ross]

I've noticed that people always wear baggy shorts when mountain biking yet lycra when road riding.... I even do this myself but I've often wondered why.

Why could I not just wear bib shorts when on the mountain bike? I never use the pockets on the baggy shorts (I usually wear some endura humvee shorts) so what would be wrong with bib shorts?

[Gazzab]

Wear Lycra under the baggy shorts.

[BadRotorFinger]

Wear what you like, I know which I prefer and what I think looks better. Baggy for me. Are baggy shorts better in the mud and crud?

Edit to add, I can get my pads under baggy.

[BadgerBenji]

I always bib shorts find them comfortable, and don't feel the need to bleat with the rest of the flock.

[Gizmoish]

Baggies for MTB so when you fall off the paramedics can tuck your ribs back in without completely undressing you.

Also because speeds are lower, whereas at road speeds air drag is more of a concern.

[BadRotorFinger]

We just cut it straight off you, along with your armour!!

[Jimbo.]

It's a fashion thing: too shy to wear lycra and/or prefers overly baggy, gawdy "rad/sick/yo'" clothing. Probably awash with armour too.

MTB'ers use lycra/skin suits when needed: XC'ers and, until the UCI banned them, downhill too. Screaming hypocrisy too from Rachel Atherton, with her "Skinsuits suck" comment...only to be seen in one at the next Worlds. Oops.

[Rouleur]

Fashion and durability

[Some Gump]

Baggy on both.
Despite what the roadie crew believe, smuggling budgies in public is never acceptable.

[Karussell]

Bib shorts for both. Far mor comfortable and no opportunity for "gapping"

[American iv]

In Australia I'm in the minority wearing baggy shorts on my mountain bike... I guess here it's more to do with heat management though. I just wear baggy with lycra underneath since I'm more comfortable that way - when I get my roadie, I'll be baggies then too!

[shalmaneser]

Personally I wear bibs on my roadie and bibs + baggies on my MTB. Partly fashion, but also due to the fact that I'm reagularly crashing though brambles and falling over on rocks which would quickly tear my lycra... Endura baggies are much much more durable for this sort of thing.

[Engineer1]

Because it's baggies over the lycra, and it's baggies because they look better and will probably survive the crashes, scrapes and general lower speed and more visible cool riding.

[E38Ross]

thanks chaps

[AndrewM]

Rule 18 - all you need to know.

[antspants]

It's given me the idea for bibs over baggies a la Superman, I'll let you know if it takes off on my local trails.

[E38Ross]

AndrewM said:

Rule 18 - all you need to know.

Eh?

Just done over 57 miles on the roadie this morning... Nice weather and I wore my lycra, in public! Long leggings, mind. It's not that warm yet!

[Vladimir]

Durability for me. I wear baggies over padded Lycra shorts on the MTB, just Lycra on the road bike.

There's a bit of me that also feels a complete goon in just Lycra. On blokes it's just not a good look. But on a road bike, baggies just get in the way a bit.

[rhinochopig]

Whatever's clean for me so it can range from new Campag thermal longs to early 1990s Trek race rep bib shorts through to full on padded baggies. I really don't care what I look like out on the bike TBH as long as I get out.

[bigdom]

E38Ross said:

AndrewM said:

Rule 18 - all you need to know.

Eh?

Just done over 57 miles on the roadie this morning... Nice weather and I wore my lycra, in public! Long leggings, mind. It's not that warm yet!

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/