# Bibs tear in same place



## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

So after a while the chamois on all my bib shorts tend to come apart on the left side in the exact same adea. Regardless of the brand. Basically the area that’s most likely rubbing the side of the saddle. 

Also, maybe once or twice a year I’ll get a saddle sore in that same area. So obviously I’m doing something to favor that side and cause some additional pressure. 

I’ve had several bike fits with no luck. I ride about 3,000 miles a year. 

Any thoughts on the issue and how to fix?


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

golfnbike13 said:


> So after a while the chamois on all my bib shorts tend to come apart on the left side in the exact same adea. Regardless of the brand. Basically the area that’s most likely rubbing the side of the saddle.
> 
> Also, maybe once or twice a year I’ll get a saddle sore in that same area. So obviously I’m doing something to favor that side and cause some additional pressure.
> 
> ...


John Cobb used to recommend to we skeptics, tilting the saddle slightly sideways to accommodate such problems. Riders don't always pedal evenly on both sides. Why not turn the saddle, left or right, depending on where you're sitting on the saddle, so the hard spot giving the problem hits your leg from a very slightly different angle, and spreads out the pressure to a wider area? 

Lowering the saddle if it's too high might also reduce these hot spots. 

Don't know what you've done so far in bike fit, but this would certainly be worth a try. It wouldn't take much, a mm or two. Lots of bike fit programs catch these pedaling problems.


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

Fredrico said:


> John Cobb used to recommend to we skeptics, tilting the saddle slightly sideways to accommodate such problems. Riders don't always pedal evenly on both sides. Why not turn the saddle, left or right, depending on where you're sitting on the saddle, so the hard spot giving the problem hits your leg from a very slightly different angle, and spreads out the pressure to a wider area?
> 
> Lowering the saddle if it's too high might also reduce these hot spots.
> 
> Don't know what you've done so far in bike fit, but this would certainly be worth a try. It wouldn't take much, a mm or two. Lots of bike fit programs catch these pedaling problems.


I’ve got the D shaped seat post so I don’t think rotating it is an option. I just tried lowering a mm and will see what that does 


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

My guess is your two seatbones are not 'perched' on top evenly and you are off-center (I suppose you already know that with the symptoms making if obvioius). Saddle width would be my guess for fixing any leaning off to one side. Cleat placement and wedges may be a way to address it too but that's above my pay grade.


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

Jay Strongbow said:


> My guess is your two seatbones are not 'perched' on top evenly and you are off-center (I suppose you already know that with the symptoms making if obvioius). Saddle width would be my guess for fixing any leaning off to one side. Cleat placement and wedges may be a way to address it too but that's above my pay grade.


That’s the thing I’ve been measured for a 143 saddle and the last bike fit they put a couple wedges in left shoe but it doesn’t seem to help.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Leg length discrepancy?


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

golfnbike13 said:


> That’s the thing I’ve been measured for a 143 saddle and the last bike fit they put a couple wedges in left shoe but it doesn’t seem to help.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You got me then. Probably something about your body that naturally gravitates to pedaling cockeyed, so to speak. That's not necessarily a bad thing (aside from trashing bibs) because your body is probably doing that for good reason. 

Virtually no one has a perfectly symmetrical body and as a result virtually no on pedals perfectly symmetrically whether they know it or not. 

Too bad you can't try rotating the seat a little as suggested.

I assume you already are but really loading up on chamois cream might at least get you a few more miles because the wear happens.

Bibs are expensive and I get wanting to fix it. But fit wise if you are comfortable and injury free I wouldn't worry about it.

What do you mean exactly by 'come apart' by the way? Are they wearing through or coming unsown? Not that it matters but the latter if fixable.

Bib fit could be a contributing factor also. I'm kind of guessing here but if to lose and sliding around that probably makes them wear a lot faster. They should be pretty darn tight especially when new.


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

Jay Strongbow said:


> You got me then. Probably something about your body that naturally gravitates to pedaling cockeyed, so to speak. That's not necessarily a bad thing (aside from trashing bibs) because your body is probably doing that for good reason.
> 
> Virtually no one has a perfectly symmetrical body and as a result virtually no on pedals perfectly symmetrically whether they know it or not.
> 
> ...


See photo. On every pair I own, regardless of brand or size, the chamois comes unstitched in the exact same spot on middle of left side. 












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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

First, a question: do the soles of your shoes wear differently? You could have a discrepancy in leg length, of some sort of discrepancy in the angle of your ankle, etc.

Otherwise, just re-stitch the chamois on and ride it. FWIW, I often have the chamois come apart at the same area. It might have something to do with construction; perhaps they all start the stitch there, and that's why it unravels? I doubt they take the time to tie-down the initial stitch like they would the final stitch.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Maybe you should "dress right".


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

velodog said:


> Maybe you should "dress right".


?????


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

golfnbike13 said:


> ?????
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ask a tailor.


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

golfnbike13 said:


> See photo. On every pair I own, regardless of brand or size, the chamois comes unstitched in the exact same spot on middle of left side.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey that stitching break is right where the edge of the saddle would hit it. Could the lower edge of the saddle be wearing that area down? Where exactly does that lycra that's pilling up hit on the saddle? As Toulouse suggests, many saddles wear shorts at that point. Saddles that have some vertical surface area along the sides might spread the hit over a wider area and the shorts wouldn't pill up the same.

One side only would indicate a lateral adjustment. Worth a try: lower the saddle a few mms because a high saddle exacerbate this fit problem, and turn the sit bones a few degrees left. Then see how the legs clear the saddle and top tube. Is your left leg hitting the top tube? You can see the abrasions if so.


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

velodog said:


> Ask a tailor.


Haha. Wasn’t thinking about that


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

So, just checked 3 different pairs of cycling shorts I have with chamois: ALL of them have the initial and final stitch at that location. Two of mine have (or had) stitching come loose at this point. In both cases, it's because nobody at the factory took the time to properly tie-down the final stitch, so it started to unravel. When I repair the stitching, I tie-down the thread, and it never comes back out. All the speculation about saddle position is just guys grasping at straws. If your mom sews, she can show you what's happening...

BTW, perhaps better quality shorts don't have this problem, but I've never paid more than $50 for a cycling short yet....


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## golfnbike13 (Jun 27, 2019)

No Time Toulouse said:


> So, just checked 3 different pairs of cycling shorts I have with chamois: ALL of them have the initial and final stitch at that location. Two of mine have (or had) stitching come loose at this point. In both cases, it's because nobody at the factory took the time to properly tie-down the final stitch, so it started to unravel. When I repair the stitching, I tie-down the thread, and it never comes back out. All the speculation about saddle position is just guys grasping at straws. If your mom sews, she can show you what's happening...
> 
> BTW, perhaps better quality shorts don't have this problem, but I've never paid more than $50 for a cycling short yet....


I’ve got $50 bibs and I’ve got $250 bibs and they all come unstitched at this same place. 


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## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

Something on your saddle is causing an abrasion to the stitches in that location which is causing the chamois to come unstitched. In the photos you have posted I don't see an actual tear or hole in the fabric, just loose stitches holding the chamois in place. I've had this happen in the same place on a couple of pairs of Giordana bibs of a specific model, but not all my Giordanas. 

I also wear Voler bibs, with models across their entire price range, but never had this occur with Volers. Could be that they use a different technique to secure the chamois that does not expose the stitching to abrasions. 

Good luck getting to the bottom of the issue.


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