# Sewing up some bibs--can it be done?



## cpecrivaine (Jul 8, 2011)

So, I want to know if anyone has ever attempted to turn shorts into bibs. I have a cheap pair of old bibs I am willing to cut the top off of and attach to the shorts. But I don't want to do it if it's just gonna ruin both pair. 

I know what you're thinking--why the heck don't you just buy some bibs? Well I have some, but I got a new kit from my team, but they were out of bibs in my size. I hate shorts, so I want to try and finesse them into bibs. 

Has anyone tried it?


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

You could probably do it, but it won't fix what you don't like about shorts. People who prefer bibs to shorts generally say it's because of the restrictive tight waistband that shorts are made with, so they will stay up. Bibs are made differently, looser and without seams or elastic in that waist area. If you sewed straps on your shorts, they'd still have the elastic waistband, unless you cut off the top of the shorts before you spliced on the straps. I don't know whether you could really get them together that way, and I don't know what that might do to the fit, since they weren't designed and cut that way. It seems unlikely that you could get them to fit like real bibs.


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## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

Not sure that you _need_ to take the elastic off the top of the shorts, but if you don't it will cut into you and the bib section will be utterly pointless.

This is theoretically easy to do. My wife (a seamstress) pointed out that you'll need to make sure you use a wide section of the bib. Lycra is very stretchy and if you only use 2 inches of the bib strap, your shorts will be held up at those points and sag in between. It won't be very comfortable. Worse, you'll get laughed at.

She also pointed out 2 other things. 1: make sure you use material as gussets for where you stitch the bib onto the short. Lycra isn't the strongest material in the world when under stress at a particular point, and there would be nothing more embarrassing than mooning your competition because the lycra failed at the spot where you sewed. 2: make sure you get the bib section measured while you're bent into your race tuck. It may sound common sense but I remember trying to modify an old rowing outfit. It fit perfectly standing up but when I tried to start rowing...


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