Do you ever notice in a mountain bike video that no one is wearing full Lycra? That’s because full Lycra outfits are not ideal for the style and lifestyle of riding trails. Do you ever notice on most XC races, especially endurance ones, that few riders are wearing baggy shorts? That’s because roadie style Lycra is more comfortable and lets you ride faster.
There is a gap between looking cool in baggies and going fast in Lycra. A lot of cyclists go both ways and make the clothing call depending on the type of ride they’re doing and the crowd that’s going to be there. Temperature plays a role too as the hottest weather usually calls for the thinnest roadie Lycra available.
That’s where DirtBaggies has come to offer a solution. They offer a very lightweight short system, that includes a bib designed to be worn as a liner only and a shell that mates with the bib by hooking on each side with snap-on tethers.
The first thing you’ll notice when you get the product is the weight. You pick up both pieces and they weigh less than a normal Lycra bib short. The bib liner weighs in at 170 grams and the liner at 160 grams.
You’ll then observe how thin the materials are. Put the bib on and you’ll see that it’s mostly see-through, so it’s not to be worn by itself, even in the hottest weather. The shorts are thin enough but also have these black panels that swoop down from the rear to each side of the leg. This material is a stretchy fine net type material and it ventilates very well.
These two units hook on to each other by a tether system that has 5 height points of attachment. One has to thread a fabric hook through one of the 5 holes then snap a micro button to itself. This tether system allows the shell to fit loose and comfortable yet they will stay in the optimal place because their height position is fixed on both sides.
Other details include two small pockets high on both sides of the shell. The bib liner has two pockets on each side by the chest, which are large enough to fit an iPhone. Finally, there is horizontal fly flap in the front for the inevitable pee break.
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Enough about the baggies, what’s the ride report on the Look 920? Your a bike pimp Francis, blinging kit – new bike, clothes, shoes, pack, helmet….. I’m not hatin’ on you but at least hook a brother up with a pair of those socks!
Shorts that are almost as good as lycra…just wear lycra! I’ve never understood baggies. If you’re a serious rider, form should follow function. Baggies are hot and catch on the saddle. Don’t understand the point, but wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
I like pockets – ergo, form follows function.
Am I missing something? What is the point of the bib if it doens’t have a chamois?
HAMP, it has a chamois and a very good one at that. It’s light, comfortable and wicks moisture. Check their site for a photo.
Michael9218
There’s many serious riders who don’t prefer lycra. And some who will not wear lycra. All Mountain, Freeride and Downhill is biking too and I think matching kit lycra is banned there.
I’m gonna stick with the lycras on endurance rides and save the baggies for the group rides where I’m not hammering. I like the idea of the dirtbaggies, but I’d rather spend 250 big ones on a great pair of mtn shoes or about 50 million other things. I paid $80 for a pair of shorts the other day and was about ready to put them back on the shelf. Had it not been for the fact that they were great shorts, they’d have stayed there.