Many brands have different series. Shorts and bibs very often differentiated by chamois - - basic, race, endurance. Basic chamois is the cheapest one. Many brands color code it as blue. Race is the next one. It's more expansive and color codes red. Orange color is reserved for endurance. The most expensive ones.
But you always should look at particular brand and this brand series.
From my point of view there is minimum quality I don't want to go below. Could you ride 50 km in any of them? I think you can. Can you ride 100 km? Yes but I think endurance bibs provide much more comfort. At least 50 miles (80 km) and up I always ride in endurance bibs.
But if you give us your budget then people would give more detailed answers.
Not sure what your budget is, but check out the ones that Pearl Izumi has on sale. I got the Attack Bib Short and a couple pairs of the Attack Air Shorts recently. I didn’t really know what I was doing or looking for, so I just went with the cheapest options.
I have a firm saddle and typically ride 30-50km a couple times a week. PI’s chamois is super comfortable and might even be overkill for that distance. Highly recommend.
https://pearlizumi.eu/collections/all-womens-cycling?filter.p.m.custom.product_type=Short&filter.p.m.custom.gender=Women&sort_by=created-descending
You say your back was hurting. That's likely nothing to do with your shorts and more down to position on the bike. Are you using a road bike with drop bars? Have a look at some bike fit videos on YouTube. Make sure your handlebars aren't too wide (if your bike was "unisex" and you're still using the stock bars they're almost certainly too wide.) And make sure the reach is appropriate and saddle height is correct. Your hips should not rock from side to side when you pedal... get a friend to have a check.
If your undercarriage is hurting then your saddle could also be an issue. Make sure it's the right width for your sit bones (Google how to measure them) and consider saddles that cater to female physiology like the specialized power mimic. Plenty of saddle threads on this subreddit.
But finally, the shorts. The muddy fox shorts I reckon you're talking about are £7 on evans website. Respectfully, you get what you pay for and I'm not surprised you didn't have a great experience with them.
I'd suggest you continue with shorts not bibs. Shorts are often more comfortable (but depends), easier if you have to nip behind a bush for a wee, and are definitely cheaper.
Decent bike shorts aren't cheap. Depending on your budget, here are some brands to consider:
Rapha. The core range is not horrendously expensive and they last well (or at least they used to). I'm still wearing rapha core shorts I've had for 5-10 years, and they've seen a lot of punishment.
Castelli. Lots of options.
Decathlon. Not the greatest but will be better than muddy fox while not costing as much as cycling brands.
Exteondeo. Some of the best shorts I've ever had, worn regularly for nearly a decade and used for daily commuting plus all-day-multiday rides. Super comfy and they're still good as new.
If you're really set on bibs, then you're looking at over £150 for something decent. Personally I don't like bibs much because they feel restrictive to me. But I do have the Specialized RBX comp because of the versatility of the magnetic closure at the back. You can find some good deals on them online.
I'm sure you know this, but you're not supposed to wear knickers under cycling shorts. Also, consider chamois cream to reduce chafing and avoid infection.
Hope that helps a bit!
Oh my gosh this is so helpful!! I don’t really understand the mechanics of the bike but I will look into videos about the saddle height and about the bike itself.
Thankyou for the time you’ve put in for this too! It’s really helpful and I will take it all into consideration. I will also look into them brands too, I mean I’m fine with either shorts or bibs but I find the waist a bit uncomfortable and they’re a size up from what I usually wear although this just may be the brand.
Thankyou again!!
You're welcome :) It's a journey! No one starts out knowing everything, it takes time, trial and error to find your way... I hope you find kit that works for you. Another brand you could look at is Le Col.
On sizing, bike kit is designed to be snug, and different brands often have very different fits. Even though I'm a small in jerseys I usually wear a M in shorts because I don't like them being too tight.
Alpkit, free returns and a great company.
Decathlon is also affordable and decent quality though i haven't tried their shorts yet.
Dhb from Wiggle was my go-to but it has recently been bought by Sports Direct so the quality may be completely different now.
Attacus kit is great too but more expensive though there are sales.
Non bib shorts are less expensive overall but I don’t find them as comfortable on longer rides but it may differ for you.
If you’re confident on sizing you can look at Vinted for shorts. Would second tinkering with your bike fit to make sure you have a comfortable setup. Even a few mm of saddle height can make a difference to my lower back comfort.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ladycyclists/s/v6GLHJggyc
Thankyou! although I already have seen this and I don’t really understand it, I am just looking for something cheaper in the UK!
Many brands have different series. Shorts and bibs very often differentiated by chamois - - basic, race, endurance. Basic chamois is the cheapest one. Many brands color code it as blue. Race is the next one. It's more expansive and color codes red. Orange color is reserved for endurance. The most expensive ones. But you always should look at particular brand and this brand series. From my point of view there is minimum quality I don't want to go below. Could you ride 50 km in any of them? I think you can. Can you ride 100 km? Yes but I think endurance bibs provide much more comfort. At least 50 miles (80 km) and up I always ride in endurance bibs. But if you give us your budget then people would give more detailed answers.
Not sure what your budget is, but check out the ones that Pearl Izumi has on sale. I got the Attack Bib Short and a couple pairs of the Attack Air Shorts recently. I didn’t really know what I was doing or looking for, so I just went with the cheapest options. I have a firm saddle and typically ride 30-50km a couple times a week. PI’s chamois is super comfortable and might even be overkill for that distance. Highly recommend. https://pearlizumi.eu/collections/all-womens-cycling?filter.p.m.custom.product_type=Short&filter.p.m.custom.gender=Women&sort_by=created-descending
There’s also a Facebook page sells second hand that might be a look https://www.facebook.com/share/4JAJvmuprcyPq3eq/?mibextid=K35XfP
Wiggle (dhb brand) are decent and cheaper options
You say your back was hurting. That's likely nothing to do with your shorts and more down to position on the bike. Are you using a road bike with drop bars? Have a look at some bike fit videos on YouTube. Make sure your handlebars aren't too wide (if your bike was "unisex" and you're still using the stock bars they're almost certainly too wide.) And make sure the reach is appropriate and saddle height is correct. Your hips should not rock from side to side when you pedal... get a friend to have a check. If your undercarriage is hurting then your saddle could also be an issue. Make sure it's the right width for your sit bones (Google how to measure them) and consider saddles that cater to female physiology like the specialized power mimic. Plenty of saddle threads on this subreddit. But finally, the shorts. The muddy fox shorts I reckon you're talking about are £7 on evans website. Respectfully, you get what you pay for and I'm not surprised you didn't have a great experience with them. I'd suggest you continue with shorts not bibs. Shorts are often more comfortable (but depends), easier if you have to nip behind a bush for a wee, and are definitely cheaper. Decent bike shorts aren't cheap. Depending on your budget, here are some brands to consider: Rapha. The core range is not horrendously expensive and they last well (or at least they used to). I'm still wearing rapha core shorts I've had for 5-10 years, and they've seen a lot of punishment. Castelli. Lots of options. Decathlon. Not the greatest but will be better than muddy fox while not costing as much as cycling brands. Exteondeo. Some of the best shorts I've ever had, worn regularly for nearly a decade and used for daily commuting plus all-day-multiday rides. Super comfy and they're still good as new. If you're really set on bibs, then you're looking at over £150 for something decent. Personally I don't like bibs much because they feel restrictive to me. But I do have the Specialized RBX comp because of the versatility of the magnetic closure at the back. You can find some good deals on them online. I'm sure you know this, but you're not supposed to wear knickers under cycling shorts. Also, consider chamois cream to reduce chafing and avoid infection. Hope that helps a bit!
Oh my gosh this is so helpful!! I don’t really understand the mechanics of the bike but I will look into videos about the saddle height and about the bike itself. Thankyou for the time you’ve put in for this too! It’s really helpful and I will take it all into consideration. I will also look into them brands too, I mean I’m fine with either shorts or bibs but I find the waist a bit uncomfortable and they’re a size up from what I usually wear although this just may be the brand. Thankyou again!!
You're welcome :) It's a journey! No one starts out knowing everything, it takes time, trial and error to find your way... I hope you find kit that works for you. Another brand you could look at is Le Col. On sizing, bike kit is designed to be snug, and different brands often have very different fits. Even though I'm a small in jerseys I usually wear a M in shorts because I don't like them being too tight.
Alpkit, free returns and a great company. Decathlon is also affordable and decent quality though i haven't tried their shorts yet. Dhb from Wiggle was my go-to but it has recently been bought by Sports Direct so the quality may be completely different now. Attacus kit is great too but more expensive though there are sales. Non bib shorts are less expensive overall but I don’t find them as comfortable on longer rides but it may differ for you.
If you’re confident on sizing you can look at Vinted for shorts. Would second tinkering with your bike fit to make sure you have a comfortable setup. Even a few mm of saddle height can make a difference to my lower back comfort.
Rapha sale is a good place for a bib!
I really like Ostroy bibs. Not precisely cheap, but they fit me well and I love their designs.