Cycling UK Forum

Is this the right section to discuss cycle clothing?

I'm in the process of trying to get some custom bibshorts made and it's turning into an epic saga. I suspect not helped by many people currently working from home.

I am long in the body for my size and skinny in the thighs. I have two pairs of Santini bibshorts which fit me perfectly. I bought them so long ago, I can't remember when. I have so far been unable to find anything of a similar fit, even Santini. I'm finding modern day smaller sizes which fit my legs too short in the straps and therefore tight on the shoulders. If I go for larger sizes with longer straps then the legs are too loose. In general, all siozes are too short in the leg compared to my old shorts.

Has anyone had any success in getting custom cycle clothing made?

A bit of a long shot from me. Around 1990 a colleague drove over to Lusso in Manchester getting a club's racing kit. I can't remember everything about it but he asked if anybody else needed anything. I asked him to see if they might make me a flourescent jacket (hi-viz togs were harder to source then.) I ended up discussing it on the phone with a lady who made me two at a very reasonable price and they were just what I wanted. I suspect that making contact through somebody placing quite a big club order helped. It looks as though they still have a Manchester telephone but they may import stuff these days.

[quote="fausto99" I'm finding modern day smaller sizes which fit my legs too short in the straps and therefore tight on the shoulders. [/quote]
I'd have thought extending the straps would be a minor tailoring job compared to making complete shorts in a custom size. Undoing a seam and adding a section is the sort of thing anyone competent on a sewing machine could make a neat job of.

thirdcrank wrote:A bit of a long shot from me. Around 1990 a colleague drove over to Lusso in Manchester getting a club's racing kit. I can't remember everything about it but he asked if anybody else needed anything. I asked him to see if they might make me a flourescent jacket (hi-viz togs were harder to source then.) I ended up discussing it on the phone with a lady who made me two at a very reasonable price and they were just what I wanted. I suspect that making contact through somebody placing quite a big club order helped. It looks as though they still have a Manchester telephone but they may import stuff these days.

Good call. Lusso altered some new longs I bought when I complained they were not the same fit as my old pair of the same size.

PH wrote:

fausto99 wrote: I'm finding modern day smaller sizes which fit my legs too short in the straps and therefore tight on the shoulders.

I'd have thought extending the straps would be a minor tailoring job compared to making complete shorts in a custom size. Undoing a seam and adding a section is the sort of thing anyone competent on a sewing machine could make a neat job of.

Indeed. As a retired engineer, I have a wide range of skills but not including using a sewing machine.

fausto99 wrote:Indeed. As a retired engineer, I have a wide range of skills but not including using a sewing machine.

And for stretchy stuff you need an overlocker, which is a whole level up with 4 needles. We inherited one a couple of years ago, it sat around waiting for "a project" which turned up recently for my missus, and she's now getting pretty good... but it was a learning curve for her, and she has several science degrees and can fly a standard sewing machine well (I get frightened even looking at it!)

Pete.

pjclinch wrote:

fausto99 wrote:Indeed. As a retired engineer, I have a wide range of skills but not including using a sewing machine.

And for stretchy stuff you need an overlocker, which is a whole level up with 4 needles.
Pete.

Well need is putting it a bit strong, but it would be ideal. The insert wouldn't have to be stretchy and a seam between them could be done with a standard zig-zag flat stitch.
But - I wasn't suggesting fausto99 learn a new skill, I was suggesting it'd cost less to get that done than a complete pair of custom bibs. It wouldn't be hard to find out before spending any money, just take an existing pair to any alterations place and ask.