How Many Bib Shorts and Cycling Kits Do You Need?
You need one clean pair of bib shorts for every ride before wash day, plus one pair drying. For two or three rides a week, we suggest two pairs of bibs and three jerseys. If you ride most days, three pairs in rotation give each one a full day to dry. Take these numbers as a starting point.
In short
- Plan on one clean pair of bib shorts per ride, plus one drying.
- For 2-3 rides a week, two pairs of bibs and three jerseys are a good start.
- Riding most days? Three pairs in rotation give each a full day to dry.
- Jerseys can outnumber bibs, since plain black bibs go with any design.
How many bib shorts do you need for your riding week?
Count your rides, then add one pair for the one on the rack. That is the whole method. Bib shorts go in the wash after every ride, so the real question is how many clean pads you need between one dry pair and the next.
Here is how that works out for most riders, as our own guidance:
| How often you ride | Bib shorts or cycling shorts | Jerseys | Socks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 rides a week | 2 pairs | 2 or 3 | 2 or 3 pairs |
| 3 or 4 rides a week | 2 or 3 pairs | 3 or 4 | 4 pairs |
| Most days | 3 pairs | 4 or 5 | 5 pairs |
| Commuting 5 days, both ways | 4 pairs, maybe 5 | 5 or more | 5 pairs or more |
Why two pairs for a once-a-week rider? A second pair covers the week when a pad is still damp on Saturday morning, or when you sneak in a midweek spin. It also splits the wear between two pairs instead of putting it all on one. Start with cycling bibs or classic-waist cycling shorts, whichever you prefer.
Can you wear bib shorts twice before washing?
No. A chamois sits against your skin for the whole ride and soaks up sweat, and that is where bacteria and odor start. Our beginner cycling kit and washing guide says to wash padded shorts and bibs after every single ride. If you cannot wash them straight away, rinse them in cold water as soon as you get home and hang them up.
A jersey is a little more forgiving, because it has no pad and it airs out faster. Still, a jersey that went through a hard ride smells like one, so we would wash it every time as well.
The routine is short. Turn everything inside out, wash cold on a gentle cycle (our care label says 86°F, 30°C), use regular liquid detergent and skip the fabric softener. Then hang everything to dry. Never put cycling kit in the dryer, because the heat wears out elastic, silicone grippers and chamois gel. Our article on cycling kit and the dryer explains why.
How long does kit take to dry, and how do you rotate it?
A thin jersey hung in a room with moving air is often dry by morning. The pad is the slow part. It holds water longer than any fabric on the bike, and in November the garage and the air both stay cold and damp. Roll the bibs in a dry towel and press before you hang them, and put a fan on the rack if you need them soon.
Rotation does the rest. With three pairs and a ride most days, the pair you wash on Monday is not needed again until Thursday, so even a slow pad has two full days on the rack. Nobody has to pull on damp bibs at 6 a.m. Each pair also lasts longer, because it gets washed less often than a single pair would.
Trainer season makes this more urgent. An hour indoors can soak a pair of bibs faster than most outdoor rides, so if you are moving to the trainer for the winter, plan on the same count as for outdoor riding, or one pair more. When a pair finally goes see-through or its straps turn slack, our guide to how long bib shorts last covers the signs.
Do you need more jerseys than bib shorts?
Usually, yes. Jerseys are where the fun is, and a plain pair of black bibs goes with all of them. Our guess is that most riders end up with one or two more jerseys than bibs, and that the extra jerseys are the ones they ride in most.
Plain bottoms make the math easy. A pair of Men's Plain Color Pro-Band Gel Padded Cycling Bibs or Women's Pro-Band Classic Plain Color Gel Padded Cycling Bibs matches a tie-dye jersey on Tuesday and a skull print on Saturday. The men's pair has a 9D contoured silicone gel chamois and 45mm silicone leg grippers, and it comes in sizes 2XS-7XL.
For riders who prefer a classic waist, the Men's Pro-Band Classic Plain Color Gel Padded Cycling Shorts and the Women's Plain Color Pro-Band Gel Padded Cycling Shorts do the same job. The women's shorts come in ten colors, from black and navy to lime and pink.
How many cycling kits does a commuter need?
More than a weekend rider, because a commute is two rides a day. If both legs are long enough for a pad, the honest answer is a clean pair for each, and that adds up fast. We would plan on four pairs for a five-day commute, with a fifth for a week of wet weather, when nothing dries.
That count assumes you wash every evening and let each pair dry for a day and a half. Plain pairs keep the cost of a bigger rotation down, and nobody at work will notice that Tuesday's bibs look like Monday's. A short commute is different. If yours is a few flat miles, you may not need a pad at all for it, and the bibs can stay for the longer rides.
How many kits should you pack for a multi-day trip?
Fewer than you would think, if you can wash in the sink. Our guide on how to pack cycling kit for a trip has the full table by trip length. The short version is two pairs of bibs for a weekend or a 3 to 4 day trip, and three pairs washed in rotation for a week of riding.
The rule from home still applies on the road: a chamois never goes on twice without a wash. Wash it in cold water straight after the ride, press it in a towel and hang it where the air moves.
When is a 2-piece kit the simple way to add a set?
When you need a jersey and a pair of padded bottoms at the same time. A 2-piece kit adds both in one order, with a design that matches top to bottom, which is a quick way to go from two sets to three. Our cycling kits collection has them for men and women.
The Men's Tie Dye 2 Piece Cycling Kit and the Women's Tie Dye 2 Piece Cycling Kit are the loud option. On the men's kit, the padded bottoms have a 9D silicone gel chamois and 45mm Pro-Band leg grippers. For something quieter, the Men's OCG Plain Color Block Short Sleeve 2 Piece Cycling Kit comes in eight colors, so the bottoms also pair with your other jerseys.
Every piece is made to order. Our sizes run small, so take your chest, waist and hip measurements and check the size chart before you choose, and size up if you are between sizes. A full rotation in one order can also reach free shipping on orders over $125.
Bibs, shorts and kits for your rotation
Men's Plain Color Pro-Band Gel Padded Cycling Bib
$63.99$74.99
Men's Tie Dye 2 Piece Cycling Kit
$99.99$119.99
Frequently asked questions
How many bib shorts do I need?
One pair per ride before wash day, plus one drying. For two or three rides a week, two pairs usually work. If you ride most days, three pairs give each one a full day to dry.
Can I wear the same bib shorts two days in a row?
Only if they have been washed and are fully dry. Wash padded shorts and bibs after every ride, and never put on a damp pad.
How many cycling jerseys do I need?
One or two more than your bibs is a good rule of thumb. Jerseys dry faster, and plain bibs go with every design.
How many socks do I need for cycling?
One pair per ride, the same as your bibs. Socks are cheap to add to the rotation and they dry fast.
When should I buy a new pair instead of another one?
When the chamois stays flat when pressed, the leg grippers slide or the fabric turns see-through as you bend forward. Our guide to how long bib shorts last has the full list.
Sources
- Online Cycling Gear, beginner cycling kit and how to wash it
- Online Cycling Gear, how to pack cycling kit for a trip
- Online Cycling Gear, can cycling kit go in the dryer
- Men's Plain Color Pro-Band Gel Padded Cycling Bib, product page
- Men's Tie Dye 2 Piece Cycling Kit, product page
- Online Cycling Gear size charts
