How to care for technical cycling bib shorts

May 28, 2026

Care guide SS 2026

Caring for yourcycling bib shorts

Well cared-for bib shorts last for several seasons. Treat them badly and they lose their properties in just a few washes. Here are the 4 rules you absolutely need to know.

The 4-step routine

Wash after every ride

Sweat left in the fibres and the chamois pad breeds bacteria that break down the material and cause irritation on your next ride. Never let worn bib shorts dry without washing them.

Every ride

30°C max, delicate cycle

Higher temperatures damage the fabric's elastic fibres and can harm the structure of the gel inserts in the chamois pad. A delicate cycle keeps mechanical friction to a minimum.

30°C – Delicate

No fabric softener

Fabric softener leaves a greasy film on the fibres that clogs the micropores designed to wick sweat away. The result: your bib shorts hold on to moisture, bacteria multiply faster and irritation is guaranteed.

Avoid

Air dry

A tumble dryer damages the elastic fibres and can ruin the chamois pad. Technical bib shorts dry quickly at room temperature. Hang them up or lay them flat.

No tumble dryer

Do's and don'ts

✓

30°C, delicate cycle, liquid detergent without bleaching agents. Wash inside out to protect the seams and the pad. Air dry.

Don't

Fabric softener, tumble dryer, temperatures above 30°C, high-speed spin, ironing, soaking.

Rotating two pairs of bib shorts lets each one dry completely between rides and extends the life of both.

Why fabric softener is enemy number one

Fabric softener is designed to soften textile fibres by coating them with a layer of greasy molecules. On everyday clothes, that feels nice. On a technical fabric, it's a disaster: those molecules clog the micropores that let sweat escape. After two or three washes with softener, your bib shorts no longer breathe. Your skin ends up in a warm, damp environment — perfect for bacteria and irritation.

The 4 rules

Bib shorts care
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