I much prefer to wear bibbed shorts while cycling than waist highs. Bibbed shorts have a higher cut around the stomach and back and straps that go over the shoulder. I find them much, much more comfortable than waist shorts while cycling.
But there is a problem with bibbed shorts.
While men can pull down the front of their bibbed shorts to go for a pee (well, I presume this is what they do!), women are usually forced to take off all the layers of clothing above and undress go to the toilet.
Some cycling brands are now coming up with a solution, in the shape of zipped access. I wrote about a pair of Gore Bike Wear cycling tights for winter on myoutdoors.co.uk and now I’ve been testing the Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Bibshorts.
These shorts include a zipper at the back, from the edge of one butt cheek to the other, that unzips to allow for a section of the shorts to flap down so that a trip to the bathroom is fairly straightforward. And while I worried that the zipper would be uncomfortable against my skin it really isn’t because of an inner flap to stop it rubbing.
Zipping back up is also easy thanks a tab at the end to make i
t easier to re-zip.
Except for the backside zip, the bib shorts look like any other.
I also like the shape and fit of these shorts. And the mesh shoulder straps are nicely designed so they sit to the sides of my chest instead of going over the top. (This is where male a female bibs shorts differ!)
The padding in the Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Bibshorts is not too overly-plump (I don’t like padding in shorts to feel like a nappy), yet they still offer good comfort levels.
The padding is designed to fit the female physique (as opposed to the very different guy’s physique) and I appreciate the shape when sitting on my road racer bike seat.
Apparently the padding also has anti-bacterial properties, which is never going to be a bad thing on a sweaty bike ride!
Other features include:
- Selectively flatlocked seams for comfort
- Broad silicone hem gripper to prevent unsightly over-compression on thigh
- Lycra bound armholes
- Reflective logos on the thighs
- SPF 50+
The bibshorts feel and wear like a very good quality pair of cycling shorts and with an RRP of £69.99 they are competitively priced. I would recommend giving these a try.
Evans sell Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Bibshorts for £66.49
Edinburgh Bike Co-op for £69.99