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review

Chapeau! Tempo Bib Shorts

6
£79.99

VERDICT:

6
10
Classic retro-looking shorts but don't quite deliver for the money
Weight: 
166g
Contact: 

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Chapeau!'s cheapest bib shorts, the Tempos are a classic looking bit of kit with a simple design to suit their 'lazy rides and sunny adventures at the weekend' brief. Are they just a little too simple though to justify a price tag that matches some brands' mid-to-top-end kit?

Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts - riding.jpg

The thin, shiny regulation black Lycra material has a very old school look and feel to it reminding me of the shorts available from virtually every brand back at the turn of the century., in the days before every fabric became 'technical' and cycling kits weren't sold as outfits.

Their performance is reminiscent of those bygone days too.

That on its own isn't an issue. Not everyone wants an all-dancing, compressive, breathable pair of shorts for riding fast or bumbling around the lanes. But it does become an issue when you bring in the factor of price.

Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts - pad.jpg

The Tempo shorts cost £79.99, a price where we've the likes of dhb excelling with their Aeron shorts or the Kalf Flux Chevrons; technical shorts that are great for racing but are also perfectly comfortable enough to take on a full day's riding.

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The Tempos have quite a thick pad which is okay if you are sitting a bit more upright and taking things steady but if you tuck into the drops and pick the pace up a little all the excess foam just bunches and creates hot spots which ain't pleasant.

There is quite a deep channel between the two main left and right pad sections so I didn't have any issues with numbness but there is too much material there.

Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts - gripper.jpg

The legs are held in place by an elastane gripper which does the job in stopping them riding up but the seam that joins everything together is then covered by another piece of fabric. If you have large thighs then this can tend to dig in and become irritating on a long ride.

Performance aside though the Chapeau's do offer a good fit thanks to plenty of panels making up the finished article. The fabric sits close to the body from the legs up to the bibs without ever feeling restrictive on or off the bike. Sizing is spot on to their website chart too and they range in waist size from 30in (S) through to 38in (XXL).

Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts - strap detail.jpg

The mesh bibs give plenty of coverage and offer a good level of stretch which holds them in place and makes them easy to get on and off.

Chapeau have a neat touch of putting all of the labels on the outside of thegarment to avoid irritation The main tag with washing instructions etc is on the bib strap. You also get some Chapeau logos stitched to the outside of the shorts too plus a few token reflective strips.

Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts - straps detail.jpg

The overall finish and build quality is pretty good. All the stitching feels tight even when you really pull the panels apart though a few rough edges and stray thread ends slightly cheapen the feel.

All this brings me back to that price and overall value. At eighty quid the Tempo shorts are just too expensive for what you're getting in terms of performance and overall quality. At forty or fifty pounds I'd say yes, they are good enough but against similarly-priced opposition they are a little lacking.

Verdict

Classic retro-looking shorts but don't quite deliver for the money

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Chapeau! Tempo Bibshorts

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

"The all-purpose Tempo Bibshorts are comfortable, stylish and cut for the perfect snug fit. Designed for commuting, lazy rides with your friends or sunny adventures at the weekend and the ideal partner to our Tempo jersey range."

The Tempo bibshorts are decent enough for most types of riding but just lack a little all round performance for the money.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Much like our higher end bibs, the Classic features a multipanel design and a full mesh back, provides stability and essential ventilation. The wide elasticated cuff with subtle silicone printing gives you all the grip you need without cutting off circulation.

The Fiandre pad uses a perforated, dual density foam to keep you fresh and give you support in the most important of places. Just like the other pads in our range, the Fiandre features a unique channel which guides and supports your pelvis through a full pedal stroke.

Even on this entry level bib-short we've taken care of the finest of details, using zig-zag stitching for the ulitmate flexibility. External labels and a reflective Chapeau! label add up bib short that you'll appreciate on every ride.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Reasonably well put together but quite a few stray ends of thread which cheapens the look.

Rate the product for performance:
 
6/10

These are quite a basic pair of shorts for the money.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

A bit of bobbling from saddle contact but the stitching feels firm

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

A close fit throughout without being tight

Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

Low weight due to the thin material

Rate the product for comfort:
 
7/10

The shorts themselves are comfortable enough although the pad is little on the thick side and can bunch up when you're in a dropped position.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Strong opposition from the likes of dhb, Lusso and many others

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

No issues with washing at all, 40 degree spin cycle and hang to dry.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Decent enough shorts for short and steady rides.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Smart design details like the external labels and classic looks.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pad a little on the thick side

Did you enjoy using the product? They were okay

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Depends on their riding style

Use this box to explain your score

The Tempo bibshorts are decent enough all rounders but just don't deliver the comfort, finish or performance for the cost against their rivals.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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