Le Col Pro Bib Shorts

Le Col makes some really impressive clothing and the Pro bib shorts, constructed around an excellent seatpad, are another high-quality option.

• Pros: Comfortable and not too bulky seatpad, very good leg grippers, high build quality
• Cons: I would have preferred a more compressive fit

The key feature of any cycling shorts is the seatpad – if that's no good you can forget about everything else – so let's start there. Le Col uses a Dolomiti Pro Gel pad that's superbly comfortable without being ridiculously bulky. I mean, yes, it's reasonably thick but not so much that it gets in the way.

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You get the deepest, densest padding underneath your ischial sit bones with enough in the perineum area to keep you feeling comfy whether you're sitting up in the saddle or hunkered down over the drops. The padding is sectionalised, with deep channels between that aid both movement and airflow, and perforations help with breathability. All in all, it's a really good pad.

The shorts are made in Italy from an 80% polyamide, 20% elastane fabric, and most of the seams are double stitched which bodes well for durability. The multi-panel design results in very little bunching as you pedal. I'm between a medium and a large according to Le Col's size chart so I opted for the medium to be on the safe side, and I'd have actually preferred a slightly more compressive fit, if I'm being picky.

The legs are pretty long; I measured the inseam at 25cm. Once on and a little stretched out, that meant they covered my quads fully. (It's not me in the photos, but we're a similar size.)

The legs are held in place by wide grippers that bear the Le Col name. These have a honeycomb of silicone on the inside that sticks even to damp, sweaty skin. I certainly haven't had any issues with the legs riding up in use. The white writing has stayed white through repeated washing.

Le Col does the details very well. You also get a small reflective tab sewn into the side seam of each leg that's noticeable at night because it's constantly moving, and you get a subtle black-on-black embroidered logo on the back. It's not immediately visible but it'll impress whoever's riding behind you in a paceline.

The lower (Lycra) panels extend higher than those of many others shorts at the sides and rear – well up on to your torso – while the bib section is made from a lightweight, perforated mesh. I found the wide shoulder straps to be spot on, holding the shorts securely in place without being particularly noticeable in use.

You can pick up a pair of bib shorts for £50 – or cheaper if you get them at discount – but £100+ price tags aren't unusual these days. The Castelli Free Aero Race Bibshorts that we reviewed recently are £140, for instance, while Sportful's Total Comfort Bibshorts are £130.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling bib shorts

It's up to you how much you want to spend, of course, but I'd advise investing in good shorts like the Le Col Pros if you can because they can be the difference between enjoying a ride and enduring it. These are also built to last; it's unlikely that you'll need to replace them for ages whereas cheaper options are sometimes a false economy. (If your budget is limited, check out the guide below.)

> Buyer's Guide: 11 of the best cheap bib shorts

Overall, these are impressive shorts. As mentioned, I'd have preferred a slightly more supportive fit but the materials are high quality, the construction is good and so is the attention to detail.

Verdict

Very good shorts built around a really comfortable seatpad