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review

Caratti Sport Bib Shorts

9
£40.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Traditional looking classic bib shorts that deliver way more than you'd expect for the price
Weight: 
168g
Contact: 

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We really liked the Caratti Sport bib shorts the last time we tested them, so it's great to see that Caratti hasn't gone for a redesign, more a few clever tweaks to refine them. It's a great result – and achieved without increasing that unbelievable £40 price tag.

  • Pros: Comfortable chamois, well made, excellent price
  • Cons: A little rough around the edges

It was back in 2015 when George tested the Caratti Sports and he was impressed by the chamois and the fit, especially for the price.

> Buy these online here

They are a classic pair of bibs, black in colour with a simple logo on the leg and a slightly shiny finish to the fabric that I remember from shorts I was wearing 10 or 15 years ago.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts_-_riding.jpg

As soon as you put them on they feel comfortable; they're close fitting without being restrictive and as they haven't been cut for aerodynamics or a form fit in the saddle they'll suit the majority of riding, especially if it's aimed more at the training, recreation end of the market.

For 2018 Caratti has added more panels, most noticeably at the front of the thigh, which has had more sections of fabric added. This has given a more refined cut.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts.jpg

The bib section is pretty much all mesh which is great for keeping you cooler on hot days, and while it isn't as soft as the Cooldry fabric used for the main section of the shorts, it never feels uncomfortable against the skin if you don't wear a baselayer.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts_-_straps_front.jpg

Again you get a snug fit but with plenty of movement. If you sit a little more upright you won't find the straps restrictive like you can with some more expensive race-orientated shorts.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts_-_straps_back.jpg

The legs are held in place with an elastic gripper which is covered in silicone dots for added grip. I found them comfortable enough and had no problems at all with them riding up my thighs. Both grippers are woven with the Caratti logo, which gives them a classy look.

The pad hasn't been changed from the original, and that's a good thing as it was well received. The foam isn't massively thick and I wouldn't necessarily say that all of the channels and lumps are making a huge difference to how well it works, but it is comfortable and I suffered from no hot spots or bunching of the material.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts_-_pad.jpg

As ride times increase I would prefer something a little thicker and more supportive, but up to around three to four hours the Sports are totally capable.

It's rare to see shorts for just £40 that perform so well in terms of comfort and refinement, and these will give those twice the price a run for their money. You can see a few compromises have been made, though. The stitching isn't the neatest I've seen in places and there are the odd stray threads poking out here and there.

caratti_sport_bib_shorts_-_back.jpg

Their performance easily outweighs that, though, and the fabrics certainly feel durable enough to stand a good couple of seasons of abuse.

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

In terms of price, the closest we've had in lately are the Altura Progel 3 shorts at £59.99, and the women's version of the dhb Blok bibs at £55, though the men's are £75 rrp.

Overall, the Carattis are hard to fault for the money – unless you're doing long day rides, these are well worth considering.

Verdict

Traditional looking classic bib shorts that deliver way more than you'd expect for the price

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Caratti Sport Bib Shorts

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Caratti says, "When a product proves itself over and over again, not many changes to the fundamental design are needed. We've taken what made our Caratti Sport Bib shorts so great and made these new shorts even better.

"The same ergonomic Chamois and high performance fabrics are used in this latest design due to their success, durability and customer feedback.

"These new shorts have a slightly adjusted cut to give them a more relaxed, traditional fit so they are more true to size and no need to size up."

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

From Caratti:

This short is made for everyday riding, whether it be road, mountain, leisure or commute.

High performace cooldry fabric used in these shorts allow for fast sweat wicking to promote quick drying.

The cut and four way stretch allows for a snug but forgiving fit. The fit and a high density of fibres in the fabric promotes circulation to help enhance performance.

The Chamois is ergonomically shapped with a high density and elasticated foam to give a quality feel to a lower priced short.

Branded elastic on the legs with silicone gripper give a quality feel and fit.

High vis tab on the rear of legs help be more visible on the move.

Fully meshed upper 'bib' to allow for maximum ventilation and sweat wicking.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sizing was absolutely spot and the fabric is quite generous so you don't need to size up if you are between sizes.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

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

A 30 degree wash brought everything up clean and tidy without any issues.

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

If you want a simple pair of bib shorts for pretty much any type of riding, these tick all of the boxes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Great fit and excellent performance.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Some of the stitching could be a little tidier but I really am nitpicking.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There are very few shorts on the market at this price and even fewer that can offer this level of performance. Lusso is probably the closest rival, and dhb.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Caratti Sports are a simple yet effective pair of shorts that do everything you need them to and more for the money.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 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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3 comments

Avatar
StuartH | 5 years ago
5 likes

@longassballs:

Well that's helpful. 

Avatar
longassballs | 5 years ago
0 likes

I would rather wear a nappy full of shit than these for another ride

Avatar
bogbrush replied to longassballs | 5 years ago
5 likes
longassballs wrote:

I would rather wear a nappy full of shit than these for another ride

To be fair, you can't ask them to cater for your length of balls

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