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Shorts & 3/4s
Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s Galibier Equipe 3/4s
2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters

Galibier Equipe 3/4s

6
by Jez Ash
Tue, Jan 05, 2021 19:45
4
£73.00

VERDICT:

6
10
Well-made summer-weight 3/4s aiming at quite a narrow temperature range and with a question mark over the pad placement
‘Forget about them’ comfort even on longer rides
Decent pad and good general standards of construction
Less aerodynamic drag than some... allegedly
I'd like the pad further back
Lightweight fabric reduces the usable temperature window
I'd like some reflective details included
Weight: 
208g
Contact: 
galibier.cc
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The Galibier Equipe 3/4s are summer-weight longer bib shorts for keeping the chill off your knees, but their weather window is narrower than some warmer 3/4s, and for me the positioning of the pad isn't quite right. They are well priced but there is some stellar competition even at this price point.

It's hard to put my finger on why 3/4 bibs are such a good thing. They leave a few inches of leg exposed which would be covered if you wore full tights, hardly the part of you with the most nerve endings or sweat glands, and yet for a few months of the year either side of winter there are a lot of days where I find I'd be too warm in full bibs and those few inches are enough to make the difference.

> Buy these online here

The Galibier Equipe 3/4s are a slightly unusual pair, being made of summer-weight fabric rather than the warmer material more generally used in bib tights and 3/4s. They're not unique in that respect; I tested the Moa Gena a few years ago, and Stu recently reviewed the Pearl Izumi Attacks, both of which are summer-weight knicks, but most 3/4s are made of warmer fabric than these.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - back.jpg

So if regular fleecy 3/4s occupy the space between shorts and longs, then these occupy the rather smaller space between shorts and regular 3/4s. I used them on rides between about 6 and 15°C – a wider band than I would expect them to really work for. And yes, at the lower end I would have preferred a fleecy fabric like you see on the dhb Aeron Roubaix or Castelli Nanoflex 3/4s, but to be honest I fared better than I'd expected – keeping your knees covered makes a real difference.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - front detail.jpg

Let's talk about the aero advantage then. Galibier says that an aerodynamically optimised fabric (Carvico Aero) is used on the side panels, to reduce drag. My thesis: this will be an imperceptible advantage and irrelevant to almost everyone who buys these bibs (feel free to tell me I'm wrong in the comments below). Let's move on.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - side.jpg

The ProDry SL chamois is a relatively complex shape with three thicknesses, large dimples and a cutout area at the front. The placement of the pad wasn't right for me, though – I needed it further back, as my sit bones were definitely not on the thickest part of the pad. Galibier is an online-only brand, so you can't check whether the pad positioning works for you before purchase, so it's worth checking this before you take the tags off. Most bibs work well on my backside – I can think of only two previous occasions where this has been an issue for me.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - chamois.jpg

The pad positioning was a question mark, then, but that being the case, I was very pleasantly surprised by the comfort on offer. I found rides of five hours went by without me giving a thought to my bibs or my bum, which is exactly what you're looking for from a set of bibs.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - back detail.jpg

Construction quality generally is really good here – the fabrics feel sleek to the touch and the stitching is mostly flatlocked and all neat and tidy. The bib straps are made of a lightweight stretchy mesh which is very comfortable. Fit is good too – lightly compressive and such that the fabric sits snugly on the skin.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - straps front.jpg

At the lower extremity, a wide laser-cut strip of Lycra is used instead of a sticky gripper, with a monochrome greyscale design printed on it. I found it was comfortable and effective in keeping the legs held in place.

2021 Galibier Equipe three-quarters - cuff.jpg

Galibier always offers keen pricing and £73 is a good price for well-made 3/4s like these. Decent value, then, if not much less than some other strong alternatives. My benchmark for good value 3/4s has long been from dhb – the Aeron FLT Roubaix 3/4s are £80 in a warmer Roubaix-style fabric. And Stu really rates the Primal Dawn bib knickers at £75.

> 6 top tips to help keep you cycling through the winter

The Pearl Izumi Attacks I mentioned earlier are a similar lightweight option but at a higher price, £115.

Verdict

Well-made summer-weight 3/4s aiming at quite a narrow temperature range and with a question mark over the pad placement

road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Equipe 3/4s

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

Galibier says: 'Our Équipe 3/4s are based on our headline bib shorts for comfort and protection during longer, cooler rides. Construction begins with Carvico's Aero fabric on the ergonomic side panels designed specifically to reduce drag. This Lycra is also four way stretch to mirror the pedalling motion and eliminate the stress points at the hip and knee. The fabric stretches and retracts without creating any hotpoints or noticeable compression around the knee. Superlight Mesh at the front and centre back of the bib straps increases breathability and the wider and lighter neck panels eliminate pressure spots and create a uniform feel.

'Our ProDry SL is a high performance chamois, ideal for long hours in the saddle. When you ride all day the chamois function is to reduce friction, remove moisture and protect from vibration. This pad is constructed via a 6 stage process that focuses on breathability, and a superior fit because it adheres better to the body allowing freedom of movement. The highest density support is located in the ischium (sit bones) area and greatly reduces friction and vibration when the pad is under stress. The entire pad is anti-bacterially treated during final assembly and is super soft.

'The 44mm leg grippers are soft and secure silicone, sitting mid calf below the knee. They are 100% flat stitched to avoid irritation.

'Your bike time just got better and your knees warmer.'

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

Galibier lists:

FEATURES

High performance dual Carvico fabric offers excellent fast wicking muscle support (UPF 50+).

Fully flat-locked seams

Multi-panel, anatomic construction (with seamless inside leg) for strength and comfort.

Soft 5cm Silicone gripper hems

Dual Mesh bibs for secure and comfortable fit.

Antibacterial coated chamois

Medium compression for longer rides

Super light wide top mesh design

CONSTRUCTION

Main B

Nylon 71%

Elastane 29%

Main A

Nylon 78%

Elastane 22%

Trim : Polyester 82%, Elastane 18%

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

These are generally very nicely put together shorts, with all of the stitching and other details well finished. Almost all seams are flatlocked and the pad feels like a quality item. My only quibble is that I found the pad was too far to the front.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

I wore these for some longish rides and barely gave them a thought, which is exactly what you're looking for (and was quite surprising to me given the pad location didn't seem right on me).

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

No obvious weakpoints or issues experienced during testing.

Rate the product for fit:
 
6/10

This score would be quite a bit higher if the pad was fitted further to the rear. It's not something I've generally found to be an issue in the many bibs I've tested previously, but the thickest part of the pad was emphatically not between my sit bones and the saddle. You may find it works better for you.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

I'm an L bordering on an XL in Galibier's size guide, and the supplied L fitted well.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

Light for 3/4s, but is that a good thing?

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Despite the pad positioning, I found these very comfortable, although I'd prefer a warmer fabric for cooler days.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

These are very well priced, slightly undercutting what I'd consider the value-meets-quality benchmark from dhb.

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

No issues at all.

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

Pretty well – I found them comfortable and didn't give them a thought even on long rides. Given the choice at lower temperatures, I'd opt for a heavier fabric but here they fared better than I'd expected too.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good pad, well put together.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pad positioning wasn't optimised for me and I'd question whether there's a need for summer-weight 3/4s. No reflectives.

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

Towards the lower end, up against dhb 3/4s and the Primal Dawn bibs which Stu loved. Significantly less than the similar-weight Pearl Izumi Attack 3/4s we tested recently.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe

Use this box to explain your overall score

These are very nicely made, but for me the point of 3/4s is that they give more warmth than is on offer here thanks to the summer-weight fabric used. I found the pad placement was too far to the front, which was a bit disappointing too.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 188cm  Weight: 83kg

I usually ride: On-one Bish Bash Bosh  My best bike is: Rose X-Lite CRS

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Galibier Equipe 3/4s 2021
Galibier Equipe 3/4s
Galibier 2021
Galibier
Jez Ash

Jez spends his days making robots that drive cars but is happiest when on two wheels.  His roots are in mountain biking but he spends more time nowadays on the road, occasionally racing but more often just riding. 

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4 comments

Avatar
Joe Totale | 3 years ago
1 like

I find 3/4 shorts good for summer off road/gravel rides. The warm weather means that brambles and stinging nettles soon infest some bridleways and I find it good to have the knees covered to protect them.

Avatar
Sriracha | 3 years ago
3 likes

I don't understand marking these bibs down on a preconception that the pad placement was wrong, when by your own experience "rides of five hours went by without me giving a thought to my bibs or my bum, which is exactly what you're looking for from a set of bibs." If the pad was in fact in the wrong place, you'd know about it inside five hours.

Avatar
Yorky-M | 3 years ago
1 like

Disagree with Jez as I have two paris of these and they are spot on. Think Maap and Galibier have chamois placement sorted. The chamois is smaller and matched the contact points. I have used these on 5-day bikepacking with only sink/stream washing at night and they as fantastic. Have a look the next time you are on a club run at the amount of pad showing above the saddle from some brands. Our local club kit is made by Santini and the pad covers half the ass. If you can see the pad at the back, it isnt protecting.

Avatar
Freddy56 | 3 years ago
1 like

Bought these in Feb of this year for cool weather racing but only raced them once before the SouthEast league was cancelled. They are my singular favourite thing to put next to my skin. I used them on warmer days and opt for the Castelli Velocissimo when it creeps below 7 degrees. Super pad and fit and bought the shorts version recently but have only used them on the turbo. Would give them 9/10.

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