Madison Roam Men’s Cargo Bib Shorts

The Madison Roam Men's Cargo Bib Shorts have a load of pockets for carrying stuff and, most notably, an excellent chamois that is perfect for big adventures. Everything is well designed, which makes them really stand out in this sub-£100 price bracket.

The Roam range is Madison's take on gravel and adventure clothing. That's not to say it can't be used on the road, but the fit is a little more relaxed for the upper body, you get lots of storage (seven pockets on these shorts in total), and also a slightly thicker pad.

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The pad is the heart and soul of any bib shorts, so we'll start there. Madison has specced an Italian-made TMF chamois and it's a good 'un. It's slightly thicker than I would normally ride on the road, but once you are out on the gravel tracks and trails, its plushness really highlights how good it is.

The padding is relatively firm, so you don't get any of that squishiness leading to hot spots and it doesn't remove feedback telling you what the bike is up to beneath you.

Many brands are moving away from multi-channelled designs for their pads, and it is no different here. There are differing densities of padding used, but no deep cutouts surrounding them. This hasn't led to any pressure points for me, the pad just feels really natural and doesn't restrict movement at all.

Most of my gravel rides are around the three hour mark, with some going longer, and I never felt that the shorts became any less comfortable as the miles racked up.

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The rest of the Roam's construction is comfortable too. With a multi-panel setup there are quite a few seams running around inside the shorts, which I thought could become an issue, but it wasn't at all. Madison has done well to route them away from any places where they might rub.

The material is soft to the touch and the legs are held in place by silicone hem grippers. They provide good levels of purchase without too much pressure.

The bib section is a mixture of mesh fabrics, with a thicker knit on the front panels and a finer one for the shoulders and back panel to aid airflow. The straps are of a decent width so as not to cause pressure points on the tops of the shoulders.

The standout feature of the Roam's design, though, is their ability to carry stuff.

On each thigh you'll find a mesh pocket. Before you put the shorts on these look a little baggy but once stretched around your thighs they are snug enough to hold pretty much anything securely.

Each will easily hold a smartphone, although I mostly used one for quick-to-grab food and nutrition, with the other carrying a few map printouts should I be heading out into the unknown.

The rear bib section houses another five pockets, with the central one being able to hold a small drinks bladder; Madison has even put a loop on each bib strap to guide the hose through.

The other pockets vary in size, and you can pack a multitude of tools and other things if you aren't using bike bags or a rucksack.

The quality is good throughout. There are a few stray threads here and there but nothing that I'd say is really out of the ordinary.

Priced at £79.99 the Roams come in at a much more attractive price point than some: Rapha's Core Cargo Bib Shorts are £115, and Lusso's similar Adventure Bibshorts are even more pricey at £125.

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If you'd be happy with just one pocket then Decathlon's Triban RC500 Cycling Shorts Pocket with their single thigh pocket are a snip at £39.99.

Conclusion

Madison has developed a very good pair of bib shorts here for long distance or gravel/adventure riding. They still deliver a performance fit and fabric that wouldn't be out of place on the road, but with a slightly thicker pad and the ability to carry some provisions.

Verdict

Very comfortable gravel/adventure shorts with the ability to carry plenty of stuff