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review
2022 Madison Sportive women's bib shorts.jpg£49.99
VERDICT:
Comfortable, effective and easy to use for comfort breaks, these are excellent value for money and do a great job
Price
Well-shaped supportive gel pad
Flattering matt stretchy fabric
Practical easy-pee solution
Low-key but effective leg grippers
Full bib section can be warm
Weight:
246g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Madison Sportive Women's Bib Shorts are budget friendly, with many of the features of more premium shorts. The pad is excellent for long rides, the cross-over strap design makes for easy toilet breaks, and overall they are very comfortable, though the bib section can be quite warm.
As the name suggests, the shorts are aimed at long rides, and having a bib design that makes pee stops easier really helps when you're out on the road for hours – the crossover design at the back allows you to pull down the shorts section without having to remove your jersey or take down the bib section.
The first thing I noticed about these shorts was the sizing. Following Madison's sizing chart and guidelines, I tried a UK16 (I'm usually a high street 14-16) but it was much more generous than expected and I had to change it for a UK14 instead, which was still far from snug.
The shorts section fitted well, the mid-weight Lycra fabric being firm enough to keep the quite generous pad securely in place, and leg length is fairly standard, with a 24cm inseam. The mesh bib section, though, was decidedly generous and, thanks to its soft and stretchy nature, felt quite loose across my relatively modest bust and the straps were on the baggy side, though I had no issues with chafing or any movement of the straps when riding.
This looser fit did make it easy to pull down the shorts for pee stops, with no concerns about fabric tension or longevity of the seams (though the shorts do come with Madison's Limited Lifetime Warranty anyway).
> 5 ways proper kit can boost your riding
On the bike, the shorts felt pleasantly supportive around the legs, with the low-key silicone grippers doing a good job of keeping the double cuff of Lycra fabric in place.
The Madison 4G-Race GelCel pad, with antibacterial finish, is on the firm side and, as I've said, quite generous, but it contoured well to the body and compressed just the right amount to give excellent comfort without a feeling of bulk. It remained comfortable on energetic rides of around four hours, with no chafing issues and no bruising of the sit bones, and I'd have no hesitation about using these shorts on longer rides.
The bib section giving full coverage at the front does mean it can get a bit warm compared with a straps-only style, which isn't perfect for hot weather use.
There are subtle reflective accents.
The fit might not suit all body shapes perfectly, but it'll likely accommodate a wide variety well enough for comfort, particularly if you take into account the generous sizing. The size range officially ends with UK18 being the largest, but given my experience, I'd say that's probably more like a UK20.
Value and conclusion
The shorts are certainly very good value for money, considering the levels of comfort and performance they deliver; very few are available for less than their £49.99 rrp, particularly with comfort-break tech.
Van Rysel's Women's Quick-Zip Cycling Bib Shorts are the same price and do have a pee-stop solution, but Emma wasn't impressed with its zipped design, or the fit of the shorts in general.
> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling shorts here
Some shorts that cost more, though still at the lower end of the market, such as dhb's Moda Women's Classic Bib Shorts at £60, don't feature an easy-pee design, while others that do can cost even more – Lusso's Comfort Break Bib Shorts, for example, are twice as much (£100), while the Iris Signature Bib Short IIIs are now £135.
Premium options, such as the Assos Women's UMA GTV Bib Shorts C2 and the Café du Cycliste Mathilde Women's Audax Bib Shorts, are £200-plus.
At £49.99, it's hard to argue with the comfort and convenience the Madisons offer.
Verdict
Comfortable, effective and easy to use for comfort breaks, these are excellent value for money and do a great job
road.cc test report
Make and model: Madison Sportive women's bib shorts
Size tested: 14
Tell us what the product is for
Madison says: "Featuring our cross over strap system to allow for easy comfort breaks, the Sportive bib short is ideal for training and sportive events
"The cross over strap system allows for quick and convenient comfort breaks without the need to get undressed, removing the tedious problem on most women's bib shorts"
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Madison lists these features:
Constructed from the finest Lycra's and pre-curved into the riding position, this bib short gives great fit and all day comfort in the saddle
Custom Madison 4G-RACE GelCel chamois pad with anti-bacterial fabric help keep you comfortable even on the long hauls
Silicone grippers on the leg binding avoids irritation and keep the shorts in place even on the longest of rides
Subtle reflective rear details add an element of stealth safety when riding in low light conditions
Soft mesh panels on the waist, hips, chest panel and over the shoulders give extra comfort and prevent overheating
Limited lifetime warranty
And:
Main fabric 75% polyamide/25% elastane
Mesh fabric 82% polyester/18% elastane
Custom Madison 4G-RACE GelCel chamois pad with anti-bacterial fabric
Soft stretch mesh panels and straps
Pull-down drop seat for comfort breaks
Silicone leg grippers
Reflective accents
Available in sizes UK8-18
Machine washable at 30
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Good quality fabrics and components, seams and stitching very evident.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Very comfortable and performed very well.
Rate the product for durability:
6/10
The Lycra shorts section seems resilient and the soft white mesh bib section isn't especially fragile, but it does very quickly discolour from sun cream and the like.
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
The fit of the shorts section was smooth and supportive, while the upper mesh bib section was a bit on the baggy side for my modest bust and shorter than average torso length, but didn't;t cause any comfort issues.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
If you're borderline on the sizing chart, definitely consider going down a size and it's also worth bearing in mind that the bib section is on the roomy side.
Rate the product for weight:
6/10
Not a heavyweight but nor are these superlight.
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Very comfortable both in terms of pad performance and also the general fit and fabrics.
Rate the product for value:
9/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed well, apart from staining pretty of the white bib section.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
They performed very well, especially when you consider the price.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Comfort of both pad and overall fit, the straightforward and effective pee-stop solution, and the quality for the money.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
I found the full-coverage bib to be warmer than I'd have liked, although it does allow for unzipping a jersey; I also found it a little loose and shapeless, but it might well suit others better.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The shorts are certainly very good value for money, considering the levels of comfort and performance they deliver; very few are available for less than their £49.99 rrp, particularly with comfort-break tech.
Van Rysel's Women's Quick-Zip Cycling Bib Shorts are the same price and do have a pee-stop solution, but Emma wasn't impressed with its zipped design, or the fit of the shorts in general.
Some shorts that cost more, though still at the lower end of the market, such as dhb's Moda Women's Classic Bib Shorts at £60, don't feature an easy-pee design, while others that do can cost even more – Lusso's Comfort Break Bib Shorts, for example, are twice as much (£100), while the Iris Signature Bib Short IIIs are now £135.
Premium options, such as the Assos Women's UMA GTV Bib Shorts C2 and the Café du Cycliste Mathilde Women's Audax Bib Shorts, are £200-plus.
Did you enjoy using the product? Very much.
Would you consider buying the product? Definitely
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, particularly one on a budget.
Use this box to explain your overall score
These bib shorts are very good: comfortable and effective, with an easy-to-use comfort break solution, and costing less than most entry-level waist shorts, let alone bibs. They're not perfect, but they're a great option for those on a budget looking for high-performing bib shorts.
About the tester
Age: 48
I usually ride: Liv Invite My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling.
Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other.
She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting.
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