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review
Shorts & 3/4s
B'Twin 700 Cycling Shorts B'Twin 700 Cycling Shorts B'Twin 700 Cycling Shorts
BTwin 700 Cycling Shorts

B'Twin 700 Cycling Shorts

7
by Stu Kerton
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jan 19, 2015

3
£29.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Well made, comfortable non-bib shorts for those who like a lot of padding
Weight: 
174g
Contact: 
www.decathlon.co.uk
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The bibshort version of the B'Twin 700 shorts performed well when we reviewed them a few months ago and removing the straps hasn't changed that. These non-bib versions fit well and have a great pad for long days in the saddle.

The cycling market tends to be steered towards bibs but there are still a lot of riders out there who prefer standard shorts whether that be for comfort or convenience. I for one changed to bibs a few months after starting road cycling due to not liking the feeling of a waistband when i was bent over on the bike and if I'm honest I was expecting the same here with the B'Twin's.

The 700 shorts don't apply much pressure here though as the band is tall and flat, spreading the load around the waist. The close fit and multi-panelled shape of the shorts keeps them in place so the waist band doesn't really have a whole lot to do.

Leg length is quite short finishing just below mid-thigh so your shaving routine might need to increase by an extra inch or two but the shorter length does lend itself well to wearing the 700's as undershorts. In fact this is where I have employed the B'Twin's the most, wearing them under a pair of unpadded bibtights. No more doubling up of bib straps and the thin flat nature of the waistband and leg grippers mean no unsightly bumps and ridges.

Pad wise B'Twin have gone for the common theme of varying depths of padding for the different parts of anatomy. it's the same pad found in the Aerofit 900 bibs http://tinyurl.com/mthkgku tested previously. I wasn't a fan of it then for rides over a couple of hours and I'm still not because of its thickness, 15mm at the buttocks and 9mm up front in the groin area. I find bunching is an issue when riding low on the hoods or spending time in the drops which in turn causes numbness.

On the whole though for £29.99 the 700 shorts are some really well fitting and well built shorts let down ever so slightly by that pad. For rides up to two hours though they are fine especially if you prefer plenty of padding. The material is hardwearing and tight enough to offer a small compression benefit and thanks to the large number of panels they move with your legs comfortably throughout the pedalling motion.

Verdict

Well made, comfortable non-bib shorts for those who like a lot of padding

road.cc test report

Make and model: BTwin 700 Cycling Shorts

Size tested: Medium, Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

B'Twin describe the 700 shorts as being designed for intensive cycling which they are, with everything being relative. The cut is good and they are very well built, if the pad suits you they are comfortable too.

B'Twin says:

USER COMFORT Pad with gel inserts and 3 density levels for superior comfort.

SUPPORT Ergonomic cut, flat seams, elasticated waistband.

MOISTURE TRANSFER Exceptional perspiration transfer.

LIMITS BACTERIA Pad has anti-bacterial treatment.

REDUCED CHAFING Seamless construction limits chafing.

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

* S to 2XL

* Black or white versions

* Antibacterial pad

* 80% polyamide / 20% elastane mix

* 2yr warranty

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Everything is neat and tidy and they look well stitched together.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

The shorts shape and fit is very good indeed plus I liked the compression feeling of the material. The pad I found a little too thick for longer rides though.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Polyamide is hardwearing plus you get a two-year warranty

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

For short, hard rides of an hour or so they perform brilliantly but over time the squidgy pad starts to bunch and cause numbness. I reached this point at about the two-hour mark

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

If the pad suits they are good value for money.

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

As I mentioned above they worked well for short, hard rides mostly due to more of your weight being on the pedals than the saddle.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The thin waist band that doesn't dig into your stomach.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The pad.

Did you enjoy using the product? Bit of a mixed bag.

Would you consider buying the product? No.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, I'd mention the pad though.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

I can't emphasise enough how good the cut and feel of the actual shorts is, it was just the pad that I personally didn't get on with. If you prefer a thicker pad or only ride for 60-90 minutes though the 700's are a very good short.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Kinesis T2  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 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,

 

Decathlon
B'Twin 700 Cycling Shorts
B'Twin
Stu Kerton

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
eezytiger | 8 years ago
0 likes

I bought a pair of these recently, along with the bib version, after running into problems with a cheap pair of Aldi shorts. In all I rode 340 miles last week in them, including two rides of over 100 miles each and 8+ hours each in the saddle. I'm 178cm and 80kg. No problems with bunching for me. Perhaps saddle (and bike) fit matters just as much as the shorts themselves.

Avatar
bike_food | 9 years ago
0 likes

And after a couple of short reviews where you show a picture of the pad you've reverted to not showing it again, grr road.cc, consistency.

Avatar
btwin | 9 years ago
0 likes

You'll be pleased to hear that a new pad is being introduced in the new version our this spring. More supple and not quite as thick. It will be used by the fdj.fr pro team this year.

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