Santini Gara 2.0 Bibshorts

Comfort is the key reason for investing in padded cycling shorts, and these Italian Santini Gara 2.0 bib shorts have kept me happy in the saddle for most medium distance events and rides.

Inside the shorts is Santini's GIT padded insert, and – odd name aside – it delivers a good level of comfort for shorts of this price. The pad – or chamois as it's often called in a nod to the leather they always used to be made of – uses two layers of foam with varying levels of density from 2 to 4mm, putting extra thickness only where it's really needed. Inside is a gel core, which provides a damping effect to any vibrations caused by riding over rough road surfaces.

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The surface of the padding that contacts your skin is made from a soft microfibre material, and Santini has used internal stitching so there's no potential for irritation or chafing.

The pad is contoured so it fits flush with the body and the slim design reduces bulk, so it doesn't feel like you're wearing a nappy. On the saddle, it works well for short to medium distance rides of two or three hours, but on much longer outings I found the comfort dropped off a bit compared with the more expensive Santini Photon bib shorts I tested recently. 

The bib shorts themselves are constructed from a Thunderbike Power fabric, which provides a compressive quality and is highly breathable, making them a good choice for riding in warm weather. The fit is very good – comfortable without being overly tight in any region – and the sizing came up well against rival shorts at this price.

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The wide, mesh bib straps are comfortable enough on the skin, but I always tend to wear a baselayer anyway, and there's a mesh back panel to keep you cool. Grippy silicone leg openings keep the shorts in place without any discomfort.

At £80 they're not cheap, and there are plenty of competitors at this level, but good fit and comfort are worth paying for, and these are definitely worth a look.

Verdict

Decent bib shorts with good fit and sizing, and a comfortable pad