Ekoi Morfo One Size bib shorts

The Morfo bib shorts are quirky and expensive, but actually very comfortable and truly one-size-fits-all. What's more, in a strange hypothetical situation whereby my 6ft 4in mate needed to borrow some shorts and it was down to me at 5ft 9in to lend him some – now I can!

That's right, Ekoi claim the Morfo shorts are a 'world first' because they are the only one-size-fits-all bib shorts you can buy. This might be another case of solving problems that don't really exist, and I was dubious that they really would fit riders just as well from both ends of the size range. But they were a great fit on me – I'm 5ft 9in – and similarly good for friends who are both shorter and over six foot. Each one of us found them thoroughly comfortable and well-fitting, with the leg bands sitting just above the knee and a nice, compressive fit against the thighs.

Buy Ekoi Morfo One Size bib shorts

Rather than sewing the chamois inside the shorts, Ekoi have integrated it straight into the body of the Morfos which gives an unusual appearance; it looks if they're inside out. This is actually nothing new, having appeared on X-Bionic's Trick and Effektor bib shorts for some time now. It isn't an essential feature but I certainly found it comfortable and far superior to a stitched-in chamois pad on cheap bib shorts. Plus, it differentiates them from other more conventional shorts to justify the price tag.

Ekoi have used a special polypropylene/elastane mix to make the shorts one-size-fits-all. The fabric is similar to the usual Nylon/Lycra blend but far stretchier and lighter. As a result, the shorts feel more like a woven, knitted garment but far more breathable.

They don't have the smooth feel of Nylon/Lycra shorts and at first I was wandering if things would get itchy, but any doubts subsided midway through a long ride. The seamless design means there aren't really any places to irritate the skin, which is another benefit of that integrated chamois pad. I did find that the bib straps were quite dense and felt cumbersome when I first put them on, but you only really notice them pulling when you're off the bike and standing up. Conversely they're very robust like the rest of the garment, and for no weight penalty compared to other medium-sized bib shorts. That's impressive considering these will fit anyone.

Read more: The best cycling bib shorts

Though the label says 'handwash only' I can report that the shorts survived a 30° cool wash with no adverse effects. Being as they're not tumble dryer-friendly this was also an opportunity to test out the claim of quick-drying properties. Ekoi says they dry 'remarkably quickly' but I have to say that's quite an exaggeration. Compared to conventional shorts they do take longer to dry and I found they held some water on my test rides as well. This isn't an absolute deal breaker for me and I'll accept it for the more comfortable feel.

The Morfos certainly aren't cheap, but the similarly tech-heavy Trick shorts from X-Bionic retail at close to £200, and high-end options from Rapha and Assos are more expensive. Comparatively they offer reasonable value for money considering the one-size-fits-all construction is unprecedented.

Overall I'm very impressed with the Morfo shorts. They're packed with tech and among Ekoi's sometimes wacky ideas (a jersey designed to prevent tan lines, for example) this is definitely their best one to date.

Verdict

Very comfortable and innovative bib shorts that are genuinely one-size-fits-all.