Chapeau Club Bibshorts

The Chapeau Club Bibshorts are very well made and comfortable, with a pad that I got along with very well and luxurious-feeling fabric. I found they could get a little hot, so I'd say they're better for milder days than the full-on heat of summer; they're also a bit on the pricey side.

• Pros: Excellent chamois pad, quality feel
• Cons: Slightly short at the leg, material is a little thick for summer

How good cycling shorts are tends to pivot around the chamois/pad. Although pad comfort is subjective, the chamois on these is well constructed and designed, with varying degrees of density as appropriate, to provide you with support in the right places but prevent chafing or that 'nappy' feeling that can occur if the pad is overly thick.

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When Stu reviewed the previous incarnation of these bibs a couple of years ago, he noted that there was no channel down the centre of the pad. This has now been incorporated, and when I wore the shorts on a few long rides of over four hours I felt comfortable throughout, with no chafing or numbness.

The stitching around the edge of the pad, attaching it to the Lycra of the shorts, is very neatly done and doesn't cause any irritation either. These are definitely up there with the most comfortable shorts I've worn.

The material of the legs and the shorts section feels really good quality and is very comfortable against the skin, and Chapeau's use of zig-zag rather than flatlock stitching works well in terms of providing flexibility and suppleness.

The straps front and back are a lighter mesh, and this works reasonably well for cooling purposes. The straps are nice and wide and comfortable around the shoulders with no element of digging in.

My only negative comment really is that the material around the leg is a little thick and heavy, and left me feeling quite hot. Although the moisture-wicking materials worked well to prevent excessive sweating, I definitely felt over-warm at times.

The gripper around the legs works well, keeping the shorts where they should be, although the legs are a little shorter than I'd like. I was testing a small, and tend to wear either medium or small bibs, so the length issue may have been partly down to the size, although the remainder of the shorts fitted well – the shoulder straps, pad area, and general volume.

Looks are as subjective as pad comfort, but to my mind the charcoal grey of the logos and around the leg grippers gives the shorts a classy but quite neutral appearance. This means they're easily paired with any colour jersey and socks.

Since Stu reviewed the previous pair they've gone up by £20, and at £119.99 are pretty pricey. However, they are very comfortable and feel very nicely made, and given how central shorts are to your comfort and performance on the bike, I'd argue that it's a price well worth paying. That said, you can certainly spend less and still get decent quality: Northwave's Extreme 3 bib shorts received high praise and cost £89.99, while Castelli's Velocissimo IVs are £100, and for a pound less you can get Lusso's made-in-Manchester Active Aero shorts. Sportful's Bodyfit Pros also reviewed very positively, at a fiver less than these Clubs. That said, you can pay more like £200 if you've a mind to...

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All in, these are a great pair of shorts for mid-season riding, provided you're happy with the leg length – and the price tag.

Verdict

A great pair of shorts better suited to mid-season riding than full-on summer, if a bit pricey