Alé Solid Traguardo Bibshort Women’s

Alé has used its expertise from creating top-level kit for the pros to design a good value pair of entry-level bib shorts which do all the basics and do them well. The Women's Traguardo bib shorts are a perfect pair for short to medium length rides in spring and summer.

• Pros: Fit, design
• Cons: Chamois isn't the best for long rides

The pad, as you might expect from a pair of shorts at the more wallet-friendly end of the market, is fairly basic: 90kg/cm2 density padding ensures the necessary areas are well cushioned for a good couple of hours' riding. The 'wings' shape around your body, ensuring a comfortable fit and meaning the shorts feel less bulky than some when walking around at a café stop. However, on longer rides (2+ hours) I became less comfortable and did experience some chafing.

I am usually a size 8/10 and wore a small in these shorts which, according to Alé, equates to a UK 10. They did fit me but were reasonably tight so you will probably find you need to size up at least once.

They do offer a nice, comfortable fit and the bib straps provide the required support. They are slightly shorter in the leg than most of the shorts I own which I rather liked, especially on hot days.

Around the hem is what Alé calls its 'leg stability system'. As far as I can tell, all this means is that they have a wide 50mm leg cuff with no silicone gripper, but which sits in place perfectly well and is not at all restrictive. I did find it very comfortable and rather liked the lack of sticky silicone dots.

The mesh bib section is again quite basic, with the straps sitting around the outside of the chest and doing their job just fine. I didn't particularly notice the straps while riding and experienced no discomfort from the seams. The front of the shorts sat a little below my belly button, and while I tend to prefer a high waisted style, I didn't find this uncomfortable either.

The shorts are a predominantly black design with the option of pink or white detailing around the cuff. As you can see from the pics, I tested the pink, which gives them a nice splash of colour while still allowing me to pair them with a variety of different jerseys without clashing. The design and colour scheme mean they can be worn with the entire range of Alé jerseys too.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling bib shorts

At £65, these offer great value for money – especially as they are currently discounted by several online retailers. As an entry-level pair, these are some of the best I've worn and for shorter to medium length rides I struggle to fault them. However, if you want to ride in comfort for longer, I would suggest taking a look at the 2XU Women's Sub Cycle Bib Shorts which, although a little more pricey, received a great review from Emma recently. Equally, keep an eye out for my review of the similarly priced dhb Blok Women's Bib Short coming shortly...

Verdict

A comfortable and wallet-friendly pair of shorts that are great for everyday riding