Santini Women’s Legend Bib Short C3W Pad

Santini's Women's Legend bib shorts have a great pad and are ideal for long days in the saddle, with light compression and some excellent grippers making for a secure fit around the legs. The bib setup and high back might not suit everyone though.

The shorts are made from a traditional style Lycra which gives a comfortable fit, and they move freely with the body while cycling.

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I began testing these in quite moderate temperatures – mid to high teens – and they were perfect teamed with leg warmers; I didn't sense any wind chill, nor did I experience excessive sweating.

On warmer days, though, they can feel a bit hot. Into the low 20s on a sunny day, I would prefer a mesh panel or simply a lower cut at the rear. When the sun's beating down you might not appreciate the coverage that the back panel gives.

The chamois is nothing short of excellent. There is significant padding where required – your sit bones and genital area – and these pads are in sections, separated by channels, so that the chamois as a whole conforms to your body shape.

The padding tapers to the edge of the chamois, too. It's up to long hours in the saddle but won't make you feel like you're wearing a nappy.

Despite its substance, I never felt like I was overheating in it. The dimples in the padding make a difference here, I think. I've enjoyed rides of over four hours on the road and tame, gravel outings in the Legend shorts and never once felt uncomfortable or experienced rubbing or hot spots.

Fit and sizing

Selecting a size from Santini's chart wasn't clear cut for me. Its shorts are based on three measurements: waist, hips and inseam, though I'd say the latter is personal preference. I come in at 'small' waist-wise, 'medium' hip-wise, and would personally want a 'large' inseam – I don't like short shorts.

I opted for a medium, which gave me the length and compression I would expect in the leg, but it was a looser fit than I'd prefer around the hips and waist.

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The back panel sits higher than many shorts, and for me there was too much material sitting loosely around the lower back, which didn't help to hold the shorts snug around the hips. I'd say this is primarily down to my body shape; my 'small' waist should have dictated the sizing over my 'medium' hips for a snug, skin-tight fit. This was particularly evident when down on the drops, with a gathering of material and a noticeable lack of compression at the groin. If I were to buy, I'd definitely be sizing down.

The leg grippers are top notch. A deep band lined with honeycomb-shaped silicone holds the shorts firmly in place against both leg warmers and bare skin.

As you can see in the pics, the bib is an 'over-the-head-frontal-clasp' setup, not dissimilar to Liv's Race Day shorts that I reviewed last year. While I'm not a huge fan of this design over a conventional bib, I know that it can really suit women who have bigger boobs; a single, central strap is much more comfortable.

You can get them off for a quick pee stop without taking your jersey off (do take care not to strangle yourself by catching the bib on your helmet), but getting them done back up again post-pee really requires you to take your jersey off... So, in short, nothing gained in terms of practicality.

While the hook-and-eye style clasp is very small, it's actually really easy to use; the parts engage with no faff or fiddle, though there are just two 'settings'.

The shorts are really well made: neat seams with no obvious weak spots, and no irritating internal seams either. Even the chamois edge is tapered/closed down, so there should be no fraying or curling up here long term. I've washed and worn these excessively during the test period and there is no sign of deterioration.

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Looking at value, there are decent bib shorts for less than £100 out there, such as Liv's Race Days I mentioned above, Van Rysel's RR 900s and Cycology's Women's Logo Bib Shorts, though they all have some sort of 'drawback'.

I'd say a more like-for-like comparison is Lusso's RS19 at £100. Santini's are only £10 more, and I don't think they are overpriced for the quality that you get.

> Buyer’s Guide: 32 of the best bib shorts

Overall, I can't fault the Legend Shorts' outstanding chamois and fabric durability. Just be sure to study the size chart carefully and size down if in doubt. And be aware of the high rear panel and frontal bib-clasp, as this won't be everyone's preference.

Verdict

Outstanding chamois in a quality pair of shorts, if you like the high back and halter bib