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review

Tri-Fit Sykl Pro Skin Bib Shorts Women’s

8
£149.00

VERDICT:

8
10
High-quality bibs with a very comfortable chamois and slick finish throughout
Flush raw cut legs
Comfy chamois
Soft fabrics
No 'easy-pee' comfort break design
Sizes don't cater for larger riders
Weight: 
173g

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The Tri-Fit Sykl Pro Skin Bib Shorts Women's are excellent, using a high-stretch, lightweight fabric that's incredibly comfy. The straps balance support and comfort very well, and the chamois is one that'll cover your needs for endurance rides in my experience.

The shorts are made from the Italian Carvico Revolutional Energy fabric. This soft, stretchy fabric moulds wonderfully, supplying a slightly compressive fit that's designed to help reduce the production of lactic acid, the idea being that this enhances your cycling performance.

> Buy now: Tri-Fit Sykl Pro Skin Bib Shorts Women’s for £149 from Tri-Fit

It's worth noting that the sizing range seems to be better suited to smaller riders. Depending on brands, I'm usually a small or medium. Looking at Tri-Fit's size chart, I come up as a medium for my weight but slip into a large for my hip measurement. I opted for the large and found that this provided a skin-tight fit throughout, though I could probably have done with going up another because of a little bit of tightness that's still there around my hips and some slight bulging at the leg ends. That would put me as an XL, which is the largest size offered and not a position I'm usually in with other brands.

2022 Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens - cuff logo.jpg

The upper has been very well executed, even if it doesn't incorporate a comfort break 'easy pee' system which a lot of brands have been including in their female offerings.

The straps are very comfortable as well as suitably supportive. At the front, they're wide, with raw cut edges and lie flat neatly for a flush finish. They join together at the rear with a central back panel that's been perforated for breathability.

2022 Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens - straps back.jpg

Elastic Interface supplies the wonderfully soft to the touch Paris HP chamois which promises support over seven-hour rides across variable terrain. Gradual areas of transition are designed to improve saddle stability, and I found it works exceptionally well in all circumstances. There's very good support when leaning into a more aggressive riding position and tucked down in the drops for intense efforts. Even after five solid hours in the saddle I had no issues with soreness or rubbing. Tiny perforations also help with reducing moisture and keep things fresh.

2022 Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens - chamois.jpg

The raw cut legs provide a lovely flush finish with a good amount of support – it's a very comfortable finish, although as I said it was a touch on the tight side for me, and this resulted in some slight bulging – not the restrictive kind, just not the most flattering look. Very thin silicone stripes are positioned on the inside of the leg ends to help keep these in place, and they do so effectively.

2022 Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens - gripper.jpg

From afar, the design of the shorts looks slick and stylish. That said, Tri-Fit has decided to print the words 'strength', 'endurance' and 'performance' down the left thigh which won't be to everyone's taste, though the size and positioning of this text isn't super in-your-face.

2022 Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens - leg side.jpg

Value

Priced at £149, the Pro Skins are a little cheaper than some other bib shorts that provide a premium performance, such as Castelli's Premio Black Women's Bib Shorts, which I tested last year and now cost £230, but CHPT3's Most Days Grand Tour Women's Bib Shorts also have a very comfortable chamois, and for a slightly cheaper price of £119. The upper isn't quite as comfy as Tri-Fit's, though, and you might also find the leg length isn't so appealing.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s shorts here

None of these three offerings feature a comfort break 'easy pee' design, but 7mesh's WK3 does, and with its price tag of £160 it only costs a touch more than the Tri-Fit Pro Skins. Janine thought these were excellent when she reviewed them last year.

Conclusion

Overall, the Tri-Fits are high-quality performance bib shorts with a slick raw cut finish, comfy and supportive straps, and a chamois that'll cover you for endurance rides.

Verdict

High-quality bibs with a very comfortable chamois and slick finish throughout

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Tri-Fit SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts Womens

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

Tri-Fit says: "Designed and developed to be as close to a second skin as possible, the TRI-FIT SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts have been described by everyone who's tested them as the most comfortable high performance bib shorts they have ever worn. And we agree.

"Made of premium Italian Carvico REVOLUTIONAL® ENERGY fabric the TRI-FIT SYKL PRO SKIN Bib Shorts feature a muscle support and compressive design which helps to reduce the production of lactic acid and the subsequent muscular strain thus enhancing your cycling performance.

"Inside is the latest Elastic Interface Paris HP chamois featuring multidirectional curvature with a eco-friendly smooth surface, 100% recycled 'ECO Carbonium Flash' ultra-high density inserts and multi surface perforations to allow for higher air permeability.

"Silicone injected grippers at leg hem along with precision laser-cut leg openings provide a seamless, cuff-less premium and performance feel whilst minimising chaff and movement of the bibs during use."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Tri-Fit lists:

Italian 195gsm pre-dyed Carvico REVOLUTIONAL® ENERGY fabric

Miti Capraia breathable back fabric

Italian warp knitting elastic braces

Muscle support and compressive design

Laser-cut leg opening

Silicone inserted leg gripper

Elastic Interface Paris HP Chamois

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
5/10

Sizes up a little small, plus the sizes available are more suited to smaller riders.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Very comfy upper, supersoft fabric on the thighs, and a very supportive chamois.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

All good when machine washed at 30 degrees.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very comfy bibs for long rides.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Soft fabric and comfy chamois.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

No 'easy-pee' comfort break design.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The Pro Skins are well priced – cheaper than Castelli's Premio Blacks, for example – but there are cheaper options such as CHPT3's Most Days for £119, and you can find ones with an 'easy pee' design for not much more at all, such as 7mesh's WK3.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Overall, these slick-looking bibs are wonderfully soft and comfy, and so make an excellent choice for long rides. They don't have a comfort break 'easy pee' design though, so not the most convenient option on long days, and there are cheaper options such as CHPT3's Most Days that match the performance of these bibs. The sizing also heavily leans towards smaller riders so a lot of riders may find there isn't a size that'll fit them; for those they do fit, though, they're very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Road bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel riding, indoor turbo and rollers, track

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2 comments

Avatar
Sriracha | 1 year ago
0 likes

I don't think that mannequin cycles often enough.

Avatar
SaveTheWail replied to Sriracha | 1 year ago
1 like

Would you, dressed like that?

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