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review

Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Shorts

8
£91.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Stylish, comfortable and practical bibs for cold days out. Well worth the money
Weight: 
196g

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The Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Shorts do a great job of keeping you warm on chilly rides. The combination of fabrics, design and construction add up to a top quality bit of kit.

Being based in Glasgow since 2007 can't have hurt Conquest's ability to design and test a product optimised for cold weather – even though it's made in rather sunnier Italy. An understanding of cold-weather cycling practicalities shows in the design of the Thermal Endurance shorts – every feature does something to keep you warm or comfortable, and does it well.

> Buy these online here

Starting at the top, the bib straps are a light, breathable mesh with generous width at the shoulder and reaching down to the lower back. Conquest hasn't gone wild making a pair of furry fisherman's waders – you'll need to know how to insulate your upper body. Unlike some thermal shorts, the Roubaix fabric doesn't come above the hip bones. Initially I was concerned the kidney and stomach areas would be too cool, but this didn't turn out to be an issue with a jersey of the correct length.

Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Shorts - straps front.jpg

The front of the pad comes up just high enough to keep everything warm, yet low enough to allow meeting a call of nature without disrobing – a real bonus in cold, wet conditions (and in tiny Yorkshire Dales village conveniences).

The construction is a mix of flatlock and double/triple-stitched seams in the right places – Conquest has specifically avoided any seams around the front of the hip where the fabric is compressed with each pedal stroke. I certainly didn't feel any irritation during testing, wet or dry.

Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Shorts - riding.jpg

There are reflective trim tabs sewn into the rear of each thigh, and moderately-subtle branding on show. The legs end in 20mm-wide (not 30 as specced) gripper microfibre strips that do an excellent job of staying in place, on bare legs or legwarmers. The cut of the leg is reasonably long, to help keep those quads warm. When paired with Roubaix fabric legwarmers (Castelli Nanoflex are my go-to) the fabrics look almost identical. There's no external treatment on offer to encourage beading, but then these are marketed as warm, not water-resistant.

At 73kg, 6ft tall with 37in hips and 33in waist, I found the medium a perfect fit. The combination of the fabric, bibs, cut and the Cytec Endurance Anatomic 6 hour chamois made for the most comfortable bibs I've worn in a long time. You'll find Cytech pads in Rapha, Assos and many other makes, and although the Endurance 6 pad is mid-range, it's still very good.

> Check out our guide to the clothing to wear for cycling in spring

Out in late-winter/early-spring conditions ranging from zero to 10°C, and sunshine to pouring rain, I was happy to be in the Conquest bibs. The height of the thermal fabric was just right, the leg length and grip likewise. I couldn't feel the bib straps at all. On one ride where I foolishly eschewed mudguards and got plastered from underneath with cold water for an hour or so, the Roubaix fabric did an admirable job of keeping me warm.

All in all, for £91 (and at time of writing half that!), the Conquest Core Thermal Endurance bibs are great shorts for cold rides – stylish, comfortable and practical. They even have a loop on the outside of the neck for, I guess, hanging them up should a hanger not be available.

Verdict

Stylish, comfortable and practical bibs for cold days out. Well worth the money

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Short

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Conquest says:

The Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Short is constructed from a heavier weight fabric with enhanced thermal properties.

Keeping your muscles warm, without overheating, is a challenge in the ever changing weather conditions of Spring, Autumn and Winter seasons. The Conquest Core Thermal Endurance Bib Short is a versatile solution, as they can combine with either Knee or Leg Warmers to provide similar protection as 3/4 or full length tights but can also be worn on their own should the temperature increase during the ride. The heavier weight fabric ensures that you will always be insulated from the cold keeping you warm during those early morning starts and mid ride coffee stops.

Features increased leg length for added warmth and Cytech Endurance Anatomic 6 hour Chamois. Large Conquest white logos and reflective tabs for added visibility.

Core Thermal Endurance Bib Short features:

Cytech Endurance Anatomic 6 hour Chamois

Premium Italian 250gr Miti Superroubaix Brushed Thermal Fabric

Enhanced cycling specific fit

Longer leg length for added warmth

Fewer seams eliminate chaffing (No seams located at the front hip)

One piece high stretch bib mesh eliminates chaffing and increases freedom of movement

30mm wide microfiber leg band keeps the leg opening securely in position

UPF50+ UV sun protection with oil and moisture resistant fabric

Double and triple stitched seams eliminate chafing and maximize durability

Low cut front for easy nature breaks

Large Conquest logos and reflective tabs for added visibility

Made in Italy

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

Cytech Endurance Anatomic 6 hour Chamois

Premium Italian 250gr Miti Superroubaix Brushed Thermal Fabric

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Really nicely done.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Kept me very warm, though a bit damp in heavy rain.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Still looking fabulous after a few months' washing.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Fits me very well.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
10/10

Sizing for me was spot on.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

For what they do, they are pretty light.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Very comfy - in fit, pad and warmth.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

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

Washed perfectly on 30-40°, wool wash.

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

Very well indeed. My new go-to cold-weather shorts.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The low-cut front. Practicality in spades.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing, particularly.

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 score

If Conquest could put a water-repellent finish on them, it would be a 4.5-star deal.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 183cm  Weight: 72kg

I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

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2 comments

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Ed Cycle | 7 years ago
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A fantastic pair of shorts. Wore mine at the Tour of Yorkshire Sportive on Sunday coupled with a pair of Conquest leg warmers - perfect combination for the cold, windy conditions.

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bendertherobot | 7 years ago
0 likes

Wow, £45 at the moment (as stated). How can you go wrong? Loads of really good value looking kit on there.

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