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review

Sugoi RS Bib Short

9
£99.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Very comfortable shorts with an excellent pad for hot days in the saddle
Weight: 
188g
Contact: 
www.cyclingsportsgroup.co.uk

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The Sugoi RS bib shorts put in an excellent performance, keeping you especially cool and comfortable in hot weather.

I've had a pair of these shorts for three or four years now and they still get regular use. They're probably the best Sugoi product I've used and these new ones are even better, largely thanks to an upgraded seat pad.

Rather than being made from a standard Lycra, these have quite an open weave. Don't worry, it's not see-through in the slightest, but it does let more air in than normal. The difference is significant – not massive but certainly noticeable; you do stay cool in these, which is why they're best for hot summer days.

The bibs are lightweight mesh and they're so breathable that you barely notice them in use, and there's plenty of stretch so you can answer those long-ride calls of nature without any faff.

The hems at the bottom of the legs are elasticated with silicone grippers inside. I've used these over countless miles and they've never once ridden up no matter how sweaty the ride.

The pad is Sugoi's own Formula FX and it's a real success. It's stretchy so it doesn't rub when you move, it provides deep padding especially underneath your sit bones, and it's well contoured so it's not too bulky in those areas where you don't need the volume.

Holes run through the pad for ventilation while various channels provide more air conditioning. Combined with an antimicrobial face fabric that shifts moisture away effectively, this means you're very unlikely to get uncomfortably sweaty in these.

There are no seams or edges on the pad to bother you, and there's not even an inseam underneath it – Sugoi have arranged the panels to avoid this. Speaking of seams, they're flat-lock stitched throughout so they don't cause any discomfort at all, even if you're out on the bike all day.

One other feature you might like is the little pocket that sits on the small of your back. We're guessing you won't use it for a race radio to keep in contact with your directeur sportif in the team car, but it'll take an iPod, an iPhone or something similar, and you get an elastic loop on the shoulder to hold the cable. You probably wouldn't want to put anything bulky in there because it sits at the same level as your jersey pockets.

I really haven't got much negative to say here. The pair that I've had for several years (I have a whole lot of cycling kit to review so these don't get worn day in, day out, but they have seen plenty of action) have gone a little bobbly in one section of the seat but all of the stitching is still intact and there's plenty of life left in them yet. What I'm saying is that durability is good.

Verdict

Very comfortable shorts with an excellent pad for hot days in the saddle.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sugoi RS Bib Short

Size tested: Large, Black/Gunmetal

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?

Sugoi say, "Sugoi's benchmark pro level bib short is loaded with innovation and award-winning performance.

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

Here's what Sugoi say about the Formula FX chamois:

1. Perforated forward ventilation

2. 4-way stretch side panels mold to body contours

3. Brushed synthetic knit with 2-way stretch with V-Control high density vibration dampening relief pads

4. Welded center channel with perforation for ventilation and pressure relief

5. V-notch for ventilation

6. Advance lamination process for smooth seam-free surface

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Very comfortable, especially in hot summer weather.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

I have been using a pair on and off for ages. They're still looking good and performing as well as ever.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Not cheap, but these have an excellent pad and the main fabric is very different from that of any other shorts I've used in terms of coolness and breathability.

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

Excellent performance.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Breathability and pad comfort. Leg grippers work really well.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

If you're looking for negatives, these aren't as warm as many other shorts on cool days - which is the flipside to all the coolness you get on warm days.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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