Bib shorts

The Bontrager RXL bib shorts are well cut and highly breathable, and they feature a very good seat pad to boot.

We've had a whole bunch of Bontrager clothes in on test recently and these shorts are among the best of them. These are actually Bontrager's second level shorts after the £129.99 RXXXLs, but they put in a high-end performance.

Priced at just £60 (and nearer £40 on some websites) the new Sugoi RPM bib shorts offer outstanding value for money with performance that wouldn't be out of place on shorts costing twice as much.

Craft usually make good stuff, but despite excellent build quality their Performance Bike Bib Shorts have some major flaws.

At £70 the Performance Bikes are in a competitive price bracket, with dhb's Aeron range and Endura's FS260 Pro II shorts leading the pack. They certainly look the part, with angled leg panels, subtle changes in colour and a flashy, technical pad that's labelled up like a cow in a butcher's shop poster. Build quality is excellent, with flatlocked seams, tight stitching and a reflective logo on each leg.

The Northwave Blade Bib shorts are part of their mid-range line. With SuperRoubaix fabric, meshed straps and a variety of colours, they are only let down by a thin, unmalleable pad.

The shorts are a fairly traditional panelled construction with flat-locked stitching. Tradition isn't a bad thing; these shorts fit well. Leg length is good and held in place with silicone grippers which don't create any tightness. Back and side panels transition well to the '3D' meshed braces just above the hips.

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.

The first thing you notice about these Etxeondo Feather bib shorts is just how light they are. It's not often you say that about a pair of shorts, but our medium-sized pair weighed in at just 125g (just over the manufacturer's claimed 119g). Etxeondo (pronounced et-chay-on-doe) reckon they're the lightest bib shorts on the market and we reckon they're probably right.