Galibier Classique Bib Shorts

Galibier’s Classique bib shorts are great value, with a classic design that works well in UK conditions. Galibier calls them ‘top-notch bib shorts without the top-notch price’, and that’s not far off.

Check out more options in our guide to the best cycling bib shorts.

> Buy now: Galibier Classique Bib Shorts for £55.33 from Galibier

The main shorts section is a multi-panel design made from a Lycra fabric that feels solid but is also nice and stretchy.

There’s a thinner band of fabric on each leg with a very effective gripper that holds the shorts in place and also keeps knee or leg warmers where they’re supposed to be.

The top section is a classic mesh design, with a raised hem along the edges. Galibier says that it’s ‘designed for maximum stretch and minimum chafing’ and it’s certainly nice and stretchy, but these aren’t the most comfortable bib straps I’ve tried; the laser-cut, flat-profile straps on more expensive bibs (including some in Galibier’s range) are nicer to use.

The mesh does keep the bibs well-ventilated, though, especially on the back.

The main shorts fabric is fine for hot weather but it’s substantial enough to offer a bit of protection against chills in colder weather, so this is a pair of shorts that work well in UK conditions, when we’re rocking the shorts in the low teens while the Italians are still wearing their balaclavas. If it gets really hot then something a bit thinner will probably keep you more comfortable, although I’m talking about temperatures you’re unlikely to see in the UK. And at least these shorts will offer plenty of UV protection.

The pad is the same one that Galibier uses in a number of its shorts. It has a four-layer memory foam construction with a variety of densities and perforations. The sit-bone areas of the pad are quite deep and also quite specific, so it’s important that the pad’s in the right place, which it was for me. I found the pad very comfortable, and wore these shorts on a 250km road ride – 15 hours in Lycra and 12 in the saddle – with no issues at all. By the end of that ride, in temperatures of around 25°C at its hottest, I was starting to feel the bib straps rubbing a bit at the edges, but that’s hardly a deal breaker – everything was a bit sore by then.

In and out of the washing machine the Classique bibs have scrubbed up nicely: there’s no noticeable degradation of the fabrics or any loose threads after multiple washes.

So performance-wise, the Classique bibs put in a strong, er, performance.

And at just over 50 quid it’s hard to argue with their value for money. A glance through the road.cc archives throws up a few cheaper options, including Decathlon’s £29.99 Triban RC 100 bibs, now rebranded as Van Rysel, and Altura’s Airstream bibs for £50, but there aren’t many good shorts for this kind of money and you can pay a lot more – a LOT more – for performance that isn’t hugely improved.

Conclusion

If you’re riding in UK conditions and you want a pair of workhorse bibs for anything up to big day rides, the Classique bibs have a lot to recommend them. They’re simple bib shorts, done well.

> Buy now: Galibier Classique Bib Shorts for £55.33 from Galibier

Verdict

Simple pair of bib shorts with a classic design that are comfy for short and long rides

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