MAAP Blaze Team Bib Short

MAAP is a relatively young Australian brand but it's enjoying growing presence across the UK, combining cool designs that stand out from the more common choices with decent performance. These MAAP Team Bib Shorts provide good seated comfort, but some might find the hem too restrictive.

The Aussie company goes to Italy to get its clothing manufactured, making full use of the country's decades of expertise in making cycling kit. It's a good call – these shorts are very well made and have stood up to my testing just fine, demonstrating good durability throughout.

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The main part of the bib shorts is made from a compressive fabric with a cut that's longer in the leg than most shorts. Compressive fabric has been increasingly common in high-end performance cycling shorts, the idea being to provide better support for the muscles during activity. For the most part, these shorts offer a good fit and the fabric shows good moisture-wicking properties when it's warm. Flatlock stitching is used throughout to ramp up comfort.

Where comfort isn't so good is in the hems. Instead of the traditional silicone-lined folded Lycra hem, MAAP has used a wide band of highly compressive double-bonded Lycra. The idea is sound, and it's an approach other clothing manufacturers have also adopted – the shorts stay in place, and there's no chance of them shifting about or sliding up your legs. But I found the band simply too tight and overly restrictive around my legs, to the point that I found the shorts uncomfortable.

MAAP does say the shorts are designed to be worn tight, which is fair enough, but no other bib shorts I've tested in the same or small size has such a tight hem. It's a shame because they fit really well everywhere else.

Repeated use didn't seem to improve matters much, and even though the discomfort fades as the miles pass, there are simply much more comfortable bib shorts at the same price. Like Rapha's Classic II bib shorts, to pick one example.

Inside the shorts is a padded insert that MAAP claims provides suitable comfort for rides from two to six hours. I'll admit I didn't get to test the six-hour claim, the restrictive hem simply made them too uncomfortable for longer rides, but on shorter rides the padded comfort was superb, so I can imagine they'll be just fine on epic rides.

The bib straps are wide and flat and lined with a mesh fabric that extends entirely over the back to provide extra breathability.

A nice detail is a reflective tape on the back of the legs for added visibility when out on those late evening summer rides. As you'd hope for an Australian designed garment, the fabric is also SPF 50+ sun protection treated.

The Aussie company describes these as its 'ultimate cycling bib short and one of our hardest working items in the lineup'. I found the fit and performance let down by the overly restrictive leg openings, but if you have skinny legs you might get on with them just fine.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best cycling bib shorts

For the same price, I would be leaning towards the Rapha Classic II shorts, or pocketing the change and getting the bloody good Assos T.MilleShorts_S7.

Verdict

Nice shorts but only if your legs are skinny enough for the highly compressive wide band hems