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review

Sportful Total Comfort Bibshort

9
£130.00

VERDICT:

9
10
When comfort matters, these are among the best
Weight: 
186g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Sportful's Total Comfort bib shorts offer exactly what the name suggests, total comfort whatever distance you're riding. A thicker pad than the usual provides extra comfort for mile after mile and is housed in a pair of bib shorts that fit perfectly, with a nice level of compression through the legs.

  • Pros: Totally comfortable
  • Cons: Thin bib straps fold and roll over

Where the popular pro-team-developed BodyFit bib shorts use a chamois with 13mm of padding, these Total Comfort shorts up the padding quota to 18mm at its thickest. It's a variable thickness pad, though, which helps to ensure that the chunkiness is only slightly perceptible when you pull the shorts on, so they don't feel at all bulky.

sportful_total_comfort_bib_shorts_-_back.jpg

The bib shorts themselves are made from a lightweight structured fabric with a reasonable level of compression noticeable around the legs; a feeling of support rather than restriction.

The leg hems are lined with a silicone band that ensures the shorts don’t slide up your legs, and while the hem isn’t quite as wide as some of the very wide hem designs we’ve seen become popular in recent years, they’re very comfortable and free of irritation.

sportful_total_comfort_bib_shorts_-_gripper.jpg

The construction of the shorts is top notch, with flatlock stitching used throughout to ensure no irritation against the skin. Laser-cut bib straps feature silicone print on the shoulders for extra support, and the back panel is a gaping hole to maximise breathability.

Performance

Quite simply these shorts cosset you against any discomfort in the saddle even on the longest rides. The thicker padding means extra cushioning when riding over very rough roads, which ramps up the comfort noticeably compared with other regular padded shorts.

sportful_total_comfort_shorts_-_pad.jpg

I always find Sportful clothing fits me really well, and these are no exception. They're a little snug when you first pull them on, but once in place they're a perfect fit. The Italian company does offer a wide range of sizes so it's worth checking the size guide and maybe trying on a couple of sizes to get the right ones.

sportful_total_comfort_bib_shorts.jpg

To really put them to test, I decided to wear them for a 307km audax (the Heart of England in case you're wondering; it's a superb route and I highly recommend it). That would have been long enough, but an early mechanical necessitated a trip to a nearby friend's house for spares, resulting in a 325km ride. A long day it most certainly was, and a ride where comfort mattered.

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

Now I must admit this isn't the sort of distance I'm used to riding, but 12 hours of pedalling later, plus another couple sitting in cafes topping up the energy reserves, and I can only conclude that these shorts are awesome.

They really are fantastically comfortable, from the moment I pulled them on at 5.30am to the latter stages of the ride when I would normally have expected to be squirming and willing the finish line to magically appear in front of me.

Not only did the extra padding ensure I was sitting comfortably for the entire ride, but the fabric and construction of the shorts is spot on. The textured and compressive fabric provided a nice supportive feeling without being overly tight, and the elastic hems didn't cause any issues at all.

sportful_total_comfort_bib_shorts_-_cuff.jpg

The only bugbear is the thin and narrow bib straps that, while comfortable when sitting flat across the shoulders, ravel and roll up all too easily when you're pulling them on and off during nature breaks. I prefer the wider bib straps of Sportful's other bib shorts which sit the right way up more easily.

sportful_total_comfort_bib_shorts_-_straps.jpg

That small niggle didn't affect the comfort though, which, as I've said, is of the highest order. It's also worth adding here that Sportful offers the slightly more expensive Super Total Comfort bib shorts which use the bib straps I prefer, plus a few other changes, but I'm not sure the extra £20 is really worth it.

Overlook that small bugbear and these are extraordinarily comfortable shorts that, in my opinion, justify the price. There are lots of very good bib shorts on the market these days from brands at lots of different price points, but if you've been struggling to find a really comfortable pair for long rides or just want to invest in some that won't disappoint, these are highly recommended.

Verdict

When comfort matters, these are among the best

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful Total Comfort Bibshort

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Sportful says, "Precisely engineered to offer exceptional comfort. Designed for those epic all day rides where support and correct fit are essential. Understated styling hides one of our favorite shorts that can complete any outfit but, more importanly can keep you comfortable on virtually any ride."

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

From Sportful:

Technical construction with light suporttve stretch woven fabrics Lightly structured fabric on sides for accelerated moisture transfer

Total Comfort seat pad with up to 18mm of padding

Sleek lay flat laser cut bib strap construction Light silicone printing on bib shoulders for increased support

Clean finished elastic bands with silicone grip and external reflective

4 needle flatlock stiching for comfort and fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

They're not the cheapest, but if you value comfort above all else these are a good investment.

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

No problems in a regular wash cycle.

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

Absolute comfort all of the time.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort!

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The thin bib straps aren't uncomfortable but they fold and roll over when you're pulling them on.

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 overall score

Despite the small niggle of the thin bib straps, which in the grand scheme of a ride matter little, these are exceptional shorts.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180cm  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, mountain biking

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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