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review

Sportful Fiandre NoRain Women’s Bib Shorts

8
£80.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Very good bib shorts for combatting cold and wet weather, but don't expect miracles
Weight: 
198g

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Sportful's Fiandre NoRain Women's Bib Shorts are a good choice for showery days, keeping intermittent rainfall out well, though they'll get overwhelmed if it's heavy and persistent. I found the pad comfortable for a full day in the saddle, and even when fully soaked their fleecy inner kept me warm.

  • Pros: Rain repellent, comfortable pad, long length
  • Cons: Long length (if you prefer your shorts short)

I've used the Fiandres on all sorts of rides, from short commutes to three or four-hour training loops and one eight-hour day, half of which was in lashing rain.

> Buy these online here

They're better when used in conjunction with mudguards, which I forgot to fit for that eight-hour ride. The legs repel rain well – you can see it bead and roll/blow away – but the rear and pad area don't seem as waterproof and can get quite soggy quite quickly from rain and road spray.

Sportful Fiandre NR W Bibs - back.jpg

The fleecy inner keeps you warm even when wet, so all's not lost, and I've found them comfortable to wear when it's not raining and temperatures are in the teens. They're not high summer shorts, but that's not been a huge problem so far this year.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling bib shorts

The legs are a slightly odd length – long and settling just above the knee once you're on the bike, though they feel like they should be on the knee when you first pull them on (hence how they look in the photos – they do sit higher than that when you're riding). I have to say I like the length, particularly if it's a cold and wet day.

Sportful Fiandre NR W Bibs - front.jpg

It's an unusual hem/cuff design too: a Lycra fabric attached to the leg and very deep – 70mm top to bottom. They're nicely stretchy without being too tight, with a raw edge finish, and the lower half is covered in a dotty silicone grip that works well.

Sportful Fiandre NR W Bibs - gripper.jpg

Apart from those attaching the pad and the cuffs, the seams are overstitched but not flatlocked. Mostly they're unnoticeable and comfortable, although occasionally I have felt a seam in the leg, and you get definite lines in your skin when you take them off.

Up top, the bib section is a stretchy mesh, easy to pull on and off, and the straps sit comfortably without curling.

Sportful Fiandre NR W Bibs - straps front.jpg

How well a pad suits can differ widely, but I found the Infinity design, with its varying degrees of density – from high under the sit bone area, to low on the outer edges – unnoticeable and therefore comfortable.

Sportful Fiandre NR W Bibs - pad.jpg

As for value, 80 quid isn't cheap, but for the extra protection you get and the pad comfort (for me anyway) it doesn't strike me as overly steep either. You can certainly pay a lot more for bibs without the weather repellency. I'd like to see flatter, neater seams for my money, but the fact that you can't really feel them when riding means it's not a deal breaker.

Verdict

Very good bib shorts for combatting cold and wet weather, but don't expect miracles

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful Fiandre NoRain Women's Bibshort

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Sportful says, "Tired of hearing your male riding partners rave about the benefits our Fiandre shorts? We have added in this Women's specific version of our foul weather shorts. Featuring No Rain technology tested and proven on the frigid Belgium cobbles and enjoyed around the world when extra warmth and protection from the elements is a plus. No Rain technology is highly breathable and you won't notice a difference on dry days but when the road gets wet or precipitation is in the forecast it will really make the difference, keeping out most of the moisture and not getting soaked."

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

From Sportful:

FEATURES

NoRain Thermal fabric: Nanotechnology water-repellent outside, brushed fleece inside.

Minimal seaming for additional water protection.

Anatomic fit.

Raw-cut edge elastic leg band with silicone dot gripper.

Infinity seat pad.

Mesh bib straps.

Reflective piping.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very good (apart from the big, sticky-out label).

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

They're very good, comfortable bib shorts that keep your legs dry for a while at least.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

I found the pad very comfortable, and it's good being dry(ish) for a while in rain; eventually water gets through, but these put that off for a while. I was also expecting discomfort – or at least an unusual feel – at the back of the knee but there wasn't any and I forgot about it.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Cheaper than some bib shorts, more expensive than others; but they do repel rain and kept me comfortable on an eight-hour ride.

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

As ever, 30°C wash. They come out fine and dry quickly.

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

The rain-repellency can't stand up to prolonged downpours, but it's nice while it lasts.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The rain-repellency. And the longer length.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Big sticky out label that needs cutting off. And the soggy bottom if you forget/don't have mudguards.

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

They're very good but can't perform miracles. They keep you comfortable in the cold and wet for a while, and though not cheap they aren't overpriced for the quality and performance. The pad suits me too, comfortable for an eight-hour epic, about five of which were in heavy rain. I'd say they're very good and warrant an 8 overall.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 53  Height: 169cm  Weight: size 10-12

I usually ride: Vitus Venon  My best bike is: Paulus Quiros

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding

Tass is our production pedant, who boldly goes hunting for split infinitives, rogue apostrophes and other things up with which she will not put. She joined road.cc in 2015 but first began working on bike magazines way back in 1991 as production editor on Mountain Biking UK, then deputy editor of MTB Pro, before changing allegiance to road cycling as senior production editor on Cycling Plus. She's ridden off-road but much prefers on, hasn't done half the touring she'd like to, and loves paper maps.

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1 comments

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Tjaardbreeuwer | 4 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for a good review.
These seem to be the same idea as the Castelli Omloop bibs. But, while Castelli make a big deal out of the in between length, Sportful don’t even mention it!
So very useful to have this review out thereto divide that crucial piece of information.

It would seem to me, that these (and the Omloop’s) would be better if the back of the leg was shorter, preventing the buchning we see in the pics.

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