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review

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts

9
£139.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Quality bib shorts for fast and long-distance rides, with an excellent pad
Weight: 
197g
Contact: 

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The Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo bib shorts are some of the best out there when it comes to comfort. The recycled fabric feels great against the skin while offering plenty of unrestricted movement, and the pad is top notch.

  • Pros: Excellent fit; quality pad for long-distance riding
  • Cons: Very little, if you are happy to pay £140 for bib shorts...

Back in 2017 I tested Shutt's Team bib tights and they were brilliant. They still are, in fact, and are currently sat in the kit box ready to embrace their third winter.

> Buy these online here

Pretty much the key component to how they felt was the chamois pad, which looks to be exactly the same 3D multi-density gel and foam one used here in these Sanremo bib shorts. It's quite a firm pad, offering great support when in the saddle, and there is a central channel at the rear for a bit of pressure relief.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - pad.jpg

Beyond the padded area it's all quite thin, so there is little in the way of bunching, and I spent plenty of hours in the Shutt VRs with no discomfort whatsoever.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - back.jpg

For the main body, the Sanremo​s are made from a recycled Lycra called Green Soul which is manufactured by Italian materials specialist MITI. It's very soft and smooth against the skin – not quite as smooth as the Pro Transfer material used on the Pearl Izumi Pro bib shorts, but very close.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - cuff.jpg

Helped by the multi-panel design and this soft Green Soul fabric, the shorts moves seamlessly in time with your pedalling motion.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - riding.jpg

Being Shutt VR's top-level bib shorts, they are designed with racing and fast riding in mind, so the fit is suitably close with just a hint of compression around the thighs.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - front.jpg

It's standing up well to daily abuse on the bike, with no bobbling or wear showing around the saddle area.

The legs are held in place with silicone grippers which are decorated in Shutt VR's stripy signature band, hence the name of the shorts. There is also a non-signature version with black leg grippers, should you want something a little more subtle.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - gripper.jpg

A lightweight mesh is used for the bibs and works well at keeping you cool by being fast-wicking, and each shoulder strap is about 60mm (2.5in) wide which helps minimise any pressure points as they pass over your shoulders.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - straps front.jpg
Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - straps rear.jpg

Value-wise, the Sanremo​s are right in the ball park against a lot of the opposition at £139, when you take into account what you are getting. The quality is very good, just a few stray threads ends here and there. Other than that, the overall finishing is up there with some of the best in the business with the stitching having plenty of give and strength. Other neat little details like reflectives on each leg also add to the overall package.

Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts - cuff 2.jpg

Those Pearl Izumi bibs I mentioned earlier are £189.99, and while they are near-perfection in my eyes, I wouldn't say that they are 50 quid better than the Shutt VRs.

> Buyer's Guide: 27 of the best cycling bib shorts

They do face stiff competition from Lusso, though, with its excellent DRS bib shorts for just £120.

Conclusion

Overall, the Sanremo​s are excellent, pretty much ticking every box when it comes to what you want from a quality pair of bib shorts.

Verdict

Quality bib shorts for fast and long-distance rides, with an excellent pad

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Shutt Velo Rapide Signature Sanremo Bib Shorts

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Shutt VR says, "Handmade in Italy from MITI Green Soul recycled Lycra**, our Sanremo Bib Shorts are the very best shorts yet to bear the Shutt name. So good in fact that you'll forget you're wearing them and just enjoy your ride. We guarantee it.

"These bib shorts have been designed to provide you the ultimate in comfort and performance. Featuring an anatomic multi-panel design for just the right amount of stretch and support with laser-cut leg grippers combined with high-wicking, lightweight mesh straps.

"All that effort is for nothing without a performance chamois to match. So we developed a 3D multi-density gel and foam pad that provides outstanding comfort even on the very longest of rides. Reflective logos and tabs on the rear means these shorts will look superb with any kit in your cycling wardrobe and help you get picked out by car headlights."

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

From Shutt VR:

Ideal for long distance riding

Super soft recycled Lycra for just the right amount of stretch and support

High wicking mesh straps to prevent over heating

Super lightweight laser cut leg gripper to stop the shorts riding up even during the most intense rides

Low cut at the front for ease of use during café stops

We're so confident in our bib shorts that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So if you don't love them, simply return them to Shutt within one month for a full no quibble refund.

** M.I.T.I. Green Soul technology combines the use of 100% sustainable recycled fibers with the most environmental friendly dyeing and finishing processes with no compromise on the performance of the fabrics.

Top-rated Shutt multi-density foam and gel pad

Hypoallergenic and bactereostatic

Optimal shock absorption

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

Sizing was spot on to the size guide. Even though they have a race cut they are quite generously sized.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

No problems at all when it comes to washing as long as you follow the usual instructions.

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

Very comfortable for short, hard rides or those where you go further afield.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Very comfortable pad.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really stands out.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

They are quite a bit of money but I wouldn't say overpriced when you look at the quality and opposition.

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

The heart of any shorts is the pad and the Shutt VR offering is brilliant; this is then been compounded by quality Lycra and a great race cut.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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