Nopinz Pro-1 Bib Shorts – Men

I can't verify their aero benefits, but the Nopinz Pro-1 Bib Shorts do offer an impressive performance, a great fit and a chamois that's comfortable for long distance rides. They're also great value compared with similar designs.

The shorts are made with Nopinz' proprietary Speedscalez fabric, which it claims offers 'outstanding aero performance', with the surface designed to reduce the amount of drag produced by air passing around the leg; that's not something I can measure, but they are very well made and neatly laser cut to provide an almost seamless fit. The only observable seams are on the inner leg and at the rear, both well away from key areas of airflow.

The number one factor that determines how good a pair of bibs are is the pad. I found the Teosport Armadillo endurance chamois on these bib shorts very comfortable and would be happy to wear these shorts on long distance rides.

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I noticed that it's also well designed to provide padding even when riding 'on the nose' of the saddle; this would be particularly important for riders adopting aero positions.

Testing these shorts indoors on the turbo, they deal with the sweaty conditions very well. The shorts section rises to about belly-button height, allowing for plenty of ventilation, and the lightweight mesh straps are comfortable and wick sweat away well.

I'm a big fan of the simple design and look of the bib shorts, with their small heat-applied graphics on the left leg and a small logo on the rear, meaning they can easily be worn alongside any other brand of kit. I tested the navy bibs, but they also come in black; both look good in my opinion.

I tested the medium shorts, which fitted my 182cm and 71kg physique well, though I'd have liked them just a little tighter, ideally. There's no element of compression in the shorts but they weren't baggy in any areas.

The leg length is deliberately long, with aero benefits in mind, though it might not be to everyone's taste; on me the shorts ended just above the knee.

The laser-cut hem has an incredibly sticky silicone band which does a good job of keeping the shorts in place, as well as interacting well with knee or leg warmers. It's too early to say how well this will last; I have had others start to show signs of wear after a few washes, but I've not noticed any deterioration here.

Value

Another impressive aspect of these shorts, given the performance, is the price. Retailing at £94.99, these are great value compared with others out there.

Looking at the big name competition, they compare really well to the Rapha Pro Team Training Shorts I also tested, which cost £45 more. I also own a pair of the NVPA bib shorts that Stu tested recently, which are £145; I'd say the Nopinz are significantly better in terms of long distance comfort and very likely more aerodynamic, with the NVPAs having more prominent seams and a focus on compression in the fabric rather than aero savings.

The Nopinz are also a lot cheaper than another 'pro' offering from Le Col and are better quality, judging by Matt's review.

> Buyer’s Guide: 38 of the best bib shorts

Overall, I was very impressed with the Nopinz Pro-1 Bib Shorts' aero fit and comfortable pad. They're long, which might not appeal to all, but if that's not a concern then they're really one to consider, especially for the price.

Verdict

Excellent aero bib shorts, offering great comfort at a really good price