The latest Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts are excellent, with a superb chamois and a great fit. They come in a choice of two leg lengths, long and regular, and, as you might expect, with a premium price – but they’re worth it.
> Buy now: Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts – Long for £240 from Rapha
Rapha’s Pro Team range has three levels, and these bibs sit in the middle, between the top-tier Powerweave bib shorts and the Training bib shorts. Rapha says these shorts have been completely redesigned around an all-new Pro Team chamois, along with advanced fabric tech and a refined fit.
The chamois really is outstanding, quickly becoming one of my favourites. I tested these bibs on a recent 550km ride to France over four days, with the longest lasting six to seven hours. Even during back-to-back long, hot days in the saddle they remained supremely comfortable with no signs of chafing.
Rapha says it has increased the foam density in the chamois for ‘improved stability, power transfer and reduced weight’, but the pad isn’t too bulky and the cushioning is in all the right places. It also wicks sweat away quickly, and the shorts were just as comfortable on long endurance rides as they were during shorter, high-intensity efforts.
The shorts are described as having a compressive feel and they offer support without any wrinkles or creases. The fabric also wicks moisture effectively. Rapha says they are designed for moderate to hot conditions of 10-35°C, and on rides in the mid-20s they offered excellent thermoregulation. The mesh waist helps further with breathability.
The bibs have also been redesigned to feature fewer panels, which means fewer seams and less potential to rub and cause irritation on longer rides, along with a laser-cut hem. I wore a size medium and they fitted me really well – they’re true to size.
The bib straps themselves are wide and sit in a cross at the back, distributing pressure evenly and staying flat against the body. The fixed cross also helps prevent the straps from twisting.
As mentioned, the bottom of each leg is raw cut and the leg grippers are non-aggressive but stayed in place well. There was no riding up, unless I adjusted the legs higher myself.
I found myself doing this because the shorts are offered in two leg lengths, and I tested the long version, which wouldn’t be my usual choice (I’m 175cm tall), but I could always pull them a little higher. The regular length is 3cm shorter, and would be my preference.
They’re also available in six sizes, from XXS to XL, and three colour options: the carbon I tested, which is a deep navy blue, as well as dark green/white and black/white. I particularly like the branding, with the white Rapha on one leg and the navy Rapha on the other.
Value
At £240, these bib shorts sit at the premium end of the market, among the most expensive we’ve reviewed on road.cc, though they aren’t quite the priciest. They’re still £60 less than Rapha’s top-tier Pro Team Powerweave bibs, and Café du Cycliste’s Mathilde Women’s Audax Bib Shorts are now £275, up £23 since Emma reviewed them. She did praise their exceptional comfort and quality, although the full bib design may not suit all riders.
Although the Pro Teams don’t have an easy-pee solution, which I’ve criticised other shorts for, I don’t feel it’s as important on a pair so obviously designed with a performance/race focus. So while I found the price of the Jelenew Evolve Y Back Bib Shorts 8″ hard to justify (£249 at the time of reviewing, now down to £202), the focus there was more on how female friendly they were, where such a feature was, to my mind, a more obvious omission.
They’re not quite as good value as Assos’ Women’s UMA GTV Bib Shorts C2, which have increased in price but only to £235. Suvi found them amazingly comfortable and excellent quality, with an easy-pee function that actually works.
Read more road.cc reviews of women’s shorts, and check out our guide to the best cycling bib shorts.
Overall
The Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts don’t disappoint and are among the most comfortable pairs I’ve used. Yes, they are on the pricier side, but they really do offer all-day comfort.
> Buy now: Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts – Long for £240 from Rapha
Verdict
Premium bibs with an outstanding chamois
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts – Long
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
Rapha describes these bib shorts as “elite-level racing shorts…precisely engineered for mastering your hardest efforts”, and “entirely rebuilt for 2025 around an all-new bespoke Pro Team chamois”.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Rapha lists:
Re-engineered – Fully overhauled with WorldTour rider input for supreme stability and comfort for the most demanding race conditions
Proprietary chamois – Next generation, lightweight, seamless construction and reticulated structure that conforms to the body and wicks sweat rapidly
Powerful support – Increased foam density in the chamois for improved stability, power transfer and reduced weight
Italian materials – Constructed with a woven fabric with a high compression-to-weight ratio and excellent thermo-regulation
Lightweight minimalism – Fewer panels and a laser cut hem for reduced bulk and maximum comfort, Women’s S weighing 166g
Tested to the limit – By WorldTour and elite-level riders over 400,000km in all conditions
To be worn in moderate to hot conditions | 10–35°C / 50–95°F
Really well made, with few seams.
Some of the most comfortable bibs I’ve worn over both long endurance rides and shorter, high-intensity efforts.
No issues so far.
The fit is great, the material offers some compression without being restrictive.
Medium fitted as expected.
At 182g these are a similar weight to Le Col’s Pro Lightweight Bib Shorts.
The chamois really is excellent; the material sits nicely against the skin and it wicks away moisture effectively.
Similar to other premium bib shorts we’ve reviewed.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Wash at 30°C like most cycling kit and dry quickly.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well. They are extremely comfortable for long rides and wick moisture effectively in warmer temperatures.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The chamois.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
I’d have preferred the shorter length version.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
They are among the most expensive women’s bib shorts we’ve reviewed, but they’re still £60 less than Rapha’s top-tier Pro Team Powerweave bibs which are £300, and Café du Cycliste’s Mathilde Women’s Audax Bib Shorts are £275. Assos’ Women’s UMA GTV Bib Shorts C2 are a fiver less, £235.
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 excellent: a really great pair of bib shorts. Yes, they come at a price but I would say this is worth it for the guaranteed comfort.
About the tester
Age: 25 Height: 175 Weight: 64
I usually ride: specialised tarmac sl6 My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
1 thought on “Rapha Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts – Long”
Or…. buy an £80 pair of
Or…. buy an £80 pair of shorts with a pad that’s good for 18hrs of audax’ing….like wot I did.
The only measure worth mentioning for shorts is 12+hrs in the saddle. If they can do that then they can do anything.