Santini Gravel Women’s Bib Shorts

The Santini Gravel Women's Bib Shorts promise comfort, durability, and functionality – and I'm a lover of the cargo pocket design. But after wearing these bibs over more than 1,000km, while they have been very comfortable in many respects, they also fall short in some areas, including long-ride comfort and durability.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling bib shorts.

> Buy now: Santini Gravel Women’s Bib Shorts for £143 from Santini

The most important thing for any bib shorts is comfort, and though Santini has really excelled in that with the gel-infused C3W women-specific seat pad, which I found super comfy from the very first ride, there are a few areas where they could be better for longer rides.

The shorts are crafted from gabardine fabric, which includes 25% elastane to keep it stretchy, and, as Santini promises, it feels nice against the skin. Santini says this blend also gives excellent abrasion resistance, which has held true no matter how many bushes I've ridden through. The way the fabric is stitched together, however, is not ideal for the skintight fit.

The seams running from the leg gripper to the waist over the thigh are not sewn flat but overlocked, and they protrude and press into the thighs. Although it's not something I'd particularly notice when riding (except for a few eight-hour-plus rides), after a longer ride it took quite a while for the pressure marks to fade from the skin. Comparing them with other cycling bib shorts at this price point, I feel not using flatlock seams is a big oversight from Santini, and I imagine it could even cause chafing for someone with more sensitive skin.

The leg grippers are another area where these bibs and I don't really get along too well. I've grown to really like bib shorts without silicone grippers because they never snag on the skin or make pulling the shorts on difficult. Santini has kept things more traditional and added quite a wide gripper with honeycomb-structured silicone inside. Because of the width (and flatlock seam attaching them to the thigh part of the shorts), they do not dig into the thighs too much, but they grip so well that if you want to adjust them at all it's not easy, and pulling the shorts on is a bit of an ordeal.

The cargo pockets – one large on each thigh – have not fared too well through my gravel adventures, either. Both pockets, after a few months of testing, have quite a few tears in them, and I'm not entirely sure what has caused them all. I mostly use the right-hand pocket for storing my phone and the left for snacks and random spares I might carry on my rides, or my keys.

Aside from the fragile mesh-like fabric, the size of these pockets is perfect – very similar to the ones on Rapha's Cargo bib shorts – and because of the stretch you can really fit quite a few snack bars in if you want to. The pockets also have reflective strips, too, which are great for added visibility.

There is an additional large pocket on the lower back, which I used for spares when I wore a more casual shirt without rear pockets. It's made of the same material as the side cargo pockets, and the upper edge has a short seam in the middle (kind of dividing the opening into two) making sure it won't stretch down when you've loaded it full.

The overall fit of these shorts is quite snug and compressive, but not in a restricting way. I tested the size XS from a range that spans from XXS to XL, and would say they are true to size.

The leg length is similar to shorts from Rapha or Pas Normal Studios, and I found the height of the shorts part to be good, sitting just below my belly button at the front, and held well in place by the snug straps that connect to a mesh-like fabric at the upper back/neck area. I wouldn't mind the front coming higher up, especially if I chose to wear these bibs a lot in the winter, but they do offer enough coverage that I didn't have a gap between my jersey and the shorts at my belly.

As these shorts are aimed at off-road use I've been assessing them more closely in terms of washability because, let's be honest, on gravel roads you'll end up with a lot of grit on your back if you forget your mudguard... On this front, the bibs have performed well, washing easily in a short, 30-degree cycle. The chamois has started to discolour a little, but I think that is mostly down to the chamois cream I use, and happens with almost all pads.

The little Santini logo patch on the lower back has started to come off, though – perhaps because of all the washing or just not being stitched on well enough.

Value

There's a lot to like about these bib shorts, but the non-flatlock stitching and durability of the pockets make the £143 price tag a little hard to justify. That said, cargo bib shorts do seem to be some of the most expensive bib shorts out there.

I reviewed the Assos Uma GTC Bib Shorts last year and really rated their chamois structure, though the pockets were a bit too small, and they're £215.

I've also spent a lot of time riding in Rapha's Women's Cargo bib shorts which cost a whopping £240 (we tested the non-bib Cargo version a few years back), but these have a lovely baselayer-like upper (though it makes it a bit hard to undress), and the pockets are super spacious.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit

Two closer contenders to the Santini Gravel bibs are the Endura Women's GV500 Reiver Bib Shorts, which go for £130 and even feature an easy-pee construction – something of a rarity in that price bracket – and the yet-to-be-defeated, in my eyes, Castelli Free Unlimited Women's Bib Shorts. They're not cheap at £190 but remain my favourites to date, mainly because of the lack of silicone leg grippers and very durable pocket structure – I've been riding them for a good two years without any tears – and a snug but functional easy-pee system.

Conclusion

Overall, while the Santini Gravel Women's Bib Shorts are not the priciest cargo option out there, I think I'd wait for a revised version before pressing on and buying them – I'd hope for flatlock seams, at least. The chamois is really super comfy, especially on bumpy gravel roads, and the pocket space is ample, but there is room for improvement.

> Buy now: Santini Gravel Women’s Bib Shorts for £143 from Santini

Verdict

An excellent chamois, but plenty of room for improvement elsewhere