Rapha Women’s Souplesse Detachable Bib Shorts

Rapha is well known for its very expensive but very good cycling kit, and these Souplesse Detachable Bib Shorts do nothing to dent that reputation. They're extremely comfortable, very well made, and super-pricey.

• Pros: Well made, comfortable pad, detachable magnetic clip design, perfect leg length & stretch
• Cons: The price!

I didn't get to test Rapha's Souplesse bib shorts when they came in for testing back in 2016, that was Lara's pleasure to enjoy, but this new version has an exciting new development – which you've probably guessed from the name...

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Having to whip off your top layers to have a pee is a pain in the arse, particularly so if you're in the middle of nowhere but still a faff even if there are facilities. You can combat this by wearing waisted shorts (no bib), wearing your bib straps over your jersey (oh dear me no), or wearing shorts that 'detach' from the top somehow. I've worn various designs that allow this – with zips, clips or simple fold over sections – and none have worked as well and been as comfortable as these from Rapha.

I have to confess, I didn't get on with it straight away because I was a doofus and still thought I had to pull the strap up and over my head after undoing the magnetic clip – as you do with other designs using a similar clip (but at the front). Crucially, here, the clip is at the back, and it's low down too. All you need to do is push the clip apart, then pull the shorts section down. Job done, as it were.

The magnet is pretty strong too – it's an effort to pull it apart, but it clips back together really easily. It also likes to attach itself to various things, like the inside drum of your washing machine, or the rungs of a clothes airer.

You can't feel the clip at all while riding – there's double fabric between it and your back. Rapha says it's padded, but it's more like it's stiffened. I could feel the clip very slightly at times when carrying a backpack, but these shorts are designed for racing not commuting.

Pad

Rapha has spent years developing new pads for its women's shorts, and at first glance it would appear to have gone down the 'less is more' route that seems to be trending currently. However, although it looks a fairly simple design, it's described by Rapha as a 'fully moulded, seamless construction' and when you play with the pad you can see that underneath the soft and comfortable cover it features grooves that help it to bend to one's shape.

I found it very comfortable for all-day rides, but then I've always got on well with Rapha's pads. I'm not sure it's any more comfortable than the one used in its Brevet Bib Shorts, which I tested in 2017, but it's certainly no less so. It's designed specifically for racing, and comparing the two side by side, the Souplesse has a rounder nose and feels less dense up front, but a little more dense in the sit bone area.

Shorts & bib

One thing I do prefer on the Souplesse shorts is the leg gripper/cuff. It's at least twice the depth of the Brevet's and sits more closely, gently hugging my leg to just the right degree, with tiny silicone dots spread over the lower two-thirds of the cuff.

Elsewhere, the main fabric of the shorts is light and really soft – it's 78% nylon, 22% elastane and feels silky smooth, with flatlock seams. It's stretchy and figure-hugging, helping you slice through the air when you're racing (or expanding when you've overindulged at the cake stop).

Up top, the bib section is mostly mesh, keeping you cool and sweat-free, with just the very top section at the back and on your shoulders being a silky smooth non-mesh fabric.

It's all very comfortable against the skin, although unlike some Rapha designs the bib section doesn't really replace a baselayer, not coming up as high at the front and there only being the single strap at the back.

Value

Value is always a tricky one with Rapha clothing – yes, they're expensive, possibly the most expensive bib shorts we've tested, women's ones anyway – but they're so good that they're sure to earn their place in anyone's wardrobe (if you can afford them). You can certainly get bib shorts, even detachable/drop tail ones, for less – a lot less – but that doesn't mean these aren't worth the money in the long run.

To put it into context, they're £30 more than the Assos T.laalalai shorts that Ashia reviewed in 2016, though the clip on those is at the front so it's more of a faff to undo/do up, £55 more than Alé's PRR 2.0 Future bib shorts, but Emma didn't get on with their halterneck design, and £65 more than Pearl Izumi's Pro Escape bib shorts (no clip, you just pull 'em down and up again). Liv's Race Day bib shorts are £79.99, and Polaris's E-motion bib shorts with zip-release design are cheaper still at £54.99.

If you don't feel you need the detachable element, you can spend even less – the standard Souplesses are £15 cheaper. But if you're looking at that kind of budget I'd say it's worth spending the extra pennies.

Verdict

Excellent bib shorts for comfort, and comfort breaks