Gore Wear C3 Bib Shorts+

The Gore Wear C3 Bib Shorts+ are straightforward, no-nonsense and just fundamentally do the job – at least for short or casual rides. You might want thicker and more sophisticated padding if longer rides are in the offing.

At first glance these are reassuringly unremarkable: plain in colour, mesh around the upper body, with a minimalistic pad and gripper elastic at the legs.

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The look in particular will be very appealing to some. Where many shorts are coloured or accented in such a way that they only ever look right when worn with a matching jersey from the same brand, the C3s are the same colour all over: you can go for black or 'orbit blue' if you're feeling particularly ostentatious.

We've previously reviewed Gore's Torrent and Ardent bib shorts and the key differences with the C3 Bib Shorts+ are the pad and the price. Whereas those feature Gore's middle-of-the-range 'Advanced' and top-of-the-line 'Expert' pad respectively, the C3s use the 'Active' level.

Pads tend to be foamy at the cheaper end and thicker and more rubbery as you progress up the range. This one is definitely on the foamy side. Different pads suit different people, but the Active is disappointingly thin and basic for £80.

That said, I can't especially fault it for performance. These are billed as being 'essential padded bib shorts for commutes and fun rides alike' which doesn't suggest they're intended for long days in the saddle. Nevertheless, I wore them for a few hours a time and they served me reasonably well.

The foaminess does have its limitations where there's prolonged pressure, but I certainly had no rubbing or bunching. The stitching is neat and low profile too.

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The bib part is entirely mesh, with a light construction up the back and a slightly thicker, stretchy material for the straps. It's all nice and airy and the straps offer good give to accommodate different heights of torso. There are no hems either so they aren't going to dig in.

Sizing seems pretty much bang on to Gore's size guide, and against other shorts I've owned.

Value

As mentioned above, this doesn't feel like a lot of pad for your money, even if's fine for their intended use. The Pearl Izumi Escape Quest Bib Shorts serve a similar purpose with what sounds like a similar sort of pad, only with a price tag of £49.99.

The same goes for the £50 Sundried Drop Men's Training Bib Shorts, albeit with a snazzier look.

At £80 these are up against various options promising greater comfort, such as the Orro Pyro Line Bibshorts (£69.99) and the Polaris Latitude Bib Shorts (£79.99). The latter are primarily aimed at long-distance road riders.

Overall

For their intended commuting and short to mid-length leisure ride duties, the C3s are a safe bet. However, it's not hard to find shorts with similar capabilities for less money, or with better performance for the same money.

Verdict

Well made bibshorts with a classic look, but the basic pad is disappointing given the price