Pearson Stiffen the Sinews Thermal Bib Shorts

The Pearson Stiffen The Sinews Thermal Bib Shorts are a warm pair of shorts with a high-quality Pearson-designed pad, and they're suitable for autumn through to early spring. However, they do have a very high front and I felt the fit was lacking in a few key areas.

> Buy now: Pearson Stiffen The Sinews Thermal Bib Shorts for £59 from Pearson

If you are in the market for bib shorts, why not check out our best bib shorts buyer's guide, or our best winter tights if you prefer to go long.

I tested these shorts in rides where the temperatures ranged from around freezing point to 12°C and I found the fleecy material warm and comfortable.

I have tested a fair few pairs of thermal shorts recently and I reckon the Pearsons are at the warmer end of the spectrum. I'd still pair them with knee or leg warmers once the temperature falls below around 10°C or so, when shorts-and-warmers combo would be good for most winter days.

Pad

The PhD shorts have Pearson's own PhD – or 'Pearson House Design' – pad. This is designed for maximum comfort and breathability, and Pearson says it developed the PhD to be 'comfortable for a wide range of riders, based on the results of over ten years of bike fitting experience'.

It worked well too, and I felt it punched well above its price point, comparable with the pads in some of the much more expensive shorts I've recently tested. I put these to the test on long rides and tough sessions on the turbo, and the pad was comfortable and breathable throughout.

Sizing

I was bang on Pearson's size guide for a medium and the shorts were in line with the guide. I'd go with your usual size with these shorts, although if you are at the lower end of the size guide, you might want to consider a smaller size.

The shorts come in five sizes from S to XXL, so if you have the physique of a super-light climber, it's possible you might struggle to find a suitable size.

I tested these in navy, but they are also available in black, which would have the benefit of being easier to pair with most knee or leg warmers.

Fit

The fit is more relaxed than other shorts I have tested. There is no notable compression in the legs, and as a result I found them more suitable for easier rides than harder efforts.

I found the just-above-the-knee leg length ideal – I like thermal shorts to have longer legs and these were spot on.

Lightweight grippers kept the legs in place well, with no movement.

The mesh straps are good too, and the shorts have a large mesh area at the back. The straps were comfortable on rides regardless of the length, and with minimal stitching at the front where the straps join the front of the shorts, there was no irritation.

The front of the shorts do come up extremely high, however, a few centimetres over my navel. This made for a quite warm midriff on milder rides, when they were perhaps a little too warm. But while I expected the high front to make comfort breaks trickier, the very stretchy material meant there were no problems here.

The flip side of that is that I think there's actually too much stretch overall, and I didn't find the shorts particularly supportive at keeping things in place, especially when climbing out of the saddle.

The result was that I didn't find these shorts as comfortable as others I have tested recently. It's possible that going a size smaller would have prevented this, but I was a medium on the size guide and wear medium in practically every other brand of shorts.

Materials

The shorts have good eco-friendly credentials and are made from 78% recycled nylon and 22% recycled elastane. But the material feels good, rather than having that 'synthetic' feel that some recycled materials can have.

There are a few small logos on the legs and lower back as well as some reflective detailing on the backs of the legs.

I have worn and washed these on numerous rides during testing and the stitching still looks perfect, with no peeling on the logos or reflectives.

Value

At £90 the shorts are at the more affordable end of shorts we've tested, and they are currently on offer at just £59.

Ed gave the £89.99 Gore Wear C3 3/4 Bib Tights a positive write-up,  but he didn't find them ideal for properly cold days. 

There are also cheaper winter shorts on the market, such as the Van Rysel RCR500 Super Roubaix Winter Bib Shorts that Stu liked, and which are attractively priced at just £54.99.

If you are happy to splash a bit more cash, the Universal Colours Chroma Thermal Merino Plus Bib Short is a high-quality pair of shorts that I was a big fan of when I tested them – but they are priced at £160.

Overall

The Pearson Stiffen The Sinews Thermal Bib Shorts are warm and have a high-quality pad. But the front of the shorts was too high at the front for my tastes – and the fit too loose in key areas.

However, if you are looking for a relaxed fit then these are good value shorts.

Verdict

Warm thermal shorts with a high-quality pad but the fit won't suit everyone