Louis Garneau Mondo Evo bib shorts

These Louis Garneau Mondo Evo shorts might not be cheap but they put in a high-level performance to justify their price tag.

One of the best features of these shorts is that they feel so supportive. Obviously, fit is going to vary from person to person but these are cut to be compressive and the various fabrics hold your muscles in place a little more firmly than usual. Whether compression clothing improves your performance is a whole debate in itself but I like the stable feel these provide. The 10-panel construction provides an excellent fit and all the seams are flat-lock stitched to avoid any pressure points.

The legs look pretty heavy duty and they are fairly abrasion-resistant (as shorts fabrics go) which gave me the impression that these would lack breathability, but the opposite is true. Dimples in most areas of the fabric let lots of cool air in and allow moisture to escape; no worries at all on that front even in hot summer weather.

There are no silicone grippers inside the bands around the bottom of the legs but there's no need for them; the hems stay in place fine without. The legs are a generous length, reaching down almost to the knees on me. They're narrower than most at the bottom though (17cm diameter on our large size), so you might want to try before you buy if you've got particularly chunky thighs.

Louis Garneau's 4Motion pad is a good'un, varying in depth from 3mm around the edges to 10mm underneath your sit bones. The back end is split so the two sides can move independently as you pedal and a 7mm channel down the middle relieves pressure there and helps with breathability.

Speaking of breathability, the pad is perforated and you get four little vents towards the front – don't worry: the holes are though the pad, not through the shorts. It's difficult to say how much difference all this makes but I didn't experience any overheating in these shorts and the antibacterial surface layer certainly moves moisture well.

In terms of cushioning, the pad is really effective. It provides plenty of protection from bumps and vibration without being too bulky – you get the deep padding where you need it, not where you don't. There's no in-seam underneath the pad either, which helps a little. I've racked up plenty of high-mileage rides in these and have felt great throughout.

The bib uppers, like a small panel on the outside of each leg, are made from Carbon-X Mesh. The fabric offers pretty good ventilation– although it doesn't feel as breathable as some lighter weight meshes – and it has a water-repellent treatment and dries out fast if it does get damp.

There's a little pocket in the bib section too that'll take a phone or iPod. It sits high up though, just underneath your shoulder blades, so it's not very accessible once your jersey is over the top.

You get good night visibility courtesy of reflective print on the back of each leg and those white bands sections stand out in gloomy conditions too.

These are also available in a non-bib version at £109.99.

Verdict

Well-made supportive shorts that are comfortable whether you're on mile one or 100.