Lusso Carbon Bib Shorts

These Lusso Carbon Bib Shorts, despite sounding deceptively Italian, come from a British company offering sensible UK made kit. These new 2013 shorts are at the top of their range.

With an RRP of £75 these are starting to nudge into 'how much?' territory for many people. They certainly look the part, with a fishscale pattern complementing the black and grey panels.

Wide straps are comfortable and don't bunch, the pad is fairly modest but effective and antibacterial and there's a comforting smattering of marketing guff, which promises that the Resistex fabric will speed up evaporation, reduce lactic acid build up and improve circulation. Expect them to appear on the WADA banned list some time soon.

On the bike they feel very comfy and the performance is more than decent - but the fit is less than convincing.

Large is usually my size, but I would guess that Lusso's sizing is more British than Italian. The bibs were a little loose and the shorts tended to wrinkle up round the crotch and the bottom of the legs, not helped by a large leg hole and less than tenacious silicone gripping pads.

Although none of that caused any problems, I'd be tempted to try a size down for a snugger fit and a rather less Norah Batty-ish look.

Fit issues aside, these are a good quality short if you're looking for something a little different and fancy buying British.

Verdict

Good quality shorts with a distinctive look, but it might be worth trying them for size before you buy.