Gore Transition Bib Shorts Men’s

The Gore Transition Bib Shorts are great – they add protection from chilling winds and showers while barely increasing warmth or bulk, and prove a useful interim step between 3/4s and full summer bibs. They're well made and really comfortable too... or at least, they're comfy if you're the right proportions for the straps. They won't suit everyone.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling bib shorts.

I like the idea of these – they're summer-style for length and cut low to avoid adding heat around your belly and lower back, yet they keep cool winds and showers from chilling your thighs. That makes them very useful in the UK, where it's often mild, changeable and maybe sunny, yet not actively warm.

Gore has built them very well, with a supportive and comfortable dual-density pad from Elastic Interface – you can't feel its striking angular lines, mercifully, and it's semi-floating so can move against the outer fabric. That allows easy, small adjustments in the saddle and boosts comfort.

It's all stitched strongly into some very effective fabric. Despite the windproofing it breathes very well – I've worn these on sunny early-summer days and been entirely comfortable.

The fabric is also water repellent, and though Gore doesn't mention if that's naturally or via a treatment, it beads water well enough to make me think it has a durable water repellent (DWR) coating. I also like the orange flashes and reflective logos, as they add a bit of style while helping with visibility.

This stuff is 83% recycled polyamide (nylon is an example of a polyamide, if that's usefully less sciency, though this is not necessarily nylon) and the rest is elastane for stretch. It's a firm but not compressive squeeze, and feels nicely secure.

The silicone grippers on broad elastic cuffs help further to anchor these in place. But for one potential issue, I think they'll stay where you want them very well.

I've tested quite a lot of bibs now and I feel like a broken record – the straps here are too strongly sprung to accommodate certain proportions. It's my fault for having a relatively long torso and short legs, it seems, but don't think I'm a circus freak or look like I'm kneeling on my shoes – I only even found out thanks to cycling. It's never affected my regular clothes.

It's actually quite common, as is the opposite thing of having relatively long legs for your height.

The problem for me is that the strong elastic straps slowly but surely pull the shorts up until they noticeably touch at my inner hip, then bunched up in the joints. After around an hour, it's bad enough to cause chafing. Stopping and dragging them back down from the cuffs lets me carry on in renewed comfort, and the process begins once more.

That it's so gradual is testament to how well the actual shorts and legs fit; also, that they're instantly comfy again in the right position is encouraging. Obviously, for me it's less than ideal, but if the straps work for you, these will be very good.

Unusually, the Transition's straps have around 9cm of adjustment, via a wide metal hook and a series of fabric slots at the small of your back. Fantastic! Except not. The range is completely off – I had these issues on the longest setting, and I can't imagine what kind of circus freak would need the shortest (look, I've got to persecute someone, right?).

Maybe it's a sizing thing? I don't think so. As I've said, the 'shorts' part of these is spot on in my recommended size, and something's wrong if going up to XL would work for me – that's the biggest size there is, and I'm 6ft and slim. I've never been XL in anything.

Gore positions these as 'form fit', which is its closest and raciest cut, and in my recommended size large that's just how they feel.

Again, if you're pretty evenly proportioned or have relatively long legs, you'll surely find these just fine. But if you're proportioned like me, they're unlikely to work well.

Value

At £169.99 you can't call these cheap, but they're only upper mid-range for what we test (the recently reviewed Santini Redux Speed Shorts are £240, for instance) and these have extra features to mark them out – the windproofing, water resistance and adjustable straps.

The Assos Equipe R Bib Shorts S9s got 9/10 and were rated 'gorgeous' by our tester Tom, and those are a bit cheaper at £155 but don't have the sort of features I've just mentioned (despite some high-end elements). Tom mentions the 'trickle down effect', though I'm not sure you want that in shorts...

The Kostume Men's Bib Shorts did even better with 10/10 and a £180 tag, but again they're simple summer shorts with no extra protection. No trickling either. Result.

Basically, the Transitions match the competition for price and quality, and arguably beat them for features.

Overall

These don't cater for all body types, but they're really not alone in that so (unfortunately) I can't criticise them too harshly. Well, I could, along with all the others like them, but logistically it's a nightmare so maybe I'll just have a lie down instead. It seems particularly unfortunate that these have adjustment, where so few do, but still don't fit.

If the straps do suit your shape and leave the Transitions free to hang where you want them, you're in luck. These are comfortable, well-made and good-looking bibs that prove very useful for a fair chunk of the British year.

Verdict

Useful extra protection and a comfortable, high-quality build, but the straps won't suit everyone