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review

Gore Wear Men’s Distance Bib Shorts+ 2.0

7
£199.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Excellent pad and lovely fabric, but the straps – and the price – might not suit everyone
Solid support around the sit bones
Lovely soft fabric
Colour options
Straps can rub
High price
Weight: 
177g

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The Gore Wear Men's Distance Bib Shorts+ 2.0 feature a great pad for longer rides with plenty of support around the sit bones. The straps and price may not agree with everyone, but all in all, they're a solid option.

First things first. For me the pad is the most important part of a pair of bib shorts, and I found this one to be a cracker. Last year I reviewed Gore's C3 Bib Shorts+ and felt that pad was lighter and foamier than I'd expect for £79.99.

> Buy the Men's Distance Bib Shorts+ 2.0 from Wiggle now

I did therefore wonder whether slightly disappointing pads would be a characteristic of Gore's whole range, but in the event, the chamois is probably the best part of these.

It's an Expert Distance 2.0 'designed in cooperation with Elastic Interface,' and it's noticeably firm and dense around the sit bones. There's more give towards the front.

2023 Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts + 2.0 - chamois.jpg

At one point I gave it six hours through the Peak District on one of the hotter days of the year, and it didn't let me down. I'd normally be reduced to near-constant position shuffling by the home stretch of a ride like that, but on this occasion my saddle did not feel like an enemy.

Less impressive are the straps. These are a pretty standard-looking mesh, but while it's a long way from feeling coarse, I've certainly worn softer. I had no problems on shorter rides, but at the end of a long day without a base layer, I found the straps had been busying themselves gently twanging across two of my more sensitive chest areas [we think Alex means 'nipples' here, but we don't like to ask], resulting in noticeable soreness.

2023 Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts + 2.0 - straps front.jpg

I know a lot of people routinely wear base layers in all weather, in which case I can't see it being a problem. Nevertheless, it's not something I've experienced before and it was an issue for me – albeit a fairly minor one, and only after many hours of riding.

2023 Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts + 2.0 - straps back.jpg

An even more minor fit issue was a slight sensation of tightness around the leg join, particularly when I first set off. The main fabric is really lovely and soft though, so in practice this didn't actually amount to anything.

2023 Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts + 2.0 - legs back.jpg

They're lovely looking shorts too. I tested them in 'orbit blue,' which is a lovely shade if you've got a jersey that goes with it. I didn't, mind you...

2023 Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts + 2.0 - back detail.jpg

A word of warning if you're planning your first foray into non-black cycling shorts: certain male contours may be more apparent when you're walking around at a café stop. I'd imagine this goes for the 'utility green' option as well. Fortunately, good old stalwart black is also available.

Value

I don't feel I'd be in a minority suggesting that £199.99 is pretty steep, yet there are plenty of options if you for some reason want to spend more.

In just the last few months we've reviewed the Velocio Men's Luxe Bib Short at £229 and the Rapha Men's Pro Team Powerweave Bib Shorts at £300, and both scored 9/10. Meanwhile the Santini Redux Speed Shorts are £240 and got 8/10.

If you'd rather spend less, the Kostüme Men's Bib Shorts are still expensive at £180 but got 10/10, while the Assos Equipe R Bib Shorts S9 offer a supremely comfortable chamois for £155.

Overall

The Gorewear Distance Bib Shorts+ 2.0 offer an excellent pad, a lovely fabric and no insurmountable failings, but I'm not convinced they offer anything that slightly cheaper alternatives don't also offer – unless, of course, you're particularly taken by the design.

Verdict

Excellent pad and lovely fabric, but the straps – and the price – might not suit everyone

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Gore Distance Bib Shorts+ 2.0

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

Gore says: "Our most comfortable bib shorts specifically built for longer distances."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Gore says:

70% Polyamide, 30% Elastane.

Elastic Interface Expert Distance 2.0 seat pad with GOREWEAR Cup.

Silicone hem grippers.

Reflective details.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Well stitched and very good fabrics.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Still early days, but no real signs of wear.

Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Pretty much spot on.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

The main fabric is quite thin (in a good way). The straps are a smidge more solid than some.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
7/10

The pad was good enough that I had no issues, even after six hours of riding. The straps are quite robust for mesh.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

They've a lot going for them, but it's hard to see what you get for £200 that you couldn't get for considerably less.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

No obvious deterioration from the washing machine.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

On a long ride the pad cannot really be faulted, but for this rider at least, the straps become an issue.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The pad.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The straps.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There are certainly more expensive shorts out there, but a good number are cheaper - and some of seemingly equivalent quality are significantly so.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? With qualifications

Use this box to explain your overall score

The pad is great and the rest is very good, though the straps can irritate bare chests over long rides. They're not collossally better than many other cheaper options, though – overall they're good.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 44  Height: 185  Weight: 78

I usually ride: Giant Defy Advanced Pro 3  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, E-bike/utility

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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