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review

Santini Plush Bib Shorts

7
£170.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Luxurious shorts with a comfortable pad, great breathability and very short legs – beware the sizing, though
Comfortable pad
Breathable
Compressive fit
Size up very small
Short legs won't please everyone
Weight: 
155g

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The Santini Plush Bib Shorts have a very comfortable pad and excellent breathability, and they're well suited to hot summer days on the bike. The very short legs and particularly small sizing may not be to everyone's taste though.

Last year I tested the Santini Karma Kinetic Bib Shorts, which are some of my favourites and still my default for long rides. These are designed to be similar but with a softer, more luxurious feel to them.

> Buy the Plush Bib Shorts from Santini now

The recycled Italian fabric is light and breathable, though not actually made from recycled Italians. Santini gives a temperature range of 25-40℃, but if you followed that you wouldn't wear them too often in the UK. I tested them in conditions ranging from 15-30℃ and still found them comfortable throughout.

The material feels soft and very high quality; nicer, in fact, than most other bib shorts I have tested.

The pad

The GITevo chamois is the same pad as in those Karma Kinetics I mentioned, and it provides all-day comfort without feeling too bulky. I have worn these on five hour rides in hot weather and found the pad comfortable and breathable.

2023 Santini Plush Bib Shorts - chamois.jpg

It has a seamless construction and a gel core designed to reduce the impact of the road. I think it helps; the best compliment I can pay is that, when very long rides loom, I always choose this pad.

Fit and sizing

These come up small. I am in the middle of the size guide for medium, and I have other Santini shorts in medium that fit very well, but these are definitely on the small side. I would prefer the large for this model, but as I'm 178cm and 73kg, that seems a bit harsh.

The legs are very short too; shorter than anything else I own. Judging by my cycling tan I'd say these are a few centimetres shorter than their closest rival (the Assos Millie GT C2.0), and really won't be to everyone's tastes. They feel incredibly snug, but do provide good support for your muscles in those tough sessions... or at least, the bits they actually cover! You may find them ideal if you're regularly riding in 40° heat, though.

2023 Santini Plush Bib Shorts - cuffs back.jpg

The leg gripper is quite minimal but still effective. It's a good job really, as if these rode up any higher they'd look like hotpants.

2023 Santini Plush Bib Shorts - cuff gripper.jpg

Still, they do at least come in a whopping eight sizes, from XS to 4XL, so you should be able to find one that suits you.

Straps

The straps are comfortable and the elastic is wide on the shoulders, though again they could be bigger – I found them just about okay for length. They join to a mesh upper back area which helps spread the load and keep you cool.

2023 Santini Plush Bib Shorts - straps back.jpg

One improvement over other Santini shorts I've tested is that the front is lower and the material is stretchy. This makes comfort breaks easier, but the shorts still rise high enough to avoid gaps to your jersey.

2023 Santini Plush Bib Shorts - straps front.jpg

I tested the grey ones and thought they looked pretty good, but if grey is not to your taste they are available in black, navy and dark green.

Value

At £170 these are getting into premium territory, though not that far into it – you can still pay considerably more. There's plenty of competition around this level, though.

For instance, the Kostume Men's bib shorts scored a very rare 10/10 and are £180, while the Assos Equipe R Bib Shorts S9 received an excellent review from Tom and are usefully cheaper at £155.

Meanwhile, the Velocio Men's Luxe Bib Shorts made Iwein feel like a cycling god but cost £223.

If you are looking to spend less – less than half, in fact – the dhb Aeron Bib Shorts 2.0 are a great balance of performance and value at £80.

Overall

These are great for long hot days in the saddle thanks to a very capable pad and excellent breathability. They come up very small though, especially if you are on the upper end of the size guide, and the short legs may not be to everyone's taste.

Verdict

Luxurious shorts with a comfortable pad, great breathability and very short legs – beware the sizing, though

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Santini Plush Bib Shorts

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Santini says:

"When training gets hard, you need bib-shorts ready to face any challenge. Plush are the perfect choice. So soft you won't feel them but with high compression performance to aid blood flow and help your muscles recover while you pedal."

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

Santini says:

"PREMIUM FIT, ECO KNIT - Made of premium fit Italian fabric, incredibly stretch, and highly compressive but with a soft feel on the skin. Made of recycled polyamide and featuring a matte finish for a clean, classy look.

EXTREME COMFORT - Front seamless elastic braces cling to the body without restriction. Extremely light and elastic mesh on the rear for perfect ventilation. Internal anti-slip coloured leg gripper to keep the bib-shorts in place while pedaling.

ANTI-SHOCK PROTECTION - GITevo chamois with gel core to absorb shocks steadily and gradually for comfort on medium to long rides.

HIGH VISIBILITY - Reflective rear details on the back of the thighs for high visibility in the dark.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

A few stray bits of stitching, but only very minor.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Compressive fit which felt good, if perhaps a bit snug.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
4/10

This sizes up small; I would recommend the size above your usual. The guide had me bang in the middle of the medium, but really I would need a large.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

Washed at 30C with no issues.

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

These were very comfortable. The pad is great and the compression is good.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The pad.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The size guide is misleading.

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

The price is upper midrange, and these have lots of competition.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Maybe - but the size up!

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Overall, these are very good summer shorts. The pad is comfortable and the compressive fit is great. To score higher they really need a more accurate size guide and some adjustment to the very short legs.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 178cm  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: Specialized Roubaix  My best bike is: Cervelo S3

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, Indoor

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