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rapha powerweave bibshorts

rapha powerweave bibs

the first cycling specific garmentage that i purchased, in the early nineties, was a pair of tights from deesside cycles. i'm not even sure they still exist. not only were they not bibtights, but as i recall, they featured no pad either, but persistent reading of the comic had brought the likely realisation that, if one intended to become a bona-fide roadie, then riding in mtb shorts or jeans, was never going to cut the mustard. sadly, unable to find a pair of plain black tights, my leg coverings resembled little more than an explosion at a dulux paint factory.

rapha powerweave bibs

i remember being embarrassed to even wear them on dark evenings.

it was quite some time before i plucked up the courage to buy a pair of 'proper' cycling shorts, in the first instance, with a real chamois pad. the latter was comfort personified when new, but bore a striking resemblance to a brillo pad after only one wash. habits incurred at that time, have me never leave home without using chamois cream to this day, despite manufacturer protestations that the latter is unnecessary on the modern day synthetic, two-layer pads.

rapha powerweave bibs

once again, these shorts featured only an elasticated waist, for it took a long time on the approach to bibshorts. when considering the latter, for way too long did i procrastinate about whether bibshorts ought to be chosen on the basis of waist size or height. i have a rather narrow waist; my jeans are invariably of a 30" waist and, it transpires, my height of 5' 10" allowed me to order size small in pretty much any brand of bibshorts, a situation that persists to this day, i'm pleased to say.

rapha powerweave bibs

but then potential complications arrived in the shape of rapha's 'powerweave' bibshorts which, according to their website are, elite-level race bib shorts. though, in my head, i'd be the perfect shoe-in for a contract with jumbo-visma, the reality is somewhat different, and the notion of wearing bibshorts designed for a level of cycling so far removed from my own, confers almost as much embarrassment as those deesside cycles tights from last century. and while reading the small print under the heading of key features, i note that they promise a 'compressive weave' to optimise muscle support, a feature that no doubt proves very handy if you have actual muscles.

rapha powerweave bibs

everything points to these being rapha's top level bibshorts, originally released around this time last year, but in rather restricted numbers. this year, it would appear stock is rather more plentiful, but the price tag of £295 is not one that will appeal to everyone. so what, to enter the colloquial, is the buzz? is that a price worth paying for any pair of bibshorts, no matter how fast you think you are?

i opted to plump for size small, after all, and hope that the compressive properties and the power-weave would not have restricted the usual excellent fit offered by the other bibshorts in the rapha range. thankfully, it was a prudent choice. i have always maintained that any pair of shorts ought to offer a bit of a struggle to put on, if anything, confirmed by the power-weave bibs. i confess i'm more in favour of the mesh bib straps on rapha's classic shorts than the elasticated braces on these, but in use, you'd scarcely know they existed.

rapha powerweave bibs

and that's true for the shorts overall. there's no gripper at the hem to speak of, yet they grasped onto my thighs like a moray eel. and entirely unlike a regular pair of shorts, when removed, there's no evidence of them ever having been there. according to rapha, the powerweave shorts are 20% lighter than even their pro-team bibs, a fact i can cheerfully confirm, for in use, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd left home without them. i am of insufficient power to offer comment on whether the compressive fit offered any improvement to my speed, but they are remarkably comfortable and the pad's multiple layers obviated any discomfort, even over the roads that we reserve only for special occasions.

rapha powerweave bibs

my only real criticism would be over the light grey colour (even if rapha describe them as dark grey). without going into too much detail, if you've taken the opportunity for a natural break mid-ride, there's every likelihood the evidence will be clear for all to see at the coffee stop. and let's just leave it at that.

whether you're someone happy to be left with only a fiver change out of £300 on purchasing a pair of these is between you and your bank manager (which may be your other half). combine a pair of these with the new pro team criterium jersey and you're looking at the better part of £500. however, when you have colnago releasing new bicycles in excess of £12,000, it appears perceptions may have changed. the price, however, does not obviate the fact that these are a remarkable pair of bibshorts, arguably the very best i've ever had the pleasure of wearing. if you happen to be a tad younger, faster and involved in the competitive milieu, the benefits could perceivably be far greater than experienced by yours truly.

that does not, however, exclude those of you with the financial wherewithal and a desire to ride in the best that money can buy.

rapha's powerweave bibshorts are available in navy/green or dark grey/dark navy, in sizes ranging from xs to xxl (small size reviewed). price is £295 including free standard delivery.

rapha powerweave bibshorts

monday 4 july 2022

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................