Colnago

C59 Bib Shorts

Frames like Colnago's lugged carbon masterpieces demand a lot of attention because they reward each ride with comfort and reactivity, mile after mile, hour after hour, begging you to stay in the saddle for just one more lap. It's only fitting that the Colnago C59 Bib Shorts are equal to this challenge, providing gentle compression and a comfortable chamois for rides ranging from a quick, hour-long workout at the end of the day to a 100-mile endurance marathon. Go ahead and heed your bike's call; everything else can wait.

The shorts' body fabric, ProGrade Extra-Stretch 360 LE, has name whose length is rivaled only by its moisture-managing prowess. Not only does it quickly wick sweat from your skin, but it also accelerates evaporation to keep you dry even when the humidity is as pressing a concern as the heat. The material's antimicrobial properties also prevent the gradual accumulation of odor-causing microscopic passengers. It's laid out in an ergonomic shape that contours to your body while in a cycling position. This means the bibs may feel a bit restrictive while waiting at a stoplight, but as you clip-in while rolling through a green light, the shorts click with your riding posture.

The mesh straps of the shorts' bibs contribute to this click-in fit with a T-shaped top. The mesh's yarn also incorporates carbon, an inclusion that confers elements of odor-resistance and a UV protection of SPF 50. The straps are extremely stretchy to provide a yielding counterpoint to the more compressive stretch of the shorts' bottoms. The leg grippers also enhance comfort by doing away with the restrictive elastic bands that have plagued cycling shorts for far too long, instead opting for a wide band of gently compressive material that distributes pressure across a broader area for a secure fit that won't pinch. The fit is further insured with gel printed grip, so the shorts won't ride up.

The C59 Bib Shorts are finished with EIT's EVO IDS chamois. IDS stands for Independent Dynamic Support, which means that the padding and elasticity of the insert make for different levels of cushion and stretch throughout, so it accommodates your body's supporting sit bones, sensitive areas, and natural cycling motion with area-specific uses of padding and free-moving stretch. The combination of ventilated gel padding and high-density air foam keep you comfortable for six hours in the saddle, and the EVO ISD's inclusion of antimicrobial carbon yarn keeps those six hour spins from taking a toll on more than your muscles.