RAPHA MEN'S SHORTS/BIBS
Pro bike racing is a great crucible for gear. Riders have needs, and the good sponsors want to meet those needs. Knickers were "invented" this way. The same can be said for winter shorts like these Rapha Thermal Pro Team Bib Shorts.
Pro Team Bib Shorts you should already know. Rapha designed these for their Rapha pro team in England based on rider feedback. The spandex was lighter, the cut was more aggressive, and the seat pad was more racing oriented than Rapha's classic bibs. Adding Thermal to the mix means all of the above, although the spandex has been replaced with Thermoroubaix fabric. 
With this fabric you get the same fit as with the summer version of the bibs, but with warmth that you typically associate with winter knickers or tights.
Because warmth is the guiding change in these shorts, the design has been adjusted slightly with heat retention in mind. The legs are 5cm longer for better coverage of the quads and hamstrings. In the bibs, the thin mesh of summer has been replaced with heavier mesh to allow the same great fit and breathability with greater warmth.
The bibs have been finished with all the detail you've come to expect from Rapha. The seams are flatlock stitched, and there's a reflective tab on the right leg. In keeping with Rapha's Forcats de la Route theme, prison bars reside on a tag in back to give you information and a place to write your name. The chamois is the same top-spec Cytech pad you'll find in the summer Pro Team Bibs. It has a wicking layer on top that is bonded to open-cell foam that is tapered to the perimeter to stay out of your way. The multi-density padding under your sit bones does a great job of smoothing the interaction between you and your saddle as well. There are two radio pockets in back.
The Rapha Thermal Pro Team Bib Shorts come in Black. The Rapha logos are reflective. Sizes run from X-Small to XX-Large.
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