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review
£65.00
VERDICT:
High quality bib shorts; pro level feel for a sensible price
Weight:
179g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
- Exceptional
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Quite good
- Average
- Not so good
- Poor
- Bad
- Appalling
The dhb Aeron bib shorts are new for 2016, an evolution of Wiggle's house brand's Aeron Pro shorts and boy are they good. It kind of makes you wonder why you need to pay more really.
For me it's the MITI Granfondo fabric that makes the Aeron's a winner which according to Wiggle is a mixture of Mititech Power and Interpower fabrics. The Power gives you a compressive style material with the Interpower providing the breathability and wicking capabilities.
Whatever it is the fabrics are up to, the moment you put these shorts on they feel like a second skin. They're supportive for the muscles and smooth against your legs moving without crease or bunching. They're ideal for those long rides when the tiniest little irritation can become a real issue.
The silicone grippers keep the bottom of the legs in place even at really high cadences and the mesh bibs keep your upper body cool and comfortable with nice wide straps that don't dig into your shoulders.
All of that isn't worth much though if the pad isn't up to scratch. Thankfully, the CyTech Tour HP Super Air chamois is very much up to scratch. Overall the pad is quite wide but it's the varying density sections that really make the difference. It's deeper at the rear, under your sit bones, where you place more weight and about half that thickness at the front so it's unobtrusive when you're crouched in the saddle.
There are channels between the thick sections to maintain blood flow and numbness was never an issue. The whole pad feels supportive, firm enough that you sit on it rather than in it but with enough give to allow some movement.
I rode these shorts on a few four and five-hour rides and they felt just as comfortable when I got off of the bike as when I got on.
They come regulation black but with subtle highlights in a range of colours (including black for those who have a Henry Ford policy about shorts) which give them a very classy look.
The overall quality of the construction and materials is top notch and almost unbelievable for just £65; they feel like they are going to last too.
Overall the Aerons are a top notch pair of bib shorts that really punch well above their weight in both comfort and quality.
Verdict
High quality bib shorts; pro level feel for a sensible price
road.cc test report
Make and model: dhb Aeron Bib Shorts
Size tested: Medium, Black/White
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
wiggle say, "The domestique or gregario of the dhb shorts line the Aeron Bib shorts are solid and dependable, shorts you can rely on for all your daily riding requirements. The excellent comfort comes from the use of supportive and compressive MITI Granfondo fabric that is also highly breathable giving you comfort from shorter spins through to all day outings."
The dhb range continues to impress with their Aeron bib shorts. Impressive comfort levels and fit for a sensible price.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
High quality Italian fabrics - compressive and comfortable
CyTech Tour HP Super Air chamois for great performance and maximum comfort for rides of up to 5 hours in the saddle
Shaped leg elastic with silicone particle gripper
Mesh Bibs and Extended back panel for ventilation
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Rate the product for value:
7/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
30 degree wash and dry naturally. dhb suggest not to use fabric softeners.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Really comfortable for long and short rides.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The quality versus price.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really.
Did you enjoy using the product? yes
Would you consider buying the product? yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? yes
Use this box to explain your score
The dhb Aeron bibshorts are comparable to many shorts costing twice as much. The compressive nature of the material, comfortable pad and overall quality means they come highly recommended.
About the tester
Age: 37
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: Mason Definition
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
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5 comments
Love mine but do have to say a bit bland with colours !
I've still got the 2014 model on the go... and they're still one of my best pairs. Hard wearing, hugely comfortable both in fit terms and on the saddle, nice flat grippers on the legs, wash nicely, not expensive, what's not to like.
Very comfy shorts indeed. And top value. They were £52 yesterday with the additional platinum discount. They're pretty much indestructable as well. Use mine on and off road. Indeed, the older Aeron Pro's that I have (which are similar but not the same) are about 5 years old.
A 7 for value seems a bit harsh, especially when you point out they're half the price of many others.
I've not tried the 2016 Pro ones yet but they'll be my next short purchase, I have the 2015 Race ones and they're as comfy as my Assos, Gore and Castellis
Very pleased with mine. Much better quality than the Castelli shorts I wanted to buy. They had to go back and I hardly ever send kit back.