Huez Starman Bibshorts

The Huez Starman bib shorts focus on performance with a high quality pad, compression-inducing Lycra and a slim fit, and while they may be double the price than some of the road.cc favourites (and mine!), the build quality and attention to detail make them stand out.

First off, I really like the colour; it's not often you see a pair of cycling shorts in a dark blue. I think it gives a certain level of class, making them stand out without screaming 'look at me'.

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The blue Lycra is Italian made, with plenty of stretch in all directions, and it gives a very supportive fit when you're on the bike. There is some compression there, which you can feel squeezing your muscles lightly as you pedal, and even if it isn't adding any measurable performance gain it certainly feels good.

The material itself is pretty thick, which adds to that feeling of durability, and looking at the seams and giving them a pull, I'd imagine these will stand up to some serious wear and tear. All of the seams are positioned sensibly, so there is no irritation when you're on the bike, although even if they weren't you'd probably barely notice them as there are practically flat against the fabric.

Keeping the legs in position is a very large band coated in small silicone dots, a solution that works very well, offering plenty of grip without requiring loads of pressure.

The back part of the bibs is made up of mesh to keep you feeling cool, and when paired with the matching Huez Bleed Print jersey (review here) it was a very impressive partnership in terms of breathability.

The straps themselves are strips of Lycra with a small unobtrusive seam top and bottom that you can barely feel, so excellent for comfort.

You get a couple of pockets: the radio pocket or, for those of us who aren't in constant contact with a following team car, somewhere to bung your mp3 player. It sits slightly off centre at the bottom of the bibs; the other is on the outside of the left leg and I wasn't quite sure what it was there for.

With the constant revolutions of your thigh, it's not somewhere I'd want to put something valuable and although many time triallists and triathletes stuff a gel up their skinsuit leg, I didn't think it was really relevant here as you'd no doubt be wearing a jersey with pockets.

Huez confirmed that it is indeed designed for such uses: "It's used for holding gels or disposing of old wrappers. It's an easy way to find your half eaten bar without having to search through your rear cargo pockets. We have found that a lot of our customers really like this feature." Fair enough.

Keeping the Italian theme going is the chamois pad, a SERIE 3.2.D/80 no less. It's quite thick in places with very firm foam shaped by heat-forming. It's quite simple compared with a lot of others on the market, with two sections created by the inclusion of a central channel to reduce pressure. Each sections is stepped to give a little extra support where needed, and I found it very comfortable indeed, supportive and shock absorbing without any noticeable bunching.

> Read our guide to the best cycling bib shorts

Which brings me to value... Are the Starmans twice as good as top scoring BTwin Aerofits or dhb's Aerons, another firm road.cc favourite? No, I'd say not, but in terms of performance the Starmans are easily a match for them, and the construction and finish for the price is very impressive. (They're currently reduced to £110.50, so even better.)

Overall, putting the Starmans on feels a bit special, like putting on your best kit that you save for special rides, and when you add the cost of Italian manufacturing compared to the Far East, you can see where some of that extra costing is going.

Verdict

Italian-made top-end race shorts that shine in every aspect