Parentini Tiger.2 Shorts

Padded bib shorts are by far the most essential product if you're planning to do some decent miles on your bike, and these top-of-the-range Tiger.2 bib shorts from Italian company Parentini are packed with details and perform well on longer rides.

The shorts are designed to offer a slim fit, with lots of compression from the Top Gear fabric, and they are both those things; even getting into them takes a bit longer than most other bib shorts. But squeeze your legs into them and pull everything into position, jump on the bike and pedal down the road, and they're very comfortable, with no restriction on movement or any noticeable tightness in any area.

The GranFondo Light fabric (80% polyester, 20% elastane) used to make the shorts is very soft next to the skin and the stretch helps with the fit. There's a Performer Power fabric of an even higher stretch factor in the side panels that further enhances fit. The shape of the shorts is very good, contouring around the legs and body well. It's a durable fabric as well and resists wear and damage.

In constructing the shorts Parentini has made extensive use of heat bonding, with just a few seams being stitched. It's a technology the Italian company has only recently adopted and it says the benefit compared with stitching is that it allows for the Lycra material to stretch more, which enhances the fit. It's most noticeable in the bib straps, which sit very flat and comfortably against the body, even without a baselayer protecting your skin. The back panel is perforated to help with cooling on hotter rides.

To keep the legs in place, the inside of the short openings have a wide Banda Elastic soft-feel material. It grips the legs well without feeling uncomfortable. On the bike, the shorts don't move about at all. That extends to the padded insert as well, which remains in the optimum position at all times.

> Check out our guide to the best cycling bib shorts

The padding is the company's own design, the C6 Flou, which is designed for high-mileage cyclists and uses triple thickness padding in the key areas, such as under the sit bones. The pad has a very soft finish and its curved shape and recessed channel offer enough comfort, without the bulk, for day-long epics or sportives. I wouldn't say it's the best out there – I've ridden in some Assos and Sportful designs which I'd rate higher when it comes to comfort – but it performs just fine.

Overall, they're a very comfortable pair of bib shorts for demanding, high-performance cyclists who put in lots of miles every day, with good compression across the legs and a good pad for long distances. As with most Italian cycle clothing, you doneed to pay careful attention to the sizing because these do come up on the small side, though within acceptable limits. They do come in a huge range of sizes, too, from XXS to 5XL – so you should be covered regardless of your size.

Verdict

Comfortable Italian-made bib shorts with good attention to detail