Sportful Fiandre NoRain Women’s Bib Shorts

Sportful's Fiandre NoRain Women's Bib Shorts are a good choice for showery days, keeping intermittent rainfall out well, though they'll get overwhelmed if it's heavy and persistent. I found the pad comfortable for a full day in the saddle, and even when fully soaked their fleecy inner kept me warm.

• Pros: Rain repellent, comfortable pad, long length
• Cons: Long length (if you prefer your shorts short)

I've used the Fiandres on all sorts of rides, from short commutes to three or four-hour training loops and one eight-hour day, half of which was in lashing rain.

> Buy these online here

They're better when used in conjunction with mudguards, which I forgot to fit for that eight-hour ride. The legs repel rain well – you can see it bead and roll/blow away – but the rear and pad area don't seem as waterproof and can get quite soggy quite quickly from rain and road spray.

The fleecy inner keeps you warm even when wet, so all's not lost, and I've found them comfortable to wear when it's not raining and temperatures are in the teens. They're not high summer shorts, but that's not been a huge problem so far this year.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling bib shorts

The legs are a slightly odd length – long and settling just above the knee once you're on the bike, though they feel like they should be on the knee when you first pull them on (hence how they look in the photos – they do sit higher than that when you're riding). I have to say I like the length, particularly if it's a cold and wet day.

It's an unusual hem/cuff design too: a Lycra fabric attached to the leg and very deep – 70mm top to bottom. They're nicely stretchy without being too tight, with a raw edge finish, and the lower half is covered in a dotty silicone grip that works well.

Apart from those attaching the pad and the cuffs, the seams are overstitched but not flatlocked. Mostly they're unnoticeable and comfortable, although occasionally I have felt a seam in the leg, and you get definite lines in your skin when you take them off.

Up top, the bib section is a stretchy mesh, easy to pull on and off, and the straps sit comfortably without curling.

How well a pad suits can differ widely, but I found the Infinity design, with its varying degrees of density – from high under the sit bone area, to low on the outer edges – unnoticeable and therefore comfortable.

As for value, 80 quid isn't cheap, but for the extra protection you get and the pad comfort (for me anyway) it doesn't strike me as overly steep either. You can certainly pay a lot more for bibs without the weather repellency. I'd like to see flatter, neater seams for my money, but the fact that you can't really feel them when riding means it's not a deal breaker.

Verdict

Very good bib shorts for combatting cold and wet weather, but don't expect miracles