Endura Pro SL Roadsuit

Endura's Pro SL Roadsuit is basically a time triallist's skinsuit for the roadie who considers speed the most important aspect of the ride. Aerodynamics is the main aim but Endura has managed to create a shorts and jersey combo that is very comfortable too, from the bottom of the legs upwards.

• Pros: Really good pad available in various widths, excellent wicking properties from the jersey
• Cons: Only available in black

If you've ever watched a top-level criterium like the Tour Series on TV you would have seen many of the riders wearing a skinsuit. It makes sense from an aerodynamics, marginal gains kind of way but there can be compromises.

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They can be quite restrictive if you change position a lot and they often don't have pockets – not crucial for an hour's blast around a city centre but it can be an issue on longer treks. The Pro SL Roadsuit offers a lot of the performance but with a lot more practicality.

Basically, the Roadsuit is a shorts and jersey combo, with both being attached to each other. Having the jersey as part of the suit means that Endura has done away with any bib straps so it's a little lighter than a standard separates setup, and it's cooler and more comfortable too.

The jersey part has a very soft feel to it and is pretty thin so it feels great against the body. The material wicks impressively, especially when paired with a thin mesh baselayer, so no matter how hard the effort has been in this heatwave I've never felt as though I was sweltering.

Endura has also added Coldblack technology to the fabric. We've seen this quite a bit on other clothing and it basically increases the amount of infrared and ultraviolet rays that are reflected from the fabric's surface, thereby reducing the heating effect from the sun. It's hard to pinpoint how much difference, if any, it makes but, like I say, you do remain pretty cool. It also helps protect you from sunburn (UPF50).

To make sure there is no bunching of the material the jersey has quite a high front at the zip, which can leave a bit of a gap between the top of the shorts section when you're stood up. It disappears once you're on the bike, though.

For ease of getting the kit on and off, the jersey isn't attached to the shorts from the side panels around the front. It means you can unzip the jersey if you are climbing in the heat and it won't be flapping around behind you.

Practicality-wise, you get three lightweight mesh pockets at the rear which will carry your essentials, and considering how thin the fabric is they are quite supportive. You also get a fourth zipped valuables pocket.

Moving on to the shorts... we'll start with the pad.

The 700 series pad is pretty minimal and Endura says that the padding is only where required, with all superfluous material removed to minimise bunching and friction.

We're seeing a lot of these flatter, less stepped pads on a range of shorts these days and it's something I like, especially if you don't move around on the saddle much.

The pad is also available in three widths to match your pelvic shape, saddle and riding position.

Our sample pair come with the medium option which I found very comfortable. To get the right pad for you, Endura has this page on their website which lets you enter saddle brand, model width and so on, or you can use one of their fitment centres that you'll see listed down the right hand side.

As the shorts don't have bib straps they use an elasticated strip around the waist, which can feel a little odd at first if you aren't used to it. Also, if you like shorts that sit quite high around the midriff with straps then the Enduras can feel a little less supportive.

The rest of the fit is great, though, with plenty of compression on the legs and just a small silicone gripper required to keep the legs in place.

When it comes to fit I'm pretty lucky that I'm a medium in both jersey and shorts so choosing a size for the Roadsuit was no problem. If you differ top and bottom you might have to make a little compromise one way or the other, but the steps in sizing is relatively small so it shouldn't be an issue.

Quality is up there with the usual standard I've found from Endura, with tidy stitching and a smooth-running zip.

The price isn't that extreme either at £179.99. Okay, it's not cheap, but for this kind of aero performance and fit we are often seeing shorts over the £100 mark with another £80 for the jersey. Castelli's similar SanRemo 3.2 Speed Suit, the predecessor of which we tested a few years ago, now costs a cool £225. You could have a Rapha option, too, for £230...

> How to get more aero without spending a fortune

On the whole the Roadsuit is a lovely piece of kit in terms of comfort, temperature regulation and fit, and I'd say it's a very sensible buy for any rider who wants a small aero advantage without sacrificing ease of use.

Verdict

Very comfortable race suit for those who want to ride fast without compromise