Lusso DRS bib shorts

British designed and made, Lusso's DRS bib shorts are easily on a par with the well known European brands. They're comfortable, look great, and aren't as damaging to your wallet as some. They might even make you faster, with their 'Drag Reducing Fabric'.

• Pros: Good looks, comfortable, innovative material, pad
• Cons: None

Although this British company has been around for 30-odd years, I'm ashamed to say this is the first bit of Lusso kit that I've tried. Blinded maybe by the big name Italian and Swiss brands, I've never really given Lusso a glance, and that might have been a mistake. Straight out of the bag for a first inspection, these shorts oozed quality, from their low weight to the feel of the fabric (which is actually Italian!), the deep pad and the excellent seam work.

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The top billing with these shorts is the DRS – Drag Reduction System – or as I like to refer to it, 'golf ball' dimpling in the main material. The Italian Celona fabric also provides an element of compression. It's used for the whole body of the shorts, with just the very lower leg and gripper being different material, along with a much softer and thinner fabric for the back and bibs – very similar to baselayer fabric.

There's a built-in radio pocket, or for us mere mortals an ideal place to stash a credit card.

The leg gripper is wide at around an inch in depth rather than a single bead of silicone or similar, and works reasonably well.

The pad is described as an 8+ hour multi-layer piece from TMF (Italian again) – in shocking orange – which works well and does indeed stay comfy on rides of more than eight hours.

There is an element of reflective detail too: the logos and grippers are reflective as well as a couple of strips on the sides.

Fit-wise, the size medium suited my tall frame nicely (it's not me in the pics). I tend to find the shorts themselves OK with Euro brands, but quite often the bibs are just too short and dig in to my shoulders. Here they are perfectly sized, with no digging in or rubbing – UK sizing at work.

The pad sits nicely in the right place, too: no sense of rucking up or being too high front or back. The fancy material sits nicely against the skin, too, the excellent flatlocked seams, especially at the pad, meaning no discomfort when on.

On the bike that plush pad is the star. From the minute you get on it feels good – and still does hours later, which is what you really want. No rubbing or hot spots at all from the rest of the shorts either, makes for a comfortable day out on the bike. I quite like the light compression on the legs too. Those deep grippers work well, ensuring the legs don't ride up, although on hot days with a bit of a sweat on they can move a little when wet on the inside (with shaved pins at least).

So, the 'Drag Reduction System'... It has been proven that dimpling does indeed offer aero benefits, and in a race situation with full commitment it *might* make a tiny difference, but it's not something we can prove or disprove. In real world riding I doubt it makes any odds at all – but I think they look great, if nothing else.

Caring for them is a doddle: the usual cool wash and proper detergent keeping them looking as good as new. Even the printed logos are still in good order and not cracked or worn away. They dry super-quickly too, making for a quick turnaround should you want them again the next day.

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

Value-wise, at £120 they sit in the mid-range of good quality shorts, and for the quality of the garment and performance I would say they justify the cost. They're £20 cheaper than Castelli's Free Aero Race bib shorts, and £30 less than the Santini 365 Mago 2.0s, although the Hommage au Velo Booty bib shorts are £100.

Overall, if you want a British made garment that seems every bit as good as the established big Italian and Swiss brands, with perhaps a little extra speed thrown in, Lusso's DRS bib shorts are well worth a look.

Verdict

British made, high quality and great performing shorts that rival the Euro brands