ashmei Women’s Cycle Bib Short

The ashmei Women's Cycle Bib Shorts have a great chamois and a very comfortable bib, and the fabric does protect against the elements as ashmei claims. However, the lack of leg grippers can cause issues, and they're pretty pricey.

The first thing you are likely to notice is the fabric that these shorts are made of; it basically rustles and feels like a waterproof jacket. ashmei claims that the 60% polyamide, 40% elastane combination (excluding the bib and trims) provides excellent levels of wind and water resistance. It has less stretch than most shorts fabrics, so offers some decent compression. Ensure that you get the correct size to fully benefit here: my shorts sizing was a bracket down on my jersey, and down on what I invariably take with other manufacturers.

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The bib straps are well designed – wide, well positioned and stretchy. They do exactly what they should without you knowing that they are there. A big thumbs up here.

The chamois is also brilliant. It's a high-density, well-positioned foam pad with a soft covering. It's perfect for long hours in the saddle – I had no issues with it at all. The sewn edges are a little haphazard in places – not really what you'd expect for this amount of money – but they didn't cause irritation and there's no sign of fraying. Despite its thickness, I never felt uncomfortably hot or sweaty in the saddle.

While the sensation of the material takes some getting used to, it's not restrictive and flows with body movement, albeit with a faint rustle.

There are no leg grippers – the shorts rely on compression to remain in place – and this was an issue for me. Worn with and without leg warmers, the shorts rode up slightly, resulting in folds of material around the groin. It didn't cause irritation, but because the fabric isn't as soft as most shorts fabric it's noticeable and not so comfortable.

Judging shorts on hip size is all well and good, but without grippers, maybe 'thigh girth' comes into play. While it remains my biggest gripe with the shorts, it's not guaranteed to be the same for everyone and could well depend on your body shape.

The unique material performs as ashmei claims – it protects the body against cold air and light rain. They aren't waterproof and won't stand up to anything other than light drizzle, but they do repel light wheel spray well, and without doubt keep the chill off far better than most conventional Lycra-heavy synthetic shorts.

> Spring clothing guide: what to wear in this unpredictable season

I genuinely expected to overheat in them: the material has an 'impenetrable feel', and they'd been doing such a good job of keeping me warmer prior to the unseasonably mild weather we've just had. They proved me wrong: breathability is as good as most shorts I've tested over the last 12 months. I never sensed heat build-up or excessive sweating, even where the material was gathering around the groin.

Care instructions are simple – cool cycle, no conditioner or two-in-one detergents. The material seems to have stood up to wash and wear aesthetically and in terms of performance, although I have managed to catch them somehow, as you can see in the photo below.

Value

The £176 price tag puts these in the same league as Rapha and PEdAL ED, but I'd say Liv's Signature shorts, for £125, are just as comfortable. If a lack of leg grippers is no issue for you then Liv even has something for under £100 in the shape of its Race Day bib shorts. And if you're on the hunt for element protection, Sportful's Fiandre NoRain shorts may be worth considering – for around half the price of the ashmei shorts.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling shorts 

That said, the ashemi shorts are significantly better than most shorts I've worn with regards to protecting you in cooler conditions, and the chamois is comfortable for hours. If you are forking out this much money, though, everything needs to be spot on and unfortunately this wasn't the case for me. Check out the sizing, and if they suit your shape then they're a good, if expensive, pair of bib shorts for changeable days.

Verdict

Good three-season shorts with a brilliant pad, but the fit and lack of gripper won't suit everyone