Lusso Perform Carbon Bib Shorts

Tell us what the product is for

Lusso has updated its Perform carbon bib shorts for 2023, this new version keeping the classic looks and feel of the previous bibs, but carrying the company's increased focus on recycled and fabrics and sustainability.

Lusso says: "The carbon v2 bib shorts have been our best-selling bibs for the last 5 years and are the only shorts to receive a 10/10 rating from road.cc So we had to think long and hard about any improvements we could make. Rather than focusing on the fit and feel which you have come to love and expect, we turned our attention to the components that make them a wardrobe essential. Recycled fabrics now make up the shorts, whilst retaining the suppleness and stretch that make these bibs fit like an instant classic. A new material has been used to make up the mesh bib top with an improved fibre content. High polypropylene content makes the mesh lighter, softer and more durable than its predecessor, perfect for a pair of daily essentials. It also wicks sweat away faster and is exclusive to these bib shorts. The extra wide sewn on grippers are directly woven with silicon for stability during your toughest sessions Paired with our Perform pad which is now made from recycled materials."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Lusso:

Made from Recycled fabrics

Extra wide leg grippers (measured at 70mm)

Reflective detailing sewn into the leg cuffs

Elastic Interface "Perform" chamois pad

Honeycomb mesh back and straps with low front cut for easy pee-stops

Recycled materials are used throughout the construction of the shorts, in the main fabric, pad and mesh back and straps. The leg grippers have silicone sewn directly into them.

The straps are a real highlight, comfortable both on and off the bike, and I did not feel them at all while riding.

A tiny bit of the edging of the Lusso lettering is starting to peel, but the material of the shorts is fine, no wear or loose threads at all in approximately six weeks of constant wear and washing.

Lusso offers a repair service for items purchased directly from its website; this is free of charge for items within its one-year warranty, while out-of-warranty items can be repaired for an additional fee.

Lusso advertises these as a "tight fit". I'm 5ft 11in with a 34in waist, and tested a large, and I could feel this in the leg hems as I have large thighs; they do stretch amply to go around them, but because of the grips, I found I needed to slightly pull them up my thighs a bit, before pulling the rest of the bib shorts up to my bum. Once the shoulder straps are on they are absolutely perfect, and everything remains in place.

Spot on.

Comparable with other shorts for the quality medium weight fabric used here.

The Elastic Interface Perform pad is very comfortable. I used these for rides between four and five hours, and upwards of 100km, and felt no discomfort at all. They will certainly be good for all-day riding. They cope well with hot temperatures too: I was wearing them on some of the hot humid days we had in May, pushing up to 27 degrees and still felt comfortable.

The shoulder straps are supremely comfortable, some of the best I have tried on any bib shorts. The low cut at the front makes for easy pee stops. Lusso claims that refining the design to use more recyclable materials has resulted in a better breathing pair of shorts, and they do breathe well.

They're not as cheap as the Galibier Equipe 2s, but only a £10 increase in price on the V2s since 2018 is impressive. This version seems to have defied inflation. That is a great price for a pair of shorts made in the UK.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

In with the rest of my weekly cycle gear at 30 degrees; even left for a few days in the wash bin, they came up absolutely fine and smelling fresh each time.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performance is really good. I used these mainly on road, but with a smattering of gravel for rides between 60 and 100km, and they performed really well. A good sign of how good they are is when you forget you are wearing them, and that was the case here. The classic, simple design of the shorts means they go with pretty much any jersey. The honeycomb style mesh used on the straps and back is really breathable and I appreciated it in the hot, sticky weather we had during the testing period.

The reflective lines surrounding each of the hems are a great help to being seen in low light, and won't wear out or fade as they are woven into the cuffs. Although discreet in the daylight, they really stand out at night, helping to see leg movement back and forth, which hopefully catches passing drivers' attention.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The fit and pad, and the comfortable shoulder straps. Also, the classic looks, super easy pee stops, and the reflective cuffs. I also like that the use of recycled materials.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The slight peeling of the Lusso branding on the outside of the shorts. An improvement could maybe to have a sewn-in reflective logo on the legs, that can't wear out.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

At £100, for a UK-made pair of shorts of this quality, they're very well priced. I was quite surprised at the figure when I saw the "hand stitched in Manchester" logo. Also, when we reviewed the V2 version back in 2018 they were £90, so to have only gone up £10 in five years is pretty incredible.

For the same money, the Blackmore bibs I tested last year have similar all-day comfort and a hardwearing construction, although the high front makes pee-stops tricky.

Jo found the Kalas Pure-Z bibs to have a good fit, although the size charts were a little odd. They're £20 more. I also own these, and find them very comparable with the Lussos, with a very similar pad, and similar performance for long rides (in time and distance).

You can find good cheaper options, though: Stu reckoned the Galibier Equipe 2s were great value at only £73. These also have comfortable straps, and a compressive fabric.

Use this box to explain your overall score

These perform extremely well, are understated yet smart, have an inflation-busting price, and are made in the UK to boot. They also now have impressive recycled credentials. They're excellent: 9 out of 10.