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review
£74.99
VERDICT:
Lightweight and breathable for hard turbo sessions and indoor racing, but not the best for long stints
Breathability, ideal for racing and short sessions
Lack of support allowed movement, causing chafing
Weight:
181g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
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Lusso's Turbo Bibshorts V2 are a good option for short, intense indoor rides. The mesh fabric is great for staying cool, though I did find that the material lacked the support of normal shorts and this created some issues with chafing. I also found the pad suitable only for around 60 minutes of riding, limiting the shorts a little.
If you're looking for some breathable bib shorts for a short indoor training session or virtual races then these Turbos are a good option. The frequency of my indoor riding has been increasing this winter, and with that I've been increasing the variation of what I do, and specific sessions have become the norm.
The biggest limiting factor to my performance when riding indoors is overheating, and having lightweight bib shorts has helped when trying to push out the watts in zone 5 (or 'full gas'). How much does it help? I'm not going to put a number on that, but I felt just a little more comfortable as the airflow from a fan can be felt on the thighs.
On me, the legs sit nicely a few inches above the knee and the straps that are tight when I'm stood up are comfortable once I'm on the bike. The material, however, is lacking a little when it comes to support, and I noticed that the shorts bunched around the front part of the pad. This caused the material to rub and I was put off using the shorts for any ride that was going to be over an hour.
When I did ride in these for longer than 60 minutes, I found the pad a little on the thin side. I'd prefer something that is denser, though this is personal preference – Stu reviewed the original version of the shorts that used the same pad and he was a fan.
The issues I had were a shame as, in general, the shorts are comfortable otherwise, with the mesh material being soft against the skin and the stitching neatly done.
The price is pretty good, too, at £74.99. That's quite a bit cheaper than the Nopinz SubZero shorts (£109.99 – full review to come), which are in the same range as the SubZero Suit that Dave reviewed. You can spend less though: the Madison Turbo bib shorts are £69.99 (and currently reduced to £54.99).
> Buyer’s Guide: 15 of the best turbo trainers
All in, the Lusso Turbos are good for intense sessions and indoor racing where you want to prevent overheating as much as possible. For me, I'd have to limit my use to sessions of under an hour, but up until that point, the shorts are good.
Verdict
Lightweight and breathable for hard turbo sessions and indoor racing, but not the best for long stints
road.cc test report
Make and model: Lusso Turbo Bibshorts V2
Size tested: Small
Tell us what the product is for
Lusso says, 'Our turbo bib shorts have been completely redesigned to focus on the two things that matter most when riding indoors: Comfort and breathability.
'The side panels, along with the bib straps and back are made from a highly breathable lightweight mesh fabric that gives a soft next to the skin feel by using soft bindings and minimal seams. This mesh helps combat the hot and humid environment by dissipating sweat more rapidly than conventional bib short fabrics. In total the garment only weighs 176g ( size Small).
'We have used a lightweight lycra fabric over the chamois area and inside leg for privacy, as the mesh is slightly opaque but not transparent.
'The pad we have used has a 3 zone design, providing ample support in the right areas. It also has an antibacterial carbon weave on the face that actively inhibits bacterial growth and a perforated surface for added ventilation.
'We use our tried and tested Lusso silicon leg grippers to keep the shorts firmly in place and finished them with minimalistic Lusso branding to the rear, these bib shorts are certain to improve your time in the pain cave.'
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Lusso lists:
Breathable indoor specific mesh fabric
Lightweight construction
Minimal seams and soft bindings
3 zone, antibacterial & perforated chamois
Silicone 45mm leg grippers
Designed and manufactured in Manchester
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
6/10
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
Rate the product for sizing:
6/10
Rate the product for weight:
9/10
Rate the product for comfort:
5/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed at 30; I didn't tumble dry them.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
They performed well for short, hard indoor training sessions.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The lightweight material allows great airflow.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The chafing issue that reared its uncomfortable head after around an hour.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Quite a bit cheaper than the NoPinz SubZeros, which will set you back £109.99, but a fiver more than the Madison Turbos.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, up to an hour.
Would you consider buying the product? If I got more into indoor racing, then yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, to a keen indoor racer.
Use this box to explain your overall score
Good shorts overall, and well priced, though some comfort issues limit their use to shorter sessions.
About the tester
Age: 24
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!
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