Pearl Izumi Men’s Expedition Bib Short

With plenty of pockets, an extremely comfortable pad and fabric made from recycled materials, the Pearl Izumi Men's Expedition Bib Short (there's a women's version too) is ideal for gravel and adventure rides – or even for road jaunts when you want easy access to essentials.

As the name suggests, the Expedition bib shorts are designed with gravel/adventure riding in mind, but that doesn't mean that they're only good for that. The chamois pad and overall cut work just as well out on the road, especially for those longer jaunts.

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The obvious telltale these are for more than just road riding is the presence of pockets. You get one on each thigh and a rear one on the bib section.

When I'm riding on the gravel, I tend to wear technical t-shirts or one of the new gravel jerseys that don't tend to have pockets on the rear (or not as many, at least), so shorts with pockets help with carrying the extra little things I don't want to pack in a top tube or bar bag.

The thigh pockets are generously sized, being deep enough to swallow my phone (just) at 160mm, and about 130mm in width. They are a handy place for sections of maps, bars or gels. Anything you want easy access to without having to stop, really.

I was a little sceptical at first about how secure they'd be as when you aren't wearing them, the pockets look a little baggy.

Stunt phone

My kids have an old replica iPhone 6 (one shops use to put on the shelf) that's accurate for size and weight, so on my first outing – three hours on some tough terrain – I dropped that into the pocket.

With the material stretched over my thighs the pockets were much tighter. I had no issues with the phone jettisoning itself, or even moving around much at all.

The rear pocket is a similar size, but made of mesh. Again though, it is very secure. Personally, I wouldn't put anything too solid in there, as if you come off then anything in the pocket is going to focus the impact on your spine.

As for the rest of the shorts, there is a lot to like.

The Elite Transfer fabric offers a good level of compression, which I think aids muscle fatigue when off-road. On rough, quick sections there is a lot of vibration going through your muscles, and compressive shorts cuts down on that movement.

Eco tweak

The majority of the fabric is recycled nylon and polyester, with some elastane added for stretch. We are seeing quite a few pieces of clothing using recycled materials now, which can only be a good thing.

It's a comfortable fabric against the skin, with a smooth feel. The seams, although prominent, are soft and unnoticeable when riding.

The straps

The bib section is laser cut from a similar fabric blend as the leg part so again, comfort is great as the wide straps pass over your shoulders without any pressure points. At the other end, the leg grippers keep the shorts in place without feeling overly tight.

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The back panel isn't quite as breathable as the mesh found on a lot of other shorts, but it's not by a huge amount.

Chamois wise, the Expeditions use the Elite Escape 1:1, and it is very good indeed. It's a simple affair with just a couple of thicknesses, and no channels to (supposedly) relieve pressure.

This is how I've noticed pads going over the last few years – becoming less and less separated by channels – and I haven't noticed any difference in comfort.

I've worn the Expeditions on some decent length gravel rides, and they've been totally comfortable throughout thanks to this pad. It's firm enough to support you on the rough sections, without being so thick that it bunches up or takes away from ride feel and feedback.

Value

The Expeditions are £119.99, and I'd say that's a fair price considering the very high build quality and choice of materials. It's around the same as the Lusso Adventure bib shorts that Shaun was impressed with at £125.

Rapha’s Core Cargo Bibshorts are close too at £115. They have four pockets, although I'd say the mesh thigh pockets don't look quite as robust as the Pearl Izumi's. They won't be as good at keeping dust out, either.

Also impressive though are the Madison Roam Cargo bib shorts. You get an extra four pockets on the rear compared to the Pearl Izumis, and they're just £79.99.

Overall

I like the Expeditions a lot. The pockets bring plenty of versatility and secure storage for your bits and pieces, and while a lot of the opposition have more pockets, it's not a major deal. These are top-level shorts and very comfortable for riding road or off-road, long or short.

Verdict

Very comfortable bib shorts for getting off the beaten track, with plenty of pocket space