Santini Gravel Bib Shorts

Santini's Gravel Bib Shorts take the performance and fit of its top-end road shorts but add easy-access storage pockets and a much more durable fabric to take the abuse of brambles and spills on rough surfaces. They might be a bit too race-orientated for some, though.

More and more brands are bringing out gravel-specific clothing now, typically with a slightly more relaxed fit or a thicker pad than their road line-up, but Santini's Gravel bib shorts don't follow that. At the same time as testing these I was also wearing Santini's Redux Istintos, its top-flight race bib shorts, and when it comes to fit there is very little in it. The Gravels are cut close, and they also share the same C3 pad. These are definitely shorts for the performance gravel rider.

The pad is very good on the road, but even with its minimal thickness it still works on the gravel when you are riding quickly with the majority of your weight on the pedals rather than the saddle.

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A lot of my gravel rides are like that – 90-minute to 2-hour blasts, mixing up the terrain – and it's on these sorts of routes that I've found the C3 to work best. With minimal bulk it allows you to easily move around on the saddle when changing position for technical sections, and there are definitely no issues with bunching of the gel padding.

Its size also allows for plenty of feedback to come up through from the ground, so you know what your tyres are up to.

Santini says the C3 is an endurance pad for rides up to 8 hours, and after some long outings on the road bike wearing the Redux Istintos, I can agree. But on the gravel, especially if you are taking things a bit easier, it's a little lacking in the padding department. It all comes down to the type of riding you predominantly do.

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

For the main shorts section, Santini uses an exclusive 200g/m2 Gabardine fabric, which includes 25% elastane. It feels thicker than that used in many road shorts, but not so much that it feels weighty or affects breathability. There is a lot of stretch in it, and compression, which I find has a good impact on muscle fatigue as rides get longer.

When on the bike the shorts move well with your body, while the leg grippers stay in place thanks to the silicone dots on the inside.

The material is standing up well to the added rigours of off-road riding, too. Some of my routes have become overgrown during the summer months, so the shorts have been snagged by all sorts of thorns and brambles as I've weaved my way through.

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There is the odd pull of the fabric here and there, but way less than you'd get on a standard pair of road shorts. All of the stitching is holding up well to miles in the saddle too.

Size-wise, these Gravel shorts come up smaller than typical UK brands. Santini addresses this in its size guide, though, so just follow that. You'll probably need to go up a size or even two compared with the likes of Lusso, dhb and Rapha.

Personally, I'd like the stomach section to finish a little higher for comfort.

The straps are wide, which reduces pressure points, but they do change material halfway through so there is a seam on the shoulder. It caused me no issues, but might if you don't always wear a baselayer.

Pockets

I often use bags on my gravel bikes, even on short rides I like a handlebar bag and a saddle pack, but because of the terrain I'll often need to stop to retrieve anything from them. With shorts like these you can stash food or gel sachets in the mesh leg pockets, or anything else you might need to grab on the fly.

The pockets might look a little flimsy and like they won't hold anything when the shorts are just hanging up, but pull them on and the pockets are pulled taut against the shorts.

The rear pockets let you carry stuff you'd normally put in a jersey, which I found handy on hot days when I might have my jersey unzipped for long climbs.

Also, if I'm out riding purely on the trails then I might go for a technical T-shirt or cross-country jersey without pockets. The pockets become a boon then.

Value

Priced at £169 the Santinis aren't cheap, but they are very well made.

That's a bit higher than the PEdAL ED Odyssey Bibshorts which I was very impressed with a couple of seasons back. They were £145 at the time, but look to be around £153 now.

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Rapha's Cargo Bib Shorts are £195, although they do come with a dash of water resistance for when the weather is a bit iffy.

Conclusion

Overall I'd say the Santini Gravel bib shorts are good, but not quite as versatile as some. If you are the type of rider who likes to smash the pace out on the rough stuff then they are definitely worth a look.

Verdict

Robust and comfortable gravel shorts aimed at the performance rider