Altura Sportive 97 Progel Bib Shorts

Altura's 20-year involvement in cycling gear is celebrated with these new Sportive 97 Progel bib shorts. They offer impressive performance, fit and comfort for a competitive price.

The shiny Lycra used in their construction gives the shorts a retro look, but the performance is far from it. Altura says that its Dry technology fabric is engineered to move excess moisture away from the skin and it must work pretty well as the few warm and muggy days we've had recently didn't get the shorts feeling wet or clammy.

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The only downside with the fabric is that it feels quite thin, and if it rubs against a jersey zip for instance or you catch it on something it pulls and bobbles really easily. (You can also see how thin it is at the sides from the photos, with the model's underpants showing through – not that you'd be wearing any in use…)

The fit is close in the body to stop any bunching, especially around the torso and straps as they go over your shoulders. The legs fit well too, remaining in place thanks to silicone grippers, and don't feel restrictive if you've got large thighs.

The chamois is Altura's ProGel pad which is on the thick side, which I find makes it suited to longer rides where you might be sat a little more upright, like a sportive or something. That's not to say that you can't use these for faster, shorter rides, but when really crouched over I felt that there was just a little too much material there.

The chamois has various channels and layers of padding to support your sit bones and avoid numbness by allowing blood flow. Even though it is quite thick it is very supportive, so you sit on the pad rather than just squashing it flat, and it stays put too. I never suffered with any bunching or hot spots at all.

Quality-wise, things are pretty good, especially when you consider the price. There are a few rough thread ends around the seams and some of the stitching isn't the neatest, but that is all hidden away inside so they look good from the outside.

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At £59.99 they are up against the likes of the dhb Aerons and I would say BTwin's Aerofits, but they're not currently available on Decathlon's website; they're tough acts to follow to be fair, and the Alturas fall just a little short. Howie's £59.99 offerings are well worth a look too, for the same money.

They are very good shorts in their own right, though, and are far from overpriced.

Verdict

Great bib shorts for the money, offering good performance and fit, but make sure you don't catch them on anything