Shimano Evolve Bib Shorts

Shimano's Evolve bib shorts are a solid pair of bibs, although for me they didn't do enough to justify their price tag given the competition.

• Pros: Well made, useful hidden pocket
• Cons: Expensive, pad positioning not quite right

These bib shorts are 'engineered to ride further and faster with features to maximize vibration absorption, breathability, and comfort', says Shimano. They're nicely put together, too. The fabric (they're available in this navy blue and also black) is quite thick and feels good against the skin, as do the flat and seamless shoulder straps.

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There's some reflective detailing on the legs, and a discreet little pocket on one leg big enough for a gel or two. It's so discreet that I didn't even notice it until I'd read the description of the shorts on the Shimano website, so it's not obvious if you don't need it.

The reflective material on the legs means that they're not quite as elastic as some, so you won't want to size up too much or they might feel a bit flappy. I found that they stayed in place just fine though.

Shimano has developed its own Evolve chamois for these bibs, which is based on its top-end S-Phyre chamois but with 'increased vibration absorption and all-day comfort during Gran Fondos and extended hours in the saddle'. So Shimano is aiming these bibs at longer distances, and the material comfort and build quality are there for longer rides.

The chamois I found comfortable enough, but for me it was positioned a bit far back, so my sit bones weren't directly over the thickest bit when in a road riding position (although another tester who tried them found the pad too far forward). I knocked out a few long rides wearing them, and found them to be good for 4-5 hours in the saddle.

The front panel is quite high and the material feels gently compressive, which gives you the feeling of a bit of core support when you're out on a long one. Should nature call, they're not the easiest for comfort breaks thanks to the high front, but they're not too bad.

At £149 RRP these are fairly expensive shorts, and for me they're not doing enough to justify that outlay. In terms of overall comfort I didn't find them as comfortable as the dhb Aeron Speed bibs I recently tested, and those are 80 quid. My current favourite long-distance bibs are either the Le Col HC shorts, which are reassuringly expensive at £180 but great as the hours tick by into epic territory, or the £140 Castelli Free Aero Race bibs (https://road.cc/content/review/241540-castelli-free-aero-race-bibshort) with the excellent Progetto X2 pad.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling bib shorts

The dhb shorts are very nearly as comfortable as either, though, and if I was going to recommend a pair of shorts for endurance riding, they'd get the vote right now purely on value.

The Evolve bib shorts have some good features – the hidden pocket is a nice touch, the straps are comfy and they're very well made – but overall they're decent at this price, rather than great.

Verdict

Likeable bib shorts with a high quality build, but don't excel given the price tag