7mesh RK1 Bib Short

The 7mesh RK1 Bib Short is an 'elite performance, second skin road cycling short' according to its creators. A couple of hundred quid is a big investment for a piece of clothing, but wow! – these are extremely comfortable, excellently tailored bib shorts.

When it comes to comfort on a bike, you really can't ignore how much a pair of bib shorts can really make or break a ride. A poor pad choice or a seam in the wrong place can literally end in tears.

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You can get a really good pair of shorts for around a third of the price of the RK1s, though, so what makes them stand out? Well, it's a little bit of everything, to be honest. Little details here and there that just put them at the next level.

The fabric used in the main body of the shorts is a blend of nylon (66%) and quite a high level of elastane at 34%. This gives the RK1s a compressive nature which, according to some studies, can promote blood flow while exercising.

Whether that's true or not, the way the fabric clings to your legs as you move through the pedal stroke means there's no rucking up of fabric anywhere or unwanted movement at the leg grippers or anywhere else. They really do deliver that second skin fit that 7mesh alludes to.

Of course it's not just the fabric that does this, the multi-panel cut has huge importance too.

7mesh has really gone to town here with the number of sections that make these shorts fit and work so well when on the bike, especially when it comes to performance riding. This does create extra seams but 7mesh has placed them well, keeping them all out of the way so that they never cause irritation.

The material is also very smooth and soft which feels great against the skin, and thanks to the compressive nature of the fabric there is no need for large leg grippers to keep everything in place – a few silicone dots are applied to the bottom of the legs and that's it, job done.

The key component to any bib shorts is the pad and 7mesh has got this bang on. The Performance Force chamois has been developed with Elastic Interface, one of the big players in the market.

I've noticed a switch in pad design over the last few years, where lots of the differing densities of foam and channels here, there and everywhere have been disappearing. 7mesh has gone down this route too: on initial inspection it's a simple foam pad that tapers in thickness out towards the edge rather than stepping down in size in different places around the pad. There is a central channel to remove pressure, but also the pad is actually quite short, as in the front section is missing.

This has been done to aid breathability, but I also found that it works well when hammering along in a low-slung position. Being similar in length to some of the new short stubby saddles on the market, when you are in the drops really whacking the power out there is no pad to bunch up at the front.

The straps are made from a fine mesh and once again it is really soft, which makes them very comfortable. There is a bit of stretch in the fabric that keeps them in position, but you won't get any pressure points at all.

When it comes to build quality, I really can't fault the RK1s. All of the stitching is immaculate throughout, and the material looks to be robust and durable too.

After six weeks of riding around in them there is no sign of wear from being in contact with the saddle, which is impressive for such a lightweight fabric. Some can bobble or scuff around the pad area on account of the friction from the pedal movement.

When it comes to pricing the RK1s aren't alone at the £200 point. This time last year I was pretty impressed with the Scicon X-Over Bib Shorts which cost a cool £219. Like the 7mesh, the fit was great, as was the pad, but for me the RK1s definitely have the edge when it comes to the how good the fabric feels against the skin.

> Buyer’s Guide: 32 of the best cycling bib shorts

Some of the best shorts I have ever worn are the Pearl Izumi Pros. Again, the fabric is soft and feels great when you are wearing the shorts. They were priced at £189.99, so a little cheaper than the RK1s but not by much.

Overall

By looking through our bib shorts review section you'll see that you can get some excellent shorts at pretty much any price point, but there are always some that just seem to deliver that little bit extra for the money. That's what 7mesh has achieved with its RX1 bib shorts: it's really focused on the details, which makes them pretty close to perfection.

Verdict

A big outlay but the performance and attention to detail mean they're worth it