Etxeondo Orhi Bib Short

The Etxeondo Orhi Bib Shorts are a new product from the Spanish company and are their second most expensive offering. They're very well designed with a racey fit and comfortable chamois and the bold leg hem gives them a distinctive look. Well suited to riding in hot weather, with key mesh panels to aid breathability.

Starting with the most important component of any bibshort, the chamois. Often called the insert, or pad, Etxeondo have developed the Urraki in partnership with Elastic Interface and its use of staggered depth foam places more padding where you need it most, and less where you don't need it. It conforms comfortably to the body and during riding offers top-level comfort. And because of its lack of bulk due to the multi-depth shape, you don't really notice it's there.

The shorts are made with a one-piece seamless bib section that is intended to improve comfort, and it does, because there are a lot fewer seams and stitching than some shorts. There's plenty of stretch in the Lycra Sport fabric that they shape nicely around the legs and hips with no undesired tension or restriction. Swooping from the inner thigh, around the leg and to the bum, is a panel of mesh material that aids breathability, so on a hot day these will keep you cooler. A nice touch.

The seamless bib straps are wide and stretchy and afford good pressure distribution over the shoulders, and there's no stitching or ridges to dig into the body. They sit comfortably over the chest as well. Out back the tops of the straps have a short joining section and there's a large hole to aid ventilation. Just above the bum, in the small of your back is a large mesh panel to further aid ventilation.

Wide leg grippers do a standout job of keeping the legs in place, so they don't slide up and show your pale white flesh above the tan line. You've got a tan line, right? The hems clasp the leg without too much pressure, there's no restriction to speak of. Large logo type wraps around the hem and is a love-or-hate thing really. I've grown to like it. I've not spotted another rider out on the roads in matching shorts, which is always nice if that sort of thing concerns you (it doesn't me, it's just an observation worth noting).

The fit is very good, but it has to be said that they're on the small side. They're from the Italian school of sizing. I tested the medium and they compare well with Assos and Castelli in this regard. There's loads of stretch in the fabric and they're a good cut that fits comfortably. They're available in sizes right up to XXL.

They're at the higher end of the bib short pricing ladder but they make a very good argument for themselves.

Verdict

Comfortable, good looking, ideal in hot weather and a great chamois.