Altura Icon Men’s Cycling Bib Shorts

For the money the Altura Icon Men's Cycling Bib Shorts are decent performers thanks to a comfortable chamois – provided you don't want anything too padded – and a breathable, fast-wicking material.

Seventy quid is a busy price point for cycling shorts, and I wouldn't say the Icons are offering anything ground-breaking for the money over their competitors, but what they do deliver is a solid build with plenty of comfort.

The Icon pad is made exclusively for Altura by Elastic Interface, one of the biggest brands when it comes to cycling pads. One neat thing is that Altura specs thicker pads on the larger sizes of its shorts to compensate for a bigger rider's weight, though it's still quite a thin pad, with not a huge amount of padding.

That generally suits me – I'm not a fan of having loads of padding as it can bunch up and cause overheating. Here, I found the pad comfortable for around two-and-a-half to three hours of riding, but any longer and I would have appreciated just a little bit more padding.

The material used in the shorts feels good against the skin. There is nothing flash going on like compression or anything, but there is plenty of stretch in the fabric which is supportive as you ride.

The shorts are breathable, too, and for added effectiveness the rear panels are made of a carbon fabric which is said to reduce bacteria.

Though the shoulder straps are wide, they can spin and twist as you put them on so it's worth spending a few seconds making sure they lie flat before you head out for a ride.

Large grippers keep the legs in place and it's good to see reflective detailing on both legs rather than just the one.

Like most, Altura has a size guide on its website and it's well matched to the shorts, and to UK sizing in general. If you are a medium in most brands, then you'll be a medium in these.

The overall quality is impressive. The shorts are well made throughout and durable, too, holding up against general wear and tear and their interaction with the saddle.

Value and conclusion

As I mentioned, £70 puts the Icons in a busy part of the market, and though they hold their own against other quality shorts, there is some tough opposition from the likes of Orro with its £69.99 Pyro Line bib shorts, which scored well (and are currently £49.99), and the Galibier Equipe 2 Aeros which, though a couple of quid more, have a better pad in my opinion.

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best cycling bib shorts

Overall, the Icons are good all-round performers for all types of riding, although you might find the pad too thin for epic rides.

Verdict

Quite a thin pad, but comfortable nonetheless