Velocio Women's Ultralight Bib Short

Velocio's Women's Ultralight Bib Shorts are very breathable and – thanks to a comfortable pad, effective comfort-break design and totally opaque finish – they transfer well from indoor turbo sessions to long days on hot roads.

Light and breathable bibs are always handy. Even if you're not treated to gorgeous hot weather all the time, they help keep you cool during turbo sweatfests, and these – which have no see-through mesh panels – are versatile across indoor and outdoor rides.

Made in Italy, these summer-weight Ultralight bibs use a new 140g/m2 stretch woven fabric for a compressive feel.

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The tight weave provides a pleasing squeeze that's supportive, but not restrictive – Velocio says it's on par with its more expensive (£213) Concept bibs. It's rather impressive given the Ultralight's low weight. They're just 126g in size small.

Comfort is delivered by the excellent cut and minimal seam design, rather than the fabric itself. The texture is not as smooth as other shorts, but the slight roughness isn't so noticeable when riding.

The Ultralights stay cool without resorting to mesh sections, as found on many turbo offerings (such as Lusso's Turbo Bibshorts V2, for instance). The Velocios are impressively breathable, and moisture evaporates very quickly – these kept me happily cool during indoor sweatfests.

Impressively, despite being so thin and breathable there are no transparency issues. Velocio promises a 'deep black high opacity finish,' and delivers just that.

They also offer Velocio's latest generation 'FlyFree' bib upper. The straps are 4.5cm wide and distribute pressure evenly, and easily pull down to let you pee without having to take all of your top layers off.

With jerseys packed full of snacks and tools, this feature honestly makes such a difference – it's simple, effective and great for all-day outings.

Wearing the correct size, the material feels robust so I don't have any concerns about longevity when dragging on the straps, but if you're between sizes then going up may be a good idea.

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Even pared down (they've lost the mesh front panel of old) these shorts still rise a decent amount above your hips. You're still protected from any jerseys that stubbornly ride up.

Tucked inside is an Elastic Interface chamois developed for Velocio. The dual-density foam is perforated for breathability, and apparently there's an anti-vibration layer with supportive high-density perineal inserts.

The result is effective. Rides of up to four hours stayed comfortable, and I never experienced chafing or overheating.

The leg grippers are also effective, while avoiding any pinching or bulging.

Finishing these off are small reflective logos down each side and at the rear, while the simple black looks are stylish and easy to match with any jersey.

At £168 these are joint second cheapest in Velocio's range, and about right for a premium pair of shorts. Rapha's top-performance Souplesse Detachable bib shorts are more expensive at £195, for instance, and also have an easy-pee design (they clip at the back).

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Then again, the Pearl Izumi's Women's Attack Bib Capri shorts also allow for easy comfort breaks, and are fundamentally the same as the Attack Bib Shorts at £99.

With the straps crossing at the back and much thinner material, the Attacks take patience to arrange and make comfy, but on the upside they're recycled nylon. The Ultralight is one of the few in Velocio's range that isn't eco-friendly.

Overall

The Velocio Women's Ultralight Bib offers a high quality build. They're comfortable and breathable, even when the effort or temperature ramps up, and good for long days in the saddle thanks to a very decent pad. The performance and versatility makes them a worthwhile investment.

Verdict

Fantastic breathability and a comfy pad for long rides – hot or not. These are top notch