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Tech review - December 2, 2004
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Cannibal Bullet Proof bib shorts
Comfortable shorts from outside the standard Nylon/Lycra box
Australian clothing manufacturer Cannibal believes Nylon/Lycra has had its day, and offers as evidence these heavyweight bib shorts. John Stevenson is impressed.
Unlike most cycling shorts, Cannibal's Bullet Proof bibs aren't made from Nylon/Lycra, the fabric that's dominated cycling shorts for the last two decades or so. Instead, the main body of the shorts, from the hips down, is constructed from Tactel/Lycra, a heavier, tougher fabric that Cannibal believes solves the biggest problem with standard Nylon/Lycra shorts: they wear out and they don't like being abraded.
Certainly a solution to the way Nylon/Lycra wears is welcome. Every ride group has one: the guy whose shorts are basically transparent because they're his all-time fave pair and he's not about to ditch them just because everyone can see his arse. After several months of using them on a weekly basis, I can confirm that it will be worth your while clubbing together to buy Mr Visible Buns a pair of these shorts.
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The Tactel/Lycra fabric also has a very heavy 'feel' and seems to need a bit more force to stretch it than a lighter Nylon/Lycra. There's a theory doing the rounds that compression fabrics help muscles to work better and so increase your power output, so if there's anything in that notion, it's another plus for the Bulletproof shorts. A more immediate practical benefit is that the fit and shape is excellent and the firm fabric keeps everything down there well under control. Some very light shorts fabrics are a bit lacking in this department, and you can find the old wedding tackle getting into nooks and crannies where it really shouldn't as a result. Not so with the Bullet Proofs.
However, it doesn't matter much how good the shell is if shorts don't have a comfortable liner. Cannibal uses a multi-density pad with a soft surface and thicker foam under you sit-bones than under the edges. It also features a Cannibal print in a cool blue and white pattern, which, you might thing, is a bit pointless (as nobody can see it while you're riding) but it does speak to Cannibal's dedication to detail, in the same way that medieval craftsman created intricate wooden carvings in the nooks and crannies of cathedral roofs where nobody would ever see them.
As well as an unusual fabric and moulded pad, the Bullet Proof bibs boast the usual features of high-end shorts: nine-panel construction in the shorts for excellent fit; leg grips to keep them in place and flat-stitched seams for a clean look.
After years of wearing regular bibless shorts, I've become a big fan of bib shorts in the last twelve months or so, and for the most part the overall comfort of the Bullet Proofs just reinforces my enthusiasm. Cannibal's bib is made from Tactel mesh and it's light, well-ventilated and comfortable. However, it's the source of my only gripe with the Bullet Proof bibs: it could be a little stretchier to pull the tops of the shorts in and up a shade more firmly. There's no significant problem in use, it's just that compared to bib shorts with Lycra 'braces' it just feels a little odd not to have a stretch fabric over your shoulders too.
One concern about heavier fabrics such as the Tactel Cannibal has chosen for the Bullet Proofs is that it could be warmer than regular Nylon/Lycra. In theory, maybe, but in practice we're still talking about a cloth that's a fraction of a millimeter thick and made from a yarn that's well-known for its ability to wick sweat away from the skin. Even on the hottest days, the extra thickness of the fabric has not been an issue.
On the contrary, the Bullet Proofs rapidly became the first shorts I'd pull out of the box. Unless, that is, I was planning a longer ride later in the week and wanted to save them for a situation where being comfortable was essential, like a long road ride. I've used them for road and mountain biking and the only feature I can't talk about is crash-proofness because I've yet to have a big spill in them. Otherwise, though, the comfort and fit is excellent, as is the consruction - there are no signs of wear or loosening seams anywhere.
At AU$210 the Bullet Proof bib shorts are by no means cheap, but some things are worth paying extra for, and really comfortable shorts are one of them. Highly recommended.
Recommended retail price: AU$210/US$140
Pro: Extremely comfortably, great 'feel'
Con: Stretchier braces would be nice
More information: Cannibal's
US/world website - Cannibal's
Australian website
Cyclingnews Rating: 
Photography
Images by Paul Mirtschin/Cyclingnews
- Cannibal Bullet Proof bib shorts feature tough Tactel fabric and excellent comfort and fit
- Cannibal's liner complete with colourful graphics
- The pad uses differential thickness separated by channels for comfort
- The mesh braces are minimal and well-ventilated
- Reflective lettering helps with evening visibility
- The mesh could do with to be a litle stretchier
