Reviews

Every short has a silver lining?

Campagnolo Techno Cycling Bib Shorts

By Simon Hayes

Hailing from Vicenza, Italy, Campagnolo needs no introduction. The Italian component company has been famous for innovation since the 1930s and has a reputation for presenting the utmost in looks and quality throughout its product range. For the 2003 season, the Campagnolo range also includes an impressive array of jerseys, shorts, and arm warmers, including the Techno Cycling Bib Shorts.

The inside view
Photo: © Simon Hayes

The Techno Cycling Bib Shorts are made from Dorlastan, a fibre claimed to "lend elasticity to the garment: perfect fit, excellent wear, comfort, shape-retaining, extremely durable, highly elastic." For the record, Dorlastan is made by Bayer Technologies. In real terms, the fabric is much softer than your standard black Lycra or Spandex. The finish is a lovely smooth, almost peachy texture, which is very comfortable against the skin.

A big plus

The big plus however, is in the construction of the chamois pad. The shorts use a "X-static" pad. What is this "X-Static" you ask? Well, according to Campagnolo, "Argent-X is a high performance fibre system made with pure silver. Silver is naturally antimicrobial, enabling X-static to safely inhibit the growth of odour causing bacteria and fungi." Apparently silver "also has the best possible thermodynamic properties, so you will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter." Martketing puff aside, I can tell you that after several eight-hour rides, there still wasn't any hint of odour from the pad.

The chamois pad also has a number of advantages besides the silver lining. Have a look at the accompanying picture and you'll notice that it has several different areas of moulding. The pad shown is from the men's version, with a slightly different model for female riders. Both have a three layer construction for comfort and both have a concave cut at the rear for freedom of movement and greater ventilation. There is no central seam and the padding is greater where your "sit bones" are situated. The male model has more padding in the prostatic area and less to the sides; the female version has extra padding around the outside, very similar in shape to some of the female-specific saddles on the market. Both models have a layer of fleece-like material where your thighs rub against the saddle walls while pedaling, and the male model has extra fleece on the front for comfort and warmth where it's most delicate.

A bigger wrap

Comfortable
Photo: © Cyclingnews

When you first put the shorts on and walk around, the pad feels a bit cumbersome. But once in the saddle it feels great. Many bike shorts feel good for an hour or two, but then they start to rub. I had no such problems with these. In fact, I'll stick my neck out and say they are the most comfortable shorts I've ever worn. The only slight thing I found unusual was that they were slippery on a standard leather saddle with no stitching, but it took about 10 minutes for me to get used to that and afterwards I didn't even notice it. In fact, if anything, it made it easier to get off the back of the saddle when mountain biking downhill.

There is also a mesh back-panel, which is good for moisture management and a reflective Campagnolo badge on one buttock for the label junkies. Our XL samples were spot-on in the shorts department with the soft elastic uppers holding everything in place nicely. The legs didn't ride up or twist about and there was no rubbing.

In summary, if you can put up with your wife yelling out in a Wallace and Grommit voice, "How were the Techno trousers?" every time you come back from a ride, these are great shorts. It's possible that the patch on the buttock could rub off, but really, I couldn't fault them. Definitely recommended.

Recommended retail price: Around US$80.00
Pro: Very, very comfortable
Con: Very, very comfortable
More information: Campagnolo's website
Cyclingnews Rating:

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