The Bib Difference

To the bottom of our Mono and Chroma Bib Short offering.

Cycling bib shorts are ultimately designed for comfort and efficiency while riding. But with so many to choose from, how do you know which are right for you? We currently have two offerings in our collection, the Mono and Chroma Bib Short, and often get asked about their different proposition.

In this post, we would like to outline some of their key differences, broken down by chamois, fit and fabric so you can discover which are most suited for you and your type of riding.

"Whilst all our bibs are designed with technical functionality at their core, the Mono Bib Shorts are best suited for all-day bike comfort, whilst the Chroma Bib Short makes use of the unique characteristics of a woven fabric construction, providing a more minimal, lightweight on-bike experience. For all our bibs, we engineered seams into the garments that best harmonise with the shape of the body for maximum comfort and an appealing, clean silhouette. An example of this is removing any seams that are in contact with the saddle to prevent any aggravation against the skin. It is super important that all riders feel confident wearing UC bibs. To ensure this, we have engineered in the leg panels to remove any skin deformation around the cuff, providing superior comfort and a clean aesthetic.”

William, Lead Designer

“I worked on the women’s bib shorts specifically and wanted no gimmicks. Simplicity, functionality and freedom of movement were really key in the development. High priorities were the back straps lining up with a woman’s racer back bra for a smooth finish and softer touch on the skin, strong yet stretchy straps for the ‘Nature Calls’ pee-break function and a stretchy waist for optimal comfort in the riding position. In addition, the seam positioning on the leg of our Mono Bib Short ensures the avoidance of the infamous ‘sausage leg’, whilst the consistent compression and clean-cut hem on the Chroma Bib Short provide a seamless finish.”

Sophie, Product Developer

Mono Bib Short

A go-to short for all-day comfort and long-distance rides, these bib shorts are a staple piece for any rider. The women’s bib short offers a Nature Calls’ pee-break friendly design, allowing the rider to take a ‘nature break’ without having to strip down by simply pulling the bibs down from the waist. The women on our team felt it was a crucial feature for all legwear.

Chamois.

All of our chamois are size-specific, optimising weight and comfort. Our Mono Bib Short features an Elastic Interface Paris HP hybrid cell high-density perforated foam pad. These are designed to minimise high impact vibrations, provide breathablility and feature anti-bacterial technology. With long-distance riding in mind, this chamois supports the rider on either the hoods or the drops.

Fit.

Offering full stretch to account for all body shapes, our Mono Bib Short has been designed to offer comfort without compromise. Stretchy, wide and soft elastic bib tape makes putting these bib shorts on a breeze. Once in the riding position, this tape allows a full range of movement without feeling restricted. Leg grippers use a half split self-fabric hem, resulting in a flattering fit on the lower leg and avoiding an unnecessary tight grip around the thigh. The offset inseam prevents irritation against the saddle.

Fabric.

Our chosen fabric is constructed from 100% recycled and Bluesign® fabrics, including the fabric used on the padding. This fabric has been chosen with hot summer days in mind and features 50+UPF protection, wicks away unwanted sweat and moisture and is highly abrasion-resistant. The upper mesh on the men’s bib short is highly breathable and stretchy, whilst the women’s has a supportive and stretchy bib strap system that braces behind the sports bra. This results in uncompromised comfort, for any length of riding.

The fabric has been woven by M.I.T.I in Urgnano, Italy. M.I.T.I weave their yarns in a facility that has made sustainability its business and production philosophy.

Chroma Bib Short

Lightweight and compressive, our Chroma Bib Short has been designed to aid muscle activation and reduce fatigue during training rides and races. A premium bib short that wouldn’t feel out of place in the pro peloton, it offers the rider a sensation of comfort without compromise.

Chamois.

All of our chamois are size-specific, optimising weight and comfort. This bib features an Elastic Interface Road Performance Compact pad that offers the rider protection where most needed, whilst being lightweight, flexible and non-bulky. Coverage is focused around the perineum and ischial bones, those most affected during long-distance and high-performance rides. 11mm thick and with multiple densities of foam, this high-density perforated foam pad is designed to dampen high impact vibrations, whilst being highly breathable and featuring antibacterial technology.

Fit.

Offering unrestricted comfort for riders who are suited to riding in an aggressive position and with seams that cut close to keep you aero. Traditional leg cuff construction has been replaced with a self-fabric constructed clean-cut hem, with silicone grippers printed directly onto the fabric to allow for a flattering fit and silhouette. The stretchy, wide and soft elastic bib tape promotes unrestricted comfort and flexibility. Seam placement has been engineered to give maximum comfort on the saddle, with the inside seam removed to avoid abrasion against the saddle and promote maximum comfort.

Fabric.

Woven fabrics have a plethora of advantages when compared to knit fabrics. This includes their ability to stretch in both directions at the same time, absorb less water and are more opaque, all aiding in comfort when next to the skin. By utilising a woven fabric construction, instead of the traditional knit fabric construction, our Chroma Bib Short is 35% lighter and more compressive compared to its counterpart. Woven fabrics are also proven to offer 7x higher abrasion resistance (compared to their knit equivalent) and boast increased product life due to their greater durability.

The fabric that we use for these bib shorts comes from Payen ESF in Ardeche, France. Their site has an energy efficient industrial water reuse system to minimise the water use in the manufacture. As wovens are intrinsically lighter than knits, less material is used and therefore reduces the transport emissions, material use and water use further.