WHICH BIBS ARE FOR ME?
For every stick-thin, head-down, shaven legged racer speeding across the tarmac there is a sandal-wearing, bearded randonneur. For every cafe run pootler, there is a mountain biker heading for the trails.
Contrary to Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote, all men are not created equal. Young or old, male or female, we are as individual as our fingerprints.
However, each person reading this does have one thing in common: our love of life on two-wheels.
"I was lucky enough to take the bibs for a 20-something-mile spin right away. It is by far the best pair of flippin' shorts I wore purely because they fit so well. I am amazed and look forward to my next long ride. Well done!"
Bearing in mind both these facts, the full range of Chapeau shorts have been created to celebrate our differences in both gender and riding styles.
Bib shorts are a fantastic invention although, initially, you could feel faintly ridiculous in them. You might want to try them on alone before subjecting your other half to the sight of you in what could be described as a sporting version of lederhosen.
The focus of their job is what is going on inside, though—and that should dispel any misgivings. Rather than a tight elastic waistband, shoulder straps play the important role of holding the shorts up. And that means no more digging-in around the waist creating discomfort. No more belly rolls or muffin-tops.
Perhaps even more importantly, though, is the padding. Long days in the saddle can be, quite literally, a pain in the arse. After all, there is nothing worse than getting off the bike at the cafe stop with your behind feeling as if it might be rivalling that which is only usually seen on a baboon.
It isn’t only your backside which takes a battering, though. A tingling sensation in the perineal area followed by numbness around the genital area can affect both men and women. With some suggestions of a link between cycling and erectile dysfunction for men, this is a warning sign to look out for.
Modern seats are made to suit different types of cycling: “sit up and beg” bikes for cruising down to the shops will have a noticeably more comfortable looking saddle than a high-end carbon fibre racing steed. However, that isn’t always the case. The harder the saddle, the more it stays in shape and doesn’t move around. That is where the chamois comes in.
The chamois in cycling shorts used to be exactly that: a piece of chamois leather placed under the posterior to protect from saddle-soreness, compressed nerves, chafing and irritation during long days on the bike. Things have moved on since that rudimentary solution, though, with the development of shorts that have a chamois seamlessly sewn in to provide padding.
To many people, cyclists are already often seen as fashion disasters on two-wheels—no matter how we might view ourselves. Our aim at Chapeau! is to challenge these stereotypes by creating well-tailored and stylish—but technical—clothing.
To that end, we introduced our range of Classic and Pave bib shorts. But which ones to choose?
Remember: All cyclists are not created equal. How do you ride? Are you racing, touring, mountain-biking? All of the above?
The Tempo Short
The Classic is our catch-all bib short. Perfect for short to medium length rides, commutes and quick spins, the chamois consists of a TMF multi density 3D pad with anti bacterial properties. High quality UV-protective lycra is used, anatomically cut to fit different sizes and genders perfectly.
Bib shorts should be black—that fact is undisputable—but we also added a little flash of colour for the men and beautiful spotted design for the ladies to add an extra sense of style and make ours stand out. Understated reflective detailing completes the package.
The Men's classic short is available in two colour ways; white and white/aqua. Our Classic Short in the ladies range has nifty polka dot detailing and is available in the following; white polka design or white and mint polka design.
The Club Shorts
The Club bibs feature a multi-panel design and a full mesh back and a snug fit to provide stability and essential ventilation. Designed and tested on our famously rough British roads the Topazio fabric has less elasticity than regular lycra to hold tired leg muscles more firmly and reduce fatigue.
Our green chamois caters for cyclists who usually ride in a more relaxed and upright position than the racers.
The thickest area of padding is therefore positioned under the sit-bones. The men’s offering also features a perineal relief channel, whereas the women’s has lateral creases towards the front which give the most comfortable, snug fit.
The Pave Short
Pave is our range of bib shorts which is tailored towards the individual. A good pair of bibshorts should be a snug fit, so the Paves have a multi-panel design and a full mesh back, which provides additional stability as well as essential ventilation. Because British roads are less than smooth, we've chosen a densely woven Topazio fabric for the legs. Topazio has less elasticity than regular lycra so it holds tired leg muscles more firmly and reduces fatigue over rough roads. We've taken special care with the leg grippers – a wide elasticated cuff with subtle silicone printing provides all the grip you need without cutting your circulation off.
The chamois are colour coded: Red, Green or Blue to signify the riding discipline that they are most suited to.
Red Pad
Specifically designed for racing. Red’s faster, right?
You spend your time on the drops: attacking, chasing, blitzing those PRs. That’s going to put a lot of pressure on the front part of your undercarriage.
The Chamois is made from a high-wicking material and is anti-bacterial. For women, the ultra high-density padding runs from the sit bones to the pubic bone to prevent chafing. The men’s version features a “pressure relief channel” to prevent numbness.
Green Pad
Perfect for the cafe-run, sportives, MTB and leisurely rides.
Our green chamois caters for cyclists who usually ride in a more relaxed and upright position than the racers.
The thickest area of padding is therefore positioned under the sit-bones. The men’s offering also features a perineal relief channel, whereas the women’s has lateral creases towards the front which give the most comfortable, snug fit.
Blue Pad
Built to go the distance. Specifically designed with endurance riding in mind.
Rarely chasing a time trial record, Audaxer’s and randonneurs aim to go the distance instead. They think nothing of spending up to ten hours a day in the saddle, so a comfortable pad is a necessity.
Again, a perineal relief channel is provided and the pad is made from high-wicking and quick-drying materials to keep you fresh no matter how long the day.
We have taken great care to ensure that our clothing both looks stylish and works on a technical basis. No only do our new bib shorts look great, but you can also be assured that they will perform in exactly the way that you need them to.
The Pave Short
New for this season, the Club bib-shorts are for the all rounder who demands comfort and quality in every ride. With ultra-high density foams concentrated on the sit bones and the Club is designed to perform on sportives and withstand the rigours of daily use.
Featuring a multi-panel design and a full mesh back, the Club’s snug fit provides stability and essential ventilation. Designed and tested on our famously rough British roads the shorts have the following features.
With a wide elasticated cuff with subtle silicone printing you have all the grip you need without cutting your circulation off.
Down to the finest details, we’ve created a bib short that will provide you with the utmost comfort. Where most brands use flatlock stitching which doesn’t allow the fabric to stretch, we use a zig-zag stitching for the ulitmate flexibility. External labels and a reflective Chapeau! label add up bib short that you’ll appreciate on every ride, from commuting to competing and anything in between.
At Chapeau! we say, Vive le Différence!