High quality, super-comfy ladies’ bib shorts designed for those spending a long time in the saddle.

Assos T.Lady_s5 bib shorts are the kind of kit you would buy as a ‘treat’ or for an especially long ride where you can’t afford to get saddle sore. If you can rustle up the cash, you’re unlikely to regret it, as these are some of the most comfortable bib shorts around for Spring / Summer/ Autumn riding.

Getting straight to the crotch, sorry, crux of the matter, the chamois on these shorts is lovely and soft and generously covers your butt and groin. It doesn’t feel rigid or bulky and the honey-comb structure of the foam distributes pressure, while providing some ventilation.

The high waist sits in just the right place so that it doesn’t cut into your stomach or give you indigestion, and the central strap and clip just below your bra line works well so there are no straps cutting across your boobs. The shorts are flattering and hold you in, without cutting in on the waist or thighs. Also, if you’re desperate for the loo out on a ride, you can pop the clip undone and drop your shorts without having to take off your cycling top. Sadly, the same can’t be said for doing it back up again.

The clip’s an ingenious design – sliding through a ‘tube’ of fabric, which keeps it in place – although I did find that after a few washes / a bit of use, it sometimes pops undone when riding.

The central strap can be worn at 3 different lengths, depending on the length of your torso. I’m a size 10-12, UK size and was advised that a ‘small’ would be the best fit. There is also an XS for those who want a more ‘race-fit’ pair of bib shorts, or who are petite.

Other nice touches include the mesh panel across your back, high-viz strips on the seams and the fact that they offer 50+ SPF protection. They are also discretely branded, rather than covered in the maker’s name.

Click on the gallery below to see more images of the Assos T.Lady_s5 bib shorts.

Verdict

If money’s no object, these T.Lady_s5 bib-shorts are a no-brainer… If they stand the test of time, then they are a viable purchase for the rest of us.

Pros

– Super-comfy and flattering
– Cool in warm temperatures
– Seemingly seemless chamois

Cons

– Expensive
– Clip sometimes pops undone while riding

Price: RRP £167.99
Sizes available: XS / S / M /  XL
Colour options: Black or White
More information: Assos

What Assos says about the T.Lady_s5 bib shorts

These are Assos’ words, not ours!

The new T_FI.Lady provides ASSOS shorts technology specifically tailored to accommodate the female body. A true value when intelligent riding comfort and protection is required. Have a good ride!

The construction and textiles

In the world of cycling apparel, patents are very rare. In the case of the T.Lady_s5, two lady-specific ASSOS innovations have obtained a patent.

First is the ABC Closure System specifically engineered to fit a woman’s body, creating the perfect female fit solution for bib construction. Providing total wearing comfort by means of the Y-panel design that contours in between instead of over the breasts, it incorporates the ABC Closure System, which allows you to tailor the bib length to your liking and to more easily dress / undress.

The second patent is for the construction of the leg grippers. Instead of full-circumference leg grippers, ASSOS developed a sewing construction that allows half-circumference grip without losing stability. Why? Because the female body naturally stores bit more fat in the thighs, and the leg grippers on female shorts often provoke an aesthetically unpleasing picture. Not anymore! Now women can enjoy a proper leg fit – the shorts stay in position – without the unflattering skin impressions.

The heart of any shorts is the protection insert, and the T.Lady_s5 features the legendary ASSOS custom elastic interface insert. It is the result of a six-month field analysis in which 112 female cyclists participated, back when ASSOS first launched the Comfort Revolution (first elastic insert) over 10 years ago. Since then, the ASSOS Lady insert has been refined and perfected, today featuring s5 waffle technology that makes it 35% more breathable.

Like all the other s5 generation of shorts, the T.Lady_s5 features the Type.434 custom textile blend, a fabric specifically designed and engineered for cycling applications by ASSOS Textile Lab Lugano. This fabric is not commercially available. Why a custom fabric? Because, for us, the fabric characteristics needed to produce high performance cycling shorts are unique, and it’s not acceptable to use a standard, and less expensive, off-the-shelve spandex blend.