Endura’s new women’s summer riding kit has arrived on the market. It’s their most advanced female specific riding gear yet – a development which they hope shows their dedication to improving the provision for women who ride.
The Women’s FS260-Pro SL Bibshorts (£99) and jersey were unveiled at Eurobike towards the end of last year, but have only just become available to buy.
The Pro SL level bib shorts have been available to men for just over a year, but Endura have finally seen fit to carry them over into the women’s range. The bibs are tailored to fit their rider, with three different seat pads available to suit differing widths of rider’s sit bones. Previously, the women’s bibs only went up to the ‘Pro’ rank, and these weren’t available in multiple widths.
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Endura, who are the clothing sponsors of pro women’s team Cervelo Bigla, want the new range to act as a sign of their commitment to women.
Cervelo Bigla team leader Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio said: “It’s really great to collaborate with people with the same passion and desire. The kit is absolutely amazing. It’s really cool to have a sponsor that treats us the same as the men. We feel that we get as much attention from Endura as the men do and they feel really strongly about our potential and what we can do. We’re very excited to represent the Endura brand this year.”
The bibs have received a stamp of approval from Ironman Switzerland winner, Beth Gerdes, who says: “On a ride longer than three hours, I simply cannot bring myself to wear another pair of shorts. The dropseat function has been incredible and helps me make just a quick stop along the road. The fit of the shorts is both flattering and functional, hitting in all the right places. The solution that the FS260-Pro SL bibshort provides — the comfort of bib shorts combined with the ease of traditional shorts — is simply unparalleled.”
The bibs use Italian Power lycra with coldback technology, and are constructed from multiple panels to ensure a great fit. To allow for easy comfort breaks, Endura have fitted the bibs with their drop-seat function – a zipped section around the middle can be unzipped and the rear of the shorts pulled down easily, so jerseys and jackets can stay on.
The pad is the most important development – the shorts use the Endura 700 series chamois, and their ‘gebioMized Pad Fit’ system allows riders to find the perfect fit using a tool available at selected Endura dealers.
The bibs are designed to be paired with the brand new Women’s FS260 Pro II jersey (£49), another first for women as the jersey at this level was previously only available for men. Designed to be cut to accommodate an athletic figure, this jersey features mesh panelling for ventilation and uses rapid wicking fabric. There’s also a pair of Women’s FS260 Pro Aerogel Mitts, once again only available for men and designed to dampen road buzz whilst remaining aerodynamic.
It’s great to see mainstream brands launching high quality women’s gear that matches the level of performance they offer to men, and it’s something we’re seeing more and more of in recent years. You can see all the kit here, and we’ve sent some gear out to a TWC contributor who will be bringing us her verdict in the coming weeks.
Want to see the brands Team TWC rate the highest for their provision to women? Check out our TWC Champions for our absolute top twenty. Endura aren’t there, but with their work with Cervelo Bigla and their growing range, well… there’s always next year!
