If you can get past the jargon about the “Accento” Helix women’s bib shorts on their website, you will love this short. If you’ve been looking for a comfortable usable pair of bib shorts, for long rides and racing, that has a chamois that you will want in all of your shorts because it fits well, works well, helps you perform even, look no further.
The Primal Accento range has been marketed as a high end “racing” range. The chamois has been stitched in with love, and designed with women in mind. This gets a big like from me. The seams, are well, seamless, and the padding is somewhat of a marvel that needs a little explanation.
The Accento “HX8” carbon chamois is contoured. Properly contoured, like, to the shape of a woman’s body. Thought has gone into the design of this pad so that it not only fits well, most importantly it rides really well too. I often find that when I’m working hard, TT’ing, or on a long flat my pelvis rocks backwards and the weight goes onto my pubic bone. The chamois pad offers protection whilst riding in this position, without the unnecessary bulk, and moves with you.
Primal are marketing themselves as being the go to brand for technology and racing fit. Clothes for riders who want to perform. Everything about this short says performance from the fabric, to the design. I am always a little unsure as to whether to go for a bib short or not. Especially for long rides as they provide an undoubted “faff” element for needing to use the loo, so the product would have to offer a lot of other positives for me to be convinced into using it. The Primal “Accento” bib shorts do just that.
The fabric is racy, feels slick to wear, almost like a skin suit, Primal says that the Accento uses “finest Vero fabric with superior compression and elite 4-way stretch properties” that are designed to help with aerodynamics “the Helix is engineered to reduce air surface resistance and improve performance”. I’ve not timed myself in versus out of the kit to test this theory, but the bib shorts certainly fit well and feel great to wear, almost as if it were custom made to fit. You’ll feel like you, but a slightly smoother & maybe faster version of you.
There are two straps that hold the shorts in place, with good ventilation on the back of the short via the mesh bib. Primal have used different fabrics with panelling on separate parts of the shorts for breathability and function. If I have one gripe, it is with the elastic banding that is on the bottom of the legs to keep them in place that didn’t quite fit snugly enough for me.
Verdict
Well designed, well made and a pleasure to wear. No scratchy edges, great fabric, great movability, good wicking properties, made with love. The fabric is so light this is a great kit to wear for your training camp away, long rides, and racing alike. I’d like to see this range in a few different colour options.
Pros:
-Great chamois
-Superior design
-Rides effortlessly, you forget that you are wearing them
Cons:
-Elastic bottom of short could fit snugger
Price: £117.00 , available from Wiggle.
PRIMAL PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Engineered to improve performance, the Elite Bib Short was designed for competition but built for everyday rides. The highest level performance fabrics and our top of the line HX8 Carbon chamois are used to create unmatched performance and unparalleled comfort.
The Primal Bib Collection combines the best components to provide the highest comfort, performance and durability of any cycling bibs on the market. Ergonomic panels and elite fabrics create compression around key muscle groups to help increase strength, movement accuracy and endurance.
DETAILS
Elite Level Bib
Vero Fabric
Z92 Fabric
Mesh Bib Upper
HX8 Carbon Chamois
Silicone Leg Gripper
Flatlock Stitching
MATERIALSThe Helix Bib Shorts are made out of the finest Vero fabric with superior compression and elite 4-way stretch properties. Z92 textured fabric is used on the yoke at the back of the short and leg cuffs to improve aerodynamics and moisture management. The mesh bib upper stretches and moves with the body and provides easy airflow between the surface of the skin and the jersey. A flexible silicone gripper in the leg band creates a secure, comfortable fit.
CUT
The Helix kit represents the most technically advanced, competition level cycling apparel on the market today. Using the revolutionary pattern technology, the Helix is engineered to reduce air surface resistance and improve performance. The anatomic, race specific fit and HX8 Carbon chamois allow for superior flexibility and compression while promoting blood flow.
CHAMOIS
The new fusion technology of the HX8 creates an entirely seamless chamois without chemical fixatives and allows for the progressive reduction of foam thickness, removing the “steps” between layers. The 4-density, 4-way stretch chamois forms to your body to provide superior comfort, while the antibacterial Resistex anti-static carbon fabric helps promote blood flow and reduce lactic acid. This chamois is ideal for the elite racer and long distance rider.
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