Best bike shorts: five picks for comfort on every ride
Five of the best bike shorts for UK riders, from premium bibs to budget first pairs — compared on chamois, fit, sizing and everyday value.
Best bike shorts: the quick answer
The chamois is the whole point of a pair of bike shorts, and the difference between a cheap pad and a good one tends to show up at about the two-hour mark. The five pairs below cover the realistic spread of UK riding: club runs, sportives, commutes, turbo sessions and the first pair you buy when you decide you actually like cycling.
- Best overall: Assos MILLE GT C2 Bib Shorts — the most comfortable all-round bib here, with a fit that suits normal bodies rather than racing whippets.
- Best for long days: Castelli Endurance 3 Bibshort — a racier cut and a pad built for hours at pace.
- Best everyday bibs: Rapha Core Bib Shorts — simple, well finished, and made in men's and women's specific fits.
- Best British buy: Endura FS260-Pro Bibshort II — Scottish-designed, sensibly priced and made for year-round riding.
- Best budget: Van Rysel Racer Bib Shorts — the pair to buy when you're not ready to spend big.
How the five compare
| Short | Best for | Style | Chamois | Sizing note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assos MILLE GT C2 Bib Shorts | Long days and big mileage | Bib short | Assos MILLE GT C2 insert | Regular fit rather than race-tight |
| Castelli Endurance 3 Bibshort | Fast riding and long sportives | Bib short | Progetto X2 Air pad | Close cut — read the size guide first |
| Rapha Core Bib Shorts | Everyday training and first serious bibs | Bib short | Rapha's own Core chamois | Men's and women's specific fits |
| Endura FS260-Pro Bibshort II | British value and year-round riding | Bib short | Multi-density Endura pad | Men's and women's versions |
| Van Rysel Racer Bib Shorts | A first pair on a budget | Bib short | Entry-level pad | Simple sizing via Decathlon |
The table is a starting point, not a scoreboard. The right short is the one whose pad sits against your sit bones and whose straps don't cut into your shoulders, and that depends more on your body than on the badge on the leg.
The best bike shorts in detail
Best overall
Assos MILLE GT C2 Bib Shorts
4.7Assos builds its MILLE GT line for riders who want comfort ahead of aerodynamics, and the C2 is the pick of it. The pad is Assos's own MILLE GT C2 insert, shaped to stay flat under the sit bones rather than bunching at the front, and the cut is a regular fit — close enough that nothing flaps, roomy enough that you don't need a racing physique to wear it. The straps are wide and flat, the hems hold without pinching, and this is the pair most riders will reach for on a long club run or a full day out.
What we like
- A supportive pad that stays comfortable well past three hours
- More forgiving fit than Assos's race shorts
- Wide, flat straps that don't dig into the shoulders
- The pair to buy if you only want one good set of bibs
What to watch
- At the premium end of the market
- Black only, with prominent branding
- Still a close-fitting short — not one for riders who want a relaxed cut
Best for long days
Castelli Endurance 3 Bibshort
4.6The Endurance 3 is Castelli's comfort-first bib, and it carries the Progetto X2 Air pad that the Italian brand also fits to its premium shorts, in a shape meant to stay supportive through a long day rather than just a fast hour. The cut is racier than the Assos — sleeve-like legs and a closer fit through the torso — so it suits riders who spend most of their time in the drops. If your idea of a good Sunday is a hilly sportive rather than a cafe pootle, start here.
What we like
- A pad with real structure for long, hard rides
- Racy cut that stays put when you're riding at pace
- Straps and leg endings that don't chafe
- Well suited to sportives and fast club runs
What to watch
- Castelli's sizing runs small — check the chart and consider going up a size
- The close fit won't suit everyone
- Less forgiving than the Assos if you're between sizes
Best everyday bibs
Rapha Core Bib Shorts
4.4Core is where most people start with Rapha, and the bib shorts are the reason the range works: a simple black bib with a pad that copes with everyday riding, flat seams and a cut that flatters without squeezing. Crucially, Rapha makes Core bibs in men's and women's specific fits rather than expecting one pattern to work for everyone. They're not as deep-padded as the brand's top-end shorts, but for training rides, commutes and the odd sportive they're hard to argue with.
What we like
- Men's and women's specific fits
- Simple, well finished and easy to live with
- A sensible step up from budget bibs without flagship money
- Widely available, including in Rapha's own stores
What to watch
- The pad is less supportive than Rapha's flagship shorts
- Essentially a black-only, understated look
- Not the cheapest way into bib shorts
Best British buy
Endura FS260-Pro Bibshort II
4.3Endura is the Scottish brand that outfits a lot of British club riders, and the FS260-Pro is its workhorse bib. The pad is a multi-density design with more support under the sit bones than you'd expect at the price, the fabric is robust enough for year-round use, and the fit is a touch more generous than the Italian brands — good news if you're between sizes. There's a women's version too, and it's the pair to buy if you'd rather support a UK brand without paying flagship money.
What we like
- A strong pad for the money
- More generous fit than the close-cut Italian brands
- A UK brand with a long history in foul-weather kit
- Women's version available
What to watch
- Not as refined as the Assos or Castelli
- The look is functional rather than stylish
- Straps are simpler than on the premium picks
Best budget
Van Rysel Racer Bib Shorts
4.0Decathlon's road brand has done more than almost anyone to make bib shorts affordable, and the Racer is the entry point. The pad is basic — fine for an hour or two on the turbo or a flat commute, less so for a five-hour day — but the straps, seams and leg grippers all do their job, and you can walk into a Decathlon store and try a pair on. If you're new to cycling and not ready to spend proper money, start here and upgrade when the pad becomes the thing that limits your ride.
What we like
- The cheapest sensible way into bib shorts
- Available on the high street, so you can try before buying
- Gets the basics — straps, grippers, seams — right
What to watch
- Basic pad that runs out of comfort on longer rides
- Fabric and finish are a step down from the pricier picks
- Size availability varies between stores
What actually matters when you buy
Once you've decided to spend real money on bibs, these are the things that separate a good pair from an expensive one. The scores below show how much weight to give each factor — not how any individual short performs.
- Chamois shape and density
- 5.0/5
The pad is the reason to buy bibs. A firmer pad that matches your sit bones beats a thick, soft one that squashes flat.
- Fit through the leg and gripper
- 4.5/5
The hem has to hold without pinching. If it rides up, the pad ends up in the wrong place and the chafing starts.
- Bib straps and upper
- 4.0/5
Wide, flat straps spread the load across your shoulders; thin elastic straps dig in on anything over two hours.
- Fabric and seams
- 4.0/5
A compressive knit with flatlock seams rubs less. Thin, shiny fabric tends to go see-through after a season.
- How often you ride
- 3.5/5
Two or three rides a week justifies a better pad; a once-a-week commute doesn't need a flagship chamois.
Bib shorts or waist shorts?
Bib shorts use shoulder straps to hold the pad in place; waist shorts rely on an elastic waistband. On the bike, straps win: the pad stays put however much you shift around, and there's no waistband to roll down or press into your stomach when you're bent over the bars. The trade-off is convenience. Bibs mean undressing for a toilet stop, which is why waist shorts still make sense for commutes, short trips and anyone who pulls a normal pair of shorts over the top. If you're buying one pair for club rides, buy bibs.
Getting the fit right
Bike shorts should be tight enough that the pad can't move, and no tighter. Stand up in them: if the pad bunches or the hems roll, they're wrong. On the bike, the pad should sit flat under your sit bones with no wrinkles underneath you.
- Use the brand's own size chart rather than assuming you're a medium — sizing varies more between brands here than in any other piece of kit.
- If you're between sizes, go with the brand whose chart you're closest to rather than blindly sizing up or down.
- Wash cool, skip fabric conditioner (it coats the fabric and reduces wicking) and hang to dry.
The verdict
Bike shorts: common questions
Do you wear underwear under bib shorts?
No. Padded shorts are designed to be worn directly against the skin; a second layer adds seams that rub and holds moisture against you. When trying a pair on at home for hygiene, wear them over underwear and send them back if the fit isn't right.
How do I know when to replace bike shorts?
Look at the pad and the fabric over your backside. Once the chamois has flattened or gone shiny at the sit-bone area, or the material has thinned enough to be see-through in daylight, it's time to replace them. Rotating two or three pairs slows that down.
Are bib shorts better than waist shorts?
For rides over an hour, usually yes. The straps keep the pad in place without an elastic waistband rolling down or pressing on your stomach. Waist shorts are cheaper and easier for toilet stops, which is why they suit commuters and short rides.
Can I tumble dry bike shorts?
No. Heat damages the elastane in the fabric and the foam in the pad. Wash cool, skip fabric conditioner, and hang them to dry away from radiators.
Do I need chamois cream?
Not usually. It helps on very long days, in hot weather, or if you're prone to chafing. Apply a small amount to the skin or to the pad rather than both.
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