About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Craft has put together a very nice pair of cycling shorts here with its Elite bib shorts. Once you get past the great look and feel, what'll strike you most about these bib shorts is how light the fabric feels. Craft took a bit of a risk here as an uneducated take on the material could be that it seems flimsy when held up next to some thicker, more bulky shorts. However, you'll love the fit and the feel of the shorts and the lightweight material, cool and wicking, is actually one of its strongest features, a killer component compared to thicker material used in other shorts.

The pair has held up well in our extended test -- quality construction is not in question with these shorts.

To go with the lightweight material is the Craft Elite gel pad, which is a rather thin, lightweight cushion. With the antimicrobial treatment to help reduce odor and saddle sores, the pad is only 10mm at its the thickest. That's still plenty, however, for a rider who is in shape with enough miles in the saddle and personally I prefer a lower profile pad than a thick and bulky one.

The fit and the length is just right - long enough in the inseam (10in/25.4cm) so that it goes down to just above the knee, with a trim, sleek fit afforded by the ten-panel construction. Plus the leg endings have both a silicone print and taped grippers on the inside keep the bibs in place. All in all, a well-built, nice-fitting, great pair of shorts. And with pricing around $180-$190 you'll drop some jack on these, maybe a bit more than on a pair of lesser quality shorts, but you'll be much happier in the long run with fit, feel and performance of these Craft Elite bib shorts.



Pros

• Snug fitting, nice compression shorts - well constructed even with very lightweight material.
• Well-designed leg bottoms, both silicone dots and leg grippers hold ends in place above the knee.
• Ten panel construction with flat-panel stitching mean bib short bottoms are sleek and comfortable.
• Upper mesh panels are well-ventilated and do a good job of moisture transport.

Cons

• Lightweight fabric may be mistaken for flimsy construction and lesser quality shorts - not the case!

Description

• - Ergonomic, smooth and durable flatlock seams move with the working muscles
• - Craft Elite gel anti-microbial pad, w 10 mm max thickness.
• - Taped, elastic and raw leg endings with silicone print on the inside keep the bibs in place
• - Features CoolMaxR fabrics for a lighter construction and excellent moisture transport
• - Body-control fabric with ten panel construction and 4-way elasticity to reduce muscle vibration and focus power for optimal comfort and control

Guide Review - Craft Elite Bib Short Review

Craft's Elite bib shorts are high end cycling apparel that you'll find meet your needs for fit, comfort and performance. Designer emphasis on smart construction details and low weight are found in both mesh fabrics for ventilation on top and compression fabrics on bottom for fit and muscle wrap. These features combine to create a nice combination of aerodynamic fit and ergonomic 3D design.

Specific fabrics used include C315 for the bottom, which is a thin knitted elastic fabric with body control technology. Helps reduce muscle vibrations and muscle fatigue by increasing movement efficiency. This is the snug-fitting, "compression" part of the bib shorts. Composition: 80% Polyamide, 20% Elastane, with a weight of 170 gsm

Mesh top portions are crafted from C102, a mesh fabric using Hexachannel fibers for extensive ventilation, air cooling and maximum moisture transport. The fabric is specially designed to prevents odor retention. Composition: 91% Polyester, 9% Elastane, with a weight of 104 gsm.



Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.