In autumn and winter, the undersigned has tested Pro Team bib shorts from ES16 - and why test bib shorts outside the "short/short" season? Yes, there is actually an explanation for that! First of all, there are many who ride bibshorts on the inside and long bibtights on the outside in the autumn and winter period, while there are also many who jump inside the shed or similar. and cycling on an exercise bike – the need for a good pair of bib shorts is therefore still present in the cool months!

Pro Team bibshorts are available in versions for both men and women, from size XS to XXXXL and with 2 different pads, Zoom X and Endurance 3D. Furthermore, there is an option for extra leg length - especially in the small sizes, it is nice to have a little extra leg length, here in size S where they would otherwise seem a bit short on me.

The material is from Goffrato with compression, the material has the by now familiar "honeycomb" structure. The material is extremely stretchy, relatively thin and at the same time very breathable.

At the top, there are flat laser-cut braces to avoid braces that fold or chafe. The back is partly in mesh for good ventilation, with room for a radio transmitter behind. The end/edge at the waist is also laser cut and reinforced so that it does not ride up, a nice detail that ensures a perfect fit without annoying stitching.

At the thighs, there are also laser-cut elastics for a completely tight fit without a visible edge or stitching, inside there is silicone that keeps them in place, so you avoid legs that slide up. In the side of both legs there is a small mesh panel, this gives a little extra ventilation and gives a little extra stretch to the material.

Inside is the Zoom X pad from Elastic Interface, a pad I have come across in quite a few different bib shorts and with good reason, because it is a really good pad that both provides good comfort as it has a reasonable thickness, but is still thin and flexible enough to feel like a natural part of the bib shorts and finally you can breathe through the pad.

Gravel, road or Zwift?

Throughout the last months the Pro Team Bibshorts have been exposed to a bit of everything, we started out hard with 5 1/2 hours of gravel in Holstebro – here I have to say right away that it is not something I recommend in a pair of brand new bib shorts you don't "know", but since I have previously ridden a lot in ES16 bib shorts and know the pad, I "dared" well - and it worked also 100%! In addition, they have been used on both short and longer gravel rides as an inner layer as the weather got colder and finally they have been used indoors on the home trainer.

For gravel and mountain biking, the pad provides good comfort, it is thick enough to absorb a lot of shocks and bumps, but thin enough to be comfortable and feels like a completely natural part of the bib shorts so you don't actually notice it. On the home trainer, you need a cushion that is breathable so that you can get rid of the heat, in addition it must provide good support as you sit more in the same static position, sometimes for several hours in a row - here too the Pro Team Bibshorts do the trick really good.

Conclusion

You have to get rid of the leather for just under NOK 1200 to become the owner of a pair of Pro Team bibshorts from ES16, but for that money you get a pair of bibshorts similar to the ones that Mathieu Van Der Poel is currently riding with - i.e. we are talking about a pair of bib shorts in just the right quality, with the right details such as flat laser-cut braces, laser-cut ends at the thighs and a material that provides the right support and breathability.

The design is discreet, but quite delicious in my eyes, which means you can pair them with colorful jerseys from different brands, without any problems.

Pro Team is a pair of incredibly nice bib shorts that you can use most of the year (with a pair of bib tights in addition), so with these things in mind, NOK 1200 is actually quite a fair price!