Roma Bibs

A while back Outside Magazine wrote an article about the benefits of high-end bibs — "Why you should spend over $250 (and most were a lot more) on bike bibs". They cited three factors: the pattern, high-end fabric, and the chamois and the advantages of comfort and a much longer life. 

Coincidentally, at the time we were working on our own premium bibs with our venerable Italian factory that produces some of those same extravagant bibs. 

Following a comprehensive three-year development process, and countless iterations using feedback from pro tour testers, pattern-makers, and trim suppliers we are confident the Roma bib can now more than hold their own in that top tier.  And for anyone who has ever been curious about what it feels like to be swaddled in all that Italian extravagance we have the first batch in.

Bib Architecture: First we reduced the number of panels, seams, and stitches by engineering a single piece of fabric into an elegant bib form, our patternmaker explains the process being a bit like making a precise origami pattern out of a sheet of paper. Fewer seams yield a more comfortable fit by allowing the fabric to stretch and compress more easily; moving with your body with less restriction, especially in a cycling crouch. As a bonus, It gives the bib that super clean, sleek look. The lay-flat straps don't bind on your shoulders and they are integrated to pass through the midsection to better hold the chamois in place by keeping the pad taut and preventing the excess fabric from chafing your thighs. Impregnated raw-cut silicon grippers stay on your thighs without impinging.

Woven, not knitted fabric. Woven fabrics yield a thinner, denser, and more durable bib.  A woven fabric is also far more abrasion-resistant and has better shape retention than knitted fabrics — at about 30% less weight. Shape retention is crucial for cycling bibs as they need to maintain their fit over time, even after heavy use and washing. The rich deep flat-black color and texture make the rest of your kit pop a little more. Woven fabric, combined with the seamless pattern, complements each other's strengths and is the key to the performance jump you will experience with a top-tier bib.

PARIS HP Pad. We made dozens of identical bibs with our new pattern; each with a different hi-end pad to test which would be the most comfortable, and mate the best with our new bib. Unsurprisingly to people in the cycling industry, The Paris from Elastic Interface was the winner. It is surprisingly thin for a pad created for all-day events, The secret is the ultra-high density inserts in the perineal and ischiatic area that make it perfect for all roads and even the most demanding events. In English, that means the more pressure you put on it the more resistance it gives without bottoming out, like a good mattress.