throughout my career as a famous member of the cycling media, i have failed to work out whether, in the process of reviewing one item or another, i ought to concentrate on giving whatever it is, a particularly hard time. i bring this to your attention in the knowledge that, had i purchased said item, i'd probably not put all my efforts into trying to rip it to pieces or break it apart. however, safe in the knowledge that i'm not everyone and that there may well be plain clothes activists amongst you whose very purpose in life is to do precisely that, perhaps i ought to be trying very hard to outdo the lot of you.
if i might offer a reasonable verisimilitude to my concern by way of fitting a new chain. though i agree it's very old-skool, in the good old days we were always taught that riding with the chain in the big ring and big sprocket was distinctly persona non grata, due to the excessive wear placed on the chain links. admittedly, chains are a tad more flexible laterally these days, but still... however, in order to ensure that should a situation inadvertantly occur, nothing untoward would happen to the rear derailleur, it was necessary to place the new chain over big to big and check that such tension would be unlikely to break the spring.
nowadays, single chainrings aside, it seems that everyone rides permanently in the big ring without a care in the world as to what that might be doing to the chain or, indeed, that rear derailleur. on the basis that said individuals may offer similarly scant regard for other items of cycling equipment, maybe i ought to be heading them off at the pass?
andrew and daphne at this is cambridge made their initial inroads to the cycling market by way of handmade cotton casquettes, offering several different sizes of each and available in an ever increasing range of designs. buoyed with their success, it wasn't too long before their higher, further, faster motto led them to create jerseys, baselayers and socks. rather pointedly, the only thing missing was a pair of bibshorts that might complete the set and allow sporting of an entire corporate image while trying to live up to the self-imposed credo.
tic have been testing various bibshort iterations prior to releasing the very pair under consideration here. and just to provide them with an appropriate baptism of fire that would seriously test their mettle, i wore them during this year's ride of the falling rain. in my case, as velo club representative on the conversational ride, that equated to 125km, the majority of which were ridden in pouring rain. for it is circumstances such as this that are likely to eke out any minor or major failings in the firmament.
my personal measurement of suitability, as far as bibshorts are concerned, is how difficult they are to put on. a well fitting pair of bibshorts ought to be something of an effort to pull on (unless, of course, you've ordered the wrong size). this is the very aspect that often comes home to roost in weather conditions as described above; sublime ease of fitting will often result in a moveable squishiness when the rain no longer stays mainly on the plain.
this is cambridge have obviously seen this coming, as the included instructions advise working the shorts into position at slow speed. i'd augment that advice by saying you ought never to pull them up by the bibs or the legs, always by way of the pad. this avoids ripping or stretching before you've had a chance to cycle in them. there's also the unavoidable fact that the substantial width of gloop on the legs of these shorts, simply grabs hold of your shins and won't let go.
just the way it ought to be.
i'm around 5' 10" in height with a 30" waist and the small-sized bibshorts reviewed were an impeccable fit. after a relatively hard and undeniably wet 100 plus kilometres, my posterior was every bit as comfortable as it had been at the start. the well-judged length of the legs had remained resolutely where they were meant to despite gallons of precipitation doing everything to ensure the opposite was the case. even when soaking wet, the fit and comfort was admirably impressive.
lest you think that a sole ride in the rain be insufficient hardship, they have since been washed, dried and subjected to more kilometres of a less precipatory nature. they have not been found wanting. with so many cycling apparel purveyors eager to have us purchase their wares, there's an overwhelming need for any new product to succeed at the first pedal stroke, because there are plenty of alternatives from which to choose. this is cambridge have done themselves proud with their first pair of bibshorts that are as close to state of the art as it's possible to achieve at present.
with a hebridean winter looming on the horizon, that makes me a happy chap. now all i need is a similar pair of bib-threequarters (daphne? andrew?) and i can safely survive till next easter.
this is cambridge bibshorts are available in black only in sizes ranging from xs to xl at a cost of £165. a women's version is also available.
friday 11 august 2017
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