The Rapha Brevet bib shorts are designed for long-distance riding and touring (they get their name from the brevet cards stamped at audax checkpoints), and, as a result, have a couple of key features – including a quick-drying chamois and large reflective stripe on the outside of either leg – to distinguish them from regular shorts. In use, the Brevet shorts are extremely comfortable – the key attribute for any shorts to be ridden all day – and performed perfectly for as long as they were ridden.
Let’s start with the chamois, as that really is the key part of the shorts. It’s based on the same excellent, multi-density chamois as used in Rapha’s top-notch Classics shorts, but has been perforated. Why? Well, that should help with ventilation for long days in the saddle but, more specifically here, is so the shorts can be washed and dried overnight, ready for another day on the road. That’s ideal for multi-day rides with minimal kit being carried.
