LOOK Excellence Long Bib Short

It’s fair to say we’re looking forward to getting out and riding in the LOOK Excellence bib-tight, one of the most stylish examples we’ve seen of what is typically an unstylish garment.

We’ll start with the laser cut braces, some 70mm wide, and fashioned from an elasticated fabric. They’re instantly comfortable, the result of stretch in the material and the ability of the broad straps to spread pressure. Nice. The same fabric accounts for a panel at the back of the tight, above the waist, and which covers the kidneys.

The leg is made from a very stretchy, dense lycra, which has a feeling of real quality and a fleece lining that’s extremely comfortable, especially in the stomach panel, which rises above the navel and promises plenty of warmth. As a further aid to comfort, the seams are heat sealed rather than stitched. LOOK describe the fabric as one that offers a “3D anatomical fit”, and after a few precautionary stretches (made in the privacy of our own home), it seems a not unreasonable description. Time on the bike will tell, of course, and we’ll report back on the freedom of movement or otherwise in our subsequent review. The same fit is pledged for the pad, which is broad and has a plush feel.

Windtex panels at the knees are welcome, but the leg on our test sample is a little longer than we’d like, and given the stretch in the excellent lycra and braces, we’d recommend dropping a size if your pins are short. The hems are finished with a short zip at the rear and a silicone hem, which offer a close fit at the ankle, but no way of avoiding bunching if, like our test sample, they’re a little too long.

The LOOK Excellence Long Bib Short is available in black with “Mondrian accents”, and in six sizes from XS to XXL. They cost £169.