Reviews

Stolen Goat Bodyline One bib shorts – review

Superb sub-£100 bib shorts from British brand Stolen Goat

The Stolen Goat Bodyline One bib shorts are superb bib shorts for their sub-£100 price tag. They’re comfortable, lightweight and offer a great fit, with no-nonsense styling and a one-piece construction which gives the shorts their name.

By using just a single piece of fabric, Stolen Goat have ensured the shorts have only one seam, which passes under the chamois pad to bring the left and right sides of the material together, thereby removing a potential source (or multiple sources) or discomfort.

The fabric itself looks like a fairly conventional lycra from the outside, but on the inside it has a honeycomb-style pattern. The two sides come together to form one material, which appears to be woven from two threads to make the fabric. It’s a combination which provides plenty of stretch and is mildly compressive, making for a very good fit. In use the Bodyline shorts are really comfortable – I didn’t really notice I was wearing them on long rides, which for a new pair of shorts is a real positive.

The shorts have a close and mildly compressive fit

The outside of the fabric is treated with Coldblack technology, which helps reflect heat from the sun to prevent overheating It’s certainly not a miracle treatment but the shorts felt cooler in direct sunlight when compared to untreated shorts.

As a result, I found the shorts to be ideal to wear in warmer temperatures and the fit ensured the upper half of the shorts remained comfortable against the skin on the occasion I wore them without a base layer.

Specification
Price: £98
Sizes: S-XXL
Size tested: M
Colours: red; blue; green; black
Website: Stolen Goat

On the bottom there’s a generous leg gripper made from a broad, elasticated fabric which does its job well, without any irritation or pulling on the skin, helping once again with the comfortable fit.

Stolen Goat say the chamois was ‘developed in Belgium alongside top level pro riders and teams’ and while they don’t go on to say exact what that means, the pad is certainly very good, with a surface which aids airflow and dries quickly. It’s also anti-bacterial. On a wet and mild ride, I had little issue with water in the chamois, and while the shorts aren’t necessarily intended for wet or cold rides, the pad can still handle a summer storm. All in all, while chamois choice is personal to degree, there’s a lot to like here about the shape, positioning and performance.

The plush chamois is comfortable for both long and short rides

The only major styling on these shorts is the red gripper band and logo on the left leg (the shorts are also available in blue, green and all-black, all in sizes S-XXL), which makes for a classy, understated aesthetic. The final thing to mention is that the quality of construction is near perfect, with no loose threads or snags, and well stitched seams (where there are any).

Conclusion

Stolen Goat have put together a great pair of bib shorts. The excellent fit ensures they feel like a second skin and the chamois is also very good. At this price they’re certainly comparable with high-end shorts from some of the ‘big name’ brands.