MAAP Team bibshorts

Aussie brand MAAP produces serious-looking, high-end kit which in terms of price and performance quality takes the fight directly to Rapha, Castelli and Assos.

These MAAP Team bibshorts are no different, equipped with loads of great features that make them comfortable to ride in for extended periods of time.

>>> Best cycling bib shorts: a buyer’s guide

On the bike, the fit feels spot on, and the size small I wore felt perfect. It’s worth noting that these are a tight bit of kit, with added compression for an extra-close fit – something some riders love, but others might struggle to get on with. If like me you’re built slight, the normal size you choose will work; if you have beefy Mark Cavendish-like legs, then maybe check sizing before you buy.

Some might argue that the shorts are a bit overbuilt, especially when you couple the close fit with the tight leg grippers. Compression will always be a personal thing, but I found the MAAP shorts fine, and those substantial grippers stopped the legs from bunching up on my thin thighs.

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The most important part of any pair of bibshorts is, of course, the pad and this often depends on personal taste.

Picking up the Team bibshorts, the first thing you notice is the enormous chamois. In the past I haven’t got on with beefed-up pads, finding them a tad intrusive and hindering rather than helping when it comes to comfort in the saddle.

Instead, I usually much prefer a thin pad, like that found on the Rapha Classic II bibshorts.

In the saddle the pad is certainly large, but that also makes it comfortable. After a 200km ride I was praising the 3D Endurance pad despite its bulky proportions.

The pad starts to make itself known at around 160km, but I’ve tested numerous shorts that become uncomfortable long before the 100-mile marker.

Where that tight fit and large chamois does pose some problems is when you’re off of the bike – and you can expect to be walking like John Wayne. That said, for 200km comfort and stylish looks, I’ll take a cowboy walk.