Rapha Pro Team Cargo Bib Short Review: a comfortable all-day riding bib, but with areas for improvement
The side pockets are spacious and great; however, some rear pockets would have been a very useful addition to bring them in-line with competitors.
A very good pair of bib shorts that should last the distance while adding very useful pockets to an already decent offering. They’re not perfect with some small foibles, but they’re a very reliable long day or gravel adventure bib shorts option.
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Deep and mostly secure side pockets
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Comfortable chamois
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Different leg length options
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Wide and secure bib straps
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Good colour options
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Can get warm in +25˚ C
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Some rear pockets would be a useful addition
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Pocket retention can be hit and miss
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The Rapha Pro Team Cargo Bib shorts are built on the same foundation as the Pro Team Training Bib shorts, featuring some trickle down technology from the top-of-the-range Pro Team III Bibs and PowerWeave shorts, the former featuring in CW's guide to the best bib shorts.
A bold colour choice, but there are more muted options. Note the long leg length on this version
Construction
A nice feature of recent Rapha products is that a good percentage of the nylon and polyester used in the creation of the products comes from recycled sources, more than 75% total. The body of this material is also designed to be compressive, but more gently so than the PowerWeave bib shorts. This is to improve comfort and muscular support over longer duration rides.
On the side of both legs, there is a large, rectangular cargo pocket with a doubled over hem to allow for easier access than a flat raw cut option. It sits a little prouder, but barely. These pockets are large enough to accommodate a rolled up jacket, or even the largest of smart phones. Rapha continues the European logos structure of placing the more visible white ‘Rapha’ logo on the left leg, or traffic side, while a colour matched version sits on the right side.
Wide elastic grippers are used on the legs to keep them securely in place. Both a standard, and long-leg variant of the shorts are available, adding around 3cm to the total length.
On the upper, the same wide elastic straps as those used on the Pro Team III Bibs are present. These are designed to offer a wider support platform and avoid any pressure points across the shoulders and back. The rear element of the straps is a mesh material to allow for greater moisture transfer and temperature regulation.
Six colours are available, along with the two leg-length options. Sizes range from XS to XXL.
The Ride
The Rapha Pro Team Cargo bib shorts are almost identical in design to the latest Pro Team Training bib shorts. They take a good amount of inspiration from the top-tier Pro Team III shorts, but don’t use the latest higher density chamois. For me, this isn’t a problem as it has plenty of thickness that's suitable for mixed surface riding.
These aren’t gravel shorts per se, rather more of a hybrid design. The materials are not abrasion resistant, instead they are standard road materials similar to the MAAP Team Bib Evo Cargo range. This is likely why they feature the two side pockets on the legs but not the gravel regulars of rear pockets on the lower back. However, I tend to use those in limited amounts as they can put pressure on the lower back if positioned too high. The exceptions for me are the MAAP Alt_Road 2.0 bibs and Albion ABR1 shorts.
A benefit of these shorts using thinner road materials is they breath better than the abrasion resistive materials, but then the pockets feature a dual layer of fabric so can get a bit warm. Indeed, Rapha gives a top-end temperature range for these of 25˚ C, which is when I found them a bit too warm. Mesh side pockets would alleviate this issue but potentially wouldn't be as secure.
However, pocket security is very good, with enough depth to house large phones, packable jackets, tool pouches, or copious amounts of food. It makes the shorts deal for long days on the bike where perhaps the starts or finishes are cooler, layers are required, and lots of food, too. I like them for stashing food packaging and rubbish rather than filling my pockets with these items.
While the level of compression is nowhere near as gripping as the PowerWeave shorts, like the Pro Team III, it's still impressive, something I appreciate during long days in the saddle. I also like the two leg-length options. I normally go for a shorter length, but current style is leaning more towards ‘just above the knee’ cuts, which the long length here achieves nicely. There is also a small amount more UV protection as a result.
Other features such as the leg grippers and the wide bib straps are just as effective. After extensive use the stitching, seams, and raw cut hems are all still in very good condition with no fraying issues. Pilling of the fabric material does not seem to be an issue on the seat area either, something I am seeing increasingly but primarily on thermal bib tights/shorts. I’ve personally tended to have great longevity experience with Rapha bib shorts, and based on my testing so far, I’d expect the same from these.
Value
While £195 / $275 is not cheap for a pair of bib shorts by most standards, in today’s market with most higher end offerings exceeding £200-250 and some breaching the £300 mark, the Rapha Pro Team Cargo Bibs represent a decent level of value given the quality.
Similar offerings in this functionality include the Castelli Unlimited range (£189), LeCol ARC Cargo bibs (£220 / $305), Albion ABR1 (£185), Q36.5 Adventure Cargo shorts (£220 / $290), and the subtly named Assos Tactica Kieskäfer Gravel Bib Shorts T5 (£160 / $210).
Out of those offerings, the Rapha shorts offer I think the best chamois overall for a mix of road and some off-road riding. The chamois is a little thicker than the Pro Team III shorts latest offering, not as dense, but that’s a bit more preferred for cruising on broken tarmac for me. The LeCol ARC are a bit more cushioned but do come with more pockets. But of course, that comes at a cost, and personally the pad is a little too high volume while the leg grippers are not as effective.
The chamois looks basic compared to the likes of Assos but works well
As mentioned , these aren't designed as a gravel-specific short and personally I tend to prefer road going options, as gravel shorts with abrasion resistive materials can get warmer. But then the trade-off is in the event of a crash, road short materials tend to rip - this is where the Albion ABR1 are so great, as the mesh pockets limit heat build-up, and the repairs team offers a fantastic service, which I have tested by crashing in the shorts and ripping them. This is also a service that Rapha offers, with a limit of 5 per year, and some items excluded, but bib shorts can be sent back for crash repairs with a 4–6-week lead time.
Conclusion
The Rapha Pro Team Cargo bib shorts are a solid performer. The large pockets are incredibly useful for long days in the saddle or stashing some extra spares when going on gravel rides. With the small price increase, I see no good reason to opt for the Pro Team Training bibs that these share all features save for the pockets.
I would prefer to see a rear pocket alternative and colour matched mesh for the pockets, but these are small requests. With free repairs, high levels of comfort, practicality, and style, and decent overall value, these are a highly capable pair of shorts that perform very close to their more premium Pro Team III siblings thanks to a great deal of trickle-down tech.
