Rapha Pro Team Shadow Bib Shorts review

The Rapha Pro Team Shadow shorts are designed to be worn with the Shadow jersey as part of what is intended to be the ultimate foul weather clothing for racing or high intensity training. At £260 the price is wince inducing, so how do they stack up?

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The first thing to note is that the fit of these shorts was a little different to standard Rapha Pro Team bibs. At 6'1 and 70kgs I normally opt for size medium, however these shorts are longer in the leg for greater coverage and a bit more protection. Consequently I sized down to a small and found they fitted superbly.

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The chamois is the same as found in other Rapha shorts and is supremely comfortable. It is very supportive (something which I prefer) and I have had no issue on rides as long as six hours.

Having tested it in a variety of conditions I can report that the Shadow performs superbly, especially when used in conjunction with the jersey. The fabric is thinner and lighter than the Windstopper textiles used in the Castelli Gabba, but impressively offers comparable wind-proofing. Water repellency is superb and the best I have seen on garments of this type.

>>> Review of the Rapha Pro Team Shadow Jersey

The Rapha Pro Team Shadow was featured in our February tech of the month video which is below. Skip to 3mins 20seconds to see the Shadow and how well it repels water, it really is impressive.

Watch: Tech of the Month – February 2016

When riding on wet roads or in the rain, cold rear spray on your bum is highly uncomfortable. On chilly days it can feel like an annoying friend has slipped an ice cube down your back. The Shadow shorts are very good at stopping this. However, they could be better, as the seams on the rear of the shorts are not taped.

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Future taping of these seams could prevent water ingress – Something I experienced on some particularly long grim excursions in the wet. It is impossible not to comment on the price, but it is important to remember that Rapha does offer excellent after sales and repair services.

As mentioned on the jersey review, I would like to see a future version have some hi-vis details. I feel this is important on kit that is designed for crap weather.

Despite the niggles, Rapha has raised the bar with regard to foul weather cycling clothing. It may be prohibitively expensive, but we can expect this kind of fabric technology to trickle down into more affordable products which can only be a good thing for all of us.

For more information, head over to Rapha.cc.