I’m a fan of Santini bibshorts – most of my own kit is made by the Italian brand.

These shorts fit really well and Santini’s latest NAT (Next, Airflow, Thermoshock) pad offers day-long comfort.

Why the designers thought that white was a good idea still baffles me, though.

The only other thing I wasn’t so keen on was the feel of the slightly coarse mesh fabric around the crotch.

While it may offer better venting compared to smoother, non-perforated Lycra, it caused slight rubbing in delicate places on rides of three hours or more.