Le Col Women’s Pro Seamless Cycling Bra review

Le Col’s sports bra is a compression style bra, made from 95% Polyamide and 5% Elastane, to provide stretch for that over-the-head application.

>>> Best sports bras for cycling

According to researchers at the University of Portsmouth, of the three bra styles (compression, encapsulation and combination), this style offers the least support and we would vouch for that (see study: How the characteristics of sports bras affect their performance')

Le Col Women’s Pro Seamless Cycling bra: construction

Le Col has opted for a seam-free garment, with the aim of removing irritation. Details such as the brand name and size are woven in via a white thread, and there are no labels.

Answering the call of breathability, Le Col has used a perforated fabric on the back and straps to provide airflow.

This bra comes with removable cups, providing extra coverage - though I found these surplus to requirement so opted to remove them.

Le Col's bra comes in just four sizes: XS, S/M, L/XL and XXL, and there's no independent sizing for the band vs the cups. This is pretty normal for a compression style. However, since I wear a small band size (28/30) with a larger (DD+) cup I found this to have a negative impact, the XS would have fitted at the underband but risked being restrictive in the cups.

Le Col Women’s Pro Seamless Cycling bra: the ride

The area where this bra excels is in its breathablity and sweat wicking - it performs much better than any other I’ve ever tested in this area. During sweart turbo sessions this is a welcome attribute and I’ve reached for this bra ahead of many indoor workouts. It provided all the support needed for these sessions without becoming clammy or chafing.

Unfortunately, it is still a compression style bra - and therefore it can’t offer the level of support you’d get from an encapsulation or combination bra. The support on offer is ample for most road riding and indoor training but I’d leave it in the drawer for anything higher impact such as gravel or mountain biking. It does not pass the 'jump test' so I wouldn't opt to wear it for cross-training such as a run or plyometrics in the gym.

Value

This is the most expensive sports bra we've ever tested - coming in at £60. It is made in Italy, and the premium brand will always come with a high price tag attached, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that this bra is still a compression style option but comes in near twice the price of other models.