BikeRadar thermal Bib Short Battle: Bontrager Race vs Pearl Izumi P.R.O. - Ben Delaney/Future Publishing
BikeRadar thermal bib short battle: The Bontrager Race Thermal has a great cut and the Profilia fabric performs well - James Huang/Future Publishing
BikeRadar thermal bib short battle: The Pearl Izumi P.R.O. has a long cut for extra warmth - James Huang/Future Publishing
BikeRadar thermal bib short battle: Pearl Izumi has a new 4D chamois. We appreciate the relatively smooth skin layer - as compared to the highly segmented Bontrager chamois - James Huang/Future Publishing
BikeRadar thermal bibshort battle: The Bontrager Race chamois may look 'tech', but doesn't feel overwhelmingly comfortable - James Huang/Future Publishing
Welcome to the first edition of BikeRadar Battle, where two similar products face off in a fight to the death! Or, at least, we offer up our opinions on each and declare a winner.
When paired with leg warmers, thermal bib shorts are a great alternative to tights. Here, we line up Bontrager's Race Thermal bib against Pearl Izumi's P.R.O. Thermal bib.
BikeRadar thermal bib short battle: the bontrager race thermal has a great cut and the profilia fabric performs well: bikeradar thermal bib short battle: the bontrager race thermal has a great cut and the profilia fabric performs well - James Huang/Future Publishing
An increasing number of companies are offering thermal bibs
Bontrager's offering feels very much like a standard race bib, but with a little fleece lining for added warmth. For the money, this is a great value short, with the fit and performance of the short only hampered slightly by a mid-range chamois. Pearl Izumi has been making thermal clothing — most notably arm and leg warmers — for years now and the P.R.O. Thermal Bib Shorts build on that legacy with a new chamois to boot.
BikeRadar thermal bib short battle: bontrager race vs pearl izumi p.r.o.: bikeradar thermal bib short battle: bontrager race vs pearl izumi p.r.o. - Ben Delaney/Future Publishing
Test Dummy #1 squares off against his evil twin, Test Dummy #2, in a test of thermal bibs
Here is how the Bontrager and Pearl Izumi bib shorts stack up against each other.
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And the winner of the BikeRadar Thermal Bib Battle is... Bontrager!
While the Pearl Izumi chamois is superior, the cut, fit and price of the Bontrager carry the day.
Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
