Le Col Women’s Sport Cargo Bib Shorts review

The Women’s Sport Cargo Bib Shorts are part of Le Col’s training-oriented sport collection.

They share similarities with Le Col’s Sport Bib Shorts II – the brand’s mid-range, durability-focused performance bib short – but with the addition of cargo pockets.

While I had slight concerns about their ultimate durability, overall these are great bib shorts.

Women’s Sport Cargo Bib Shorts specifications

Designed as a go-to option for everyday riding, these bib shorts are intended to offer durability and comfort first and foremost.

Lightweight mesh cargo pockets feature on the legs, which are a relatively long-cut compared to many other brands’ bib short offerings.

The gripper band is wide and lined with delicate rubber stipples.

The chamois is a multi-layer pad with a gel insert built in, aiming to absorb vibration from the road and ensure comfort and support.

The bib upper is also mesh and seems to be the same material as that found in the cargo pocket. The shorts are made with panels and flatlock seams.

Women’s Sport Cargo Bib Shorts performance

When compared to more modern designs, the Sport Cargo shorts employ a more classic approach to bib shorts.

They’re not seamless, there’s a gripper band on the legs, and Le Col hasn't done anything wacky in its approach to the bib straps either. However, they do feature cargo pockets, which add practicality, giving you easy-access storage.

The pockets have an elasticated band across the top, with the same light mesh fabric of the bib upper making up the pocket outer.

This worked well – it made the pockets subtle so they didn’t interfere with the overall impression of the shorts when not being used.

The downside is, I found the mesh material used for the pocket outer and bib upper to be quite flimsy. I managed to put a couple of small holes in the upper mesh, presumably with my (short) nails when taking them on and off.

Similarly, I managed to poke a couple of small holes in the mesh by storing items such as my keys, and a gel with sharp corners in the pockets on a longer ride.

It seems the lightweight mesh material used has points of weakness that succumb easily to pressure. As such, I’d recommend not storing things that are likely to catch on the mesh and create holes or ladders in these cargo pockets.

Besides my natural concerns over the robustness of the bib upper (given it’s made of the same fabric), I liked it, finding the straps and back comfortable.

The cut is lovely and the upper sits snugly against your body without bunching, with the back panel design holding the shorts securely in place.

I found the Le Col pad comfortable, but a little bulkier than average towards the front.

This might suit some women depending on preference and position on the bike, but it’s not an area where I feel much padding is needed.

An awkward issue I had with these shorts was the combination of the thinness of the Lycra, its construction and the closeness of the fit.

I occasionally found hairs would stick through the front of the short. This happened rarely when cycling, but occurred enough to cause me bother when I stood up off the bike.

It’s something I’ve noticed before with my own Le Col waist shorts. I had put that example down to material wear and tear over time, so it’s a shame to see it here from the get-go.

Women’s Sport Cargo Bib Shorts bottom line

These are longer-cut women’s bib shorts, with a comfortable construction and a form-fitting, lightweight bib upper.

The cargo pockets are a plus, but the mesh used for them and for the shorts’ upper make me worry about their durability. The fabric is on the thin side.

However, durability and slight exposure concerns aside, the overall performance is good. The chamois is comfortable and the cargo pockets secure, the fit is excellent and the gripper is well designed too.