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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: JUNE 28th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Leatt MTB Endurance 6.0 Bib Shorts 210g Large (as Tested) £166
The Leatt MTB Endurance 6.0 Bib Shorts are designed for mountain bike rides up to 7 hours, but they also made easy transition to gravel and road duties too, thanks to a combination of snug, secure fit, stretch panels, ventilated bib, and top-quality pad. Everything just fits and flows beautifully. Pads, like other contact points are incredibly personal things.
I’ve done a couple of seven-hour outings taking in trails, gravel, and unmade roads and indeed, some distance along metaled roads and only noticed the shorts in the most positive way. Not that I’d expect any different, at this end of the market. My only slight note of caution concerns the sizing. Leatt’s is very precise (and ultimately accurate) but study it closely, measure yourself (or have a trusted somebody) measure you. Don’t just take a lazy default.
Pros: Great fit, cut, pad, high quality fabrics & construction.
Cons: Price.
Specification
In a nutshell, reassuringly high. It’s a Polyester/Elastane blend with anatomical, 8 3D panels for optimal second skin, figure hugging fit. Hidden seams with overlocking and large silicone grippers continue the comfort narrative. Like a lot of garments these days (and unsurprising given Leatt hails from Cape Town in South Africa) the yarn features UVA and UVB blocking properties 95 and 98%, respectively. Dark colours also help in this respect, although on long rides in hot climes don’t forget a helping of sunscreen to maximise protection-especially to the lower legs. The fabric is described as very light but to touch, it feels solid.
Think cooling but able to withstand a few fast-paced tumbles. Talking of which, the bib sections also have a pocket, supposedly intended for a radio, so you can stay connected with your group. Or energy bars and similar goodies if you’re a long, steady lone wolf like me. Staying with the bibs, these are described as a “Carbon blend” and “bacteriostatic”, which basically means it wicks fast and keeps nasty funk to a minimum. This is similarly sturdy and stretchy. Again, given the design and intended audience, I wasn’t surprised by acres of mesh here and in the braces. The latter are aggressively tapered and a lot narrower than I’ve come to expect. At first glance, I wondered if they’d distribute load and ultimately, support evenly but I needn’t’ve worried.
Pad 4.25/5
While it’s very true to say everything must be right, never a truer word applied to the pad. They’ve gone for an Italian model, employing four medium density foam cells (their hybrid cell system. Aside from the moisture wicking, anti-bacterial components, there’s perforated sections around the crotch air, theoretically improving airflow to the region. There’s also a central channel running through the garment, which supposedly improves circulation in the legs and upper body.
Sizing/Fit 4.25/5
Having scrutinised their chart, taken a few measurements and double checked, I went for large. I was a little in between sizes but allowing for the fact I’m longer in the leg than my height would suggest, on balance I went a size up. On balance, this translated into a little more room up top- round the belly, to be precise but a stress a little. I didn’t notice while riding and certainly wasn’t “drowning” in them. Think tailor made, not painted on and the contours caressed my own beautifully. Cut was excellent at the legs and roomy enough at the crotch, where I can, sometimes feel a little “trussed up”.
Performance 4/5
The figure hugging, flattering cut and stretchy materials make for a compliant and unobtrusive experience, allowing me to sit back and concentrate on riding-whether this be gravel, trail, or even long, steady road miles, the Leatt MTB Endurance have certainly lived up to their name. Alternating between hoods and drops, minute shuffling in the saddle were all seamless and the bibs supportive without feeling vice-like around the shoulders. This has been particularly welcome when stopping for road and trailside ablutions.
I’ve not needed a radio, but the pocket has happily stowed oddments- energy bars in milder weather and though not best practice (given the potential for injury in a fall) a compact muti-tool encased in a thick neoprene sleeve. As May brought more summery weather, I was pleased to note the bib sections did an efficient job of trafficking moisture- obviously, there was some trace dampness but never soggy and this didn’t linger around my chest and lower back. The legs coupled with sensibly designed grippers offer excellent support - with no hint of gathering over the course of a ride. In cooler contexts I’ve also donned leg warmers-primarily to see if the leg grippers would hold these securely-they did.
Good to know, since spring can give all four seasons during a single ride. Without wind tunnel/testing equipment it’s difficult to comment on aerodynamics with conviction. However, anecdotally they’ve been on par with high end road shorts and there have been some very blustery outings.
I’m pleased to report the pad has also lived up to expectation, dare I say the hype, offering plenty of support, without feeling like the proverbial loaf of bread. I’ve alternated between five saddles- two road and two genre crossing models leaning more toward gravel and cyclo-cross.
I wasn’t surprised to discover the pads wicking and anti- bacterial properties combat crotch funk and similar unsavoury niffs, passing my week without washing test before needing a Tour de Samsung. Come time to strip off and leap into the shower, no branding from the hidden seams and silicone grippers. Not that I was expecting any but reassuring just the same.
Care/Durability 4/5
I would expect an mtb garment, especially at this price point to withstand all the thrills and occasional spills the trail could hurl at them. Again, I wasn’t surprised but pleased to report not so much as a loose thread in 700 mixed terrain miles. Overhanging bramble and similar forest nasties have snared the legs regularly and I've taken a rest on felled trees, gates and other, slightly abrasive surfaces.
Not so much as a bobble. I’ve tossed ours in the machine at 30 degrees and they’ve appeared looking and smelling packet fresh. Obviously, colour helps disguise oily fingerprints and similar patina, but I’ve also done my slightly provocative, real world accidental 40-degree wash with no issues. They’re straightforward to hand wash too. Drying times vary, especially in the latter context, but from the machine, line dried at 20 degrees ours have been ready to wear in 90 minutes.
Value 3.25/5
£166 (suggested retail price) is higher end and not a bargain but you are getting what you’re paying for. Sure, models such as the Madison Roam Men’s Cargo Bib Shorts are designed for and delivered on rides around the five-hour mark. They also feature genuinely practical pockets and, in my experience, an excellent choice for gravel and lighter trail duties if you’re on a budget.
Then of course, there are the Lusso Adventure Bib Shorts (were £125, now £65). The Adventure’s pad is designed for rides up to eight hours plus. I’ve found them a great fit and extremely agreeable. They’re also made in Manchester, UK. £130 buys Sportful Supergiara Bib Short, which is another model aimed at gravel, rather than strictly mtb audiences but on paper, also seems to lend itself well as a cross-over between the two genres, promising stretch, woven fabric with compression technology, three mesh pockets. Its DMS pad is shorter than road specific models, given the more upright riding stance of a gravel bike.
A closer comparator might be PEdALED ElEMENT Lightweight Bib Shorts. These retail for £160 and feature a rear pocket. As their name suggests, these are a lightweight summer design employing compression technology and a pad designed to support “all day riding on rough roads”.
There are three, similarly subtle colours- black, brown and burgundy. However, unlike the Leatt, they’re not an mtb first model. PEdALED Odyssey Bib Shorts are a good bit dearer at £210 and aimed at endurance riding, they feature three rip stop pockets- two at the leg and one at the rear bib section, they also feature compression fabric to minimise fatigue and come in a choice of black, dark red and beige.
Summary
When all’s said and done, the Leatt MTB Endurance 6 Bib shorts have proven themselves an extremely comfortable and capable design for longer haul riding, on and off road. However, they are at the upper end of the market and primarily for endurance cross country mountain biking. Those seeking a bib short with a more gravel flavour have plenty of cheaper competition to choose from.
Verdict:4/5 High end shorts with a price to match but check sizing carefully.
Michael Stenning
Leatt®: The Science of Thrill | Protective Sports Gear & Apparel
PUBLISHED JUNE 2024
