In this article:

• Learn how we use bikefitting.com’s technology to create the ideal bib shorts. 
• We’ll teach you about the difference between a good bib and a great one. 
• Discover which bib shorts are right for you using our Bib Selector. 

An often—politely—overlooked aspect of your cycling experience resides where your bib shorts meet your saddle. Crucially, the tail end of your ride can significantly impact how you feel during and after cycling. That’s why we work together with the experts at bikefitting.com to turn bikefitting insights into great-fitting shorts. 

Here’s how. 

Getting your bike fitted to your specific size has been proven to make a big difference in how you ride and helps reduce injury. And when it comes to bike fits, the experts at bikefitting.com have it dialed. Thousands of serious cyclists have sat down on their patented fitting bike and returned home with a bike that fits. Each fitting comes with valuable data about positioning and pressure points, which Shimano’s Apparel and Accessories team combined with their knowledge of pads, materials, fit and usage to create a bib that feels unique, and uniquely you.

We asked Product Developers Laura Bartels and Katlijn Engelberts to tell us more about the development of Shimano’s new shorts.

“With this collaboration, we’re able to use a standardized bike set-up to test the first impression of a lot of different (bib) shorts,” Katlijn explains. “This extra input helps us get more consistent ‘data’. Because external factors like the bike, the saddle, weather, and riding conditions are taken out of the equation during this testing phase.

“We set the bike-fitting rig up for each test rider to recreate the same conditions each time we test this way. This is important because every detail of a (bib) short can influence the perceived fit. Every seam, every panel and millimeter of material affects this, besides the all-important chamois. We can focus on these details because we use the same setup every time we test. Every test rider needs to get on the bike-fitting bike for just a few minutes because we’re interested in their initial response and experience and combine that feedback, unique pressure input per rider/short combo. This way, we listen to the riders and match that with data, creating unique, more evidence-based insights.”

“Our method allows us to collect qualitative feedback from the test riders while gathering more quantitative data. If we see values or feedback from the questions, the riders answer after each test and can connect that to a specific position, that tells us a lot as developers. Besides creating a clearer feedback picture, it helps us understand the difference between men's and women's shorts and chamois even better. You can imagine that differences in anatomy and body shape play a huge part in finding that perfect combination of material and thickness of the chamois and the design of the (bib) short.”

Another aspect is sizing. There is way more to this than just adding or cutting some material. Body dimensions play a huge part in understanding correct sizing; this is where our collaboration also comes into play. “Now we can test every possible size of the bib shorts and consider a wider variety of body types, making our approach more inclusive because we care about every booty on the bike. Pun intended.”

“With this approach, we can achieve a next-level fitting experience. We can design, develop and create the ideal bib short more effectively through science. You can experience the result yourself online via our online Bib Selector."

Besides the new and unique scientific testing with Bikefitting.com, the collaborating specialists still rely on the more traditional method of extensive outdoor testing, which results in hundreds of hours of actual cycling by the test riders. 

“Outdoor testing is a bit different. Here the feeling and experience over multiple rides are the focus points. There are so many variables that can influence the outcome here, it comes down to simulating as many different scenarios as possible. Riders will head out on shorter rides, but do up to ten-hour stints on the bike, depending on what sort of (bib) short they are testing. “Faster, more aero-focused efforts demand a different kind of kit than for a relaxed, coffee ride, and we make sure we add every imaginable kind of ride to the real-world test rides. Combining the outcome of these two different phases, we combine the best qualitative and quantitative data”.

Whether you’re a pro or a passionate recreational cyclist, your challenge is always the same. You yourself are your own individual opponent, and it’s up to you to chase your dreams and find your individual fast. It’s up to us to help. By listening to your questions, inspiring you to find the answers, and showing you there’s a Shimano product brand that matches everything you’re looking for.