TRIED &
TESTED Tried & Tested by THE MODERN ATHLETE TEAM
Brilliant Biking with Italian Flare
The Ciovita range of biking kit offers great quality , comfort , durability and adaptability , as pro rider Sarah Hill has found out this year after becoming a Ciovita Brand Ambassador . We asked her to give us the inside scoop on the kit .
It ’ s been four months since I joined the Ciovita family , and with an entire Absa Cape Epic ‘ under the bum ’ in their kit , a review is a must ! In previous years , when I looked at Ciovita on my friends , I thought it looked like “ kit for the masses ,” meaning it looked comfortable , kind of baggy , and probably something I would never wear . So , when I was given the opportunity to wear the kit myself , I will admit that I was somewhat hesitant .
Meanwhile , the truth is that I don ’ t wear shammy cream . I don ’ t know where the idea of me being so tough ever came from , but there ’ s something in me that believes that a quality chamois bib doesn ’ t require bum cream . There are arguably better ways to test out new kit , but hey , you ’ re reading this one , so buckle in .
Trying the Bib Shorts
Let ’ s start at the bottom . The two bib shorts that I have been testing are the women ’ s Supremo bib shorts and the women ’ s Apex Elite bib shorts . I ’ d only heard great reviews about them , but as we ’ re all aware , training rides can ’ t quite replicate races , and the same is said for equipment feedback . It needs to be tested in the “ real world .” Fortunately , I ’ ve had the opportunity to test both sets of bibs in numerous races , including the Attakwas Extreme , Tankwa Trek , numerous single stage marathon events , and the Epic , and I came up with a short list of pro ’ s and cons for both bib shorts .
Women ’ s Supremo Bib Shorts
Pros :
• Comfortable and stretchy . I find it really easy to adjust where I like the lower band to sit around my leg . ( If you ’ re like me , the tan line is a point of reference .)
• Sits easy on the saddle , as in I don ’ t feel like I need to adjust the bib shorts in any way once I ’ ve gotten on the bike . No pain or hot spots while training , doesn ’ t feel too hot , and breathes well on tough training sessions .
• Works well for long endurance rides - five hours or
longer are no problem .
Cons :
• Squeezes my leg fat at the bottom , making me feel a little ‘ lumpy ’ and self-conscious .
• Doesn ’ t work well in rainy weather . Unfortunately , I chafe between my thighs and my hips ( the underwear line ). However , I must say , this was on the two wet days at the Epic , and if you spectated from your living room you would have seen the amount of water that came down on us . To come out of those two stages just with mild chafing as my biggest problem was definitely a win !
Women ’ s Apex Elite Bib Shorts
Available for R2899 here on the Ciovita website .
Pros :
• At first glance , I thought there ’ s no way this is going to fit me . Ciovita weren ’ t kidding when they said , “ these are a tighter fit ,” but I decided to give it a go . Initially it felt like I was putting on a new pair of
Images : Courtesy Ciovita
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