The Le Col Women’s Sport Cargo bib shorts are designed for training, commuting and social riding, with a relaxed fit and two mesh leg pockets. These bib shorts are part of Le Col’s training-oriented Sport collection.

What’s it for?

Le Col says the Women’s Sport Cargo bib shorts are designed for everyday riding, aiming to provide easy-access storage without the need for a jersey. The pockets are made from a ‘durable yet lightweight’ mesh, while the main body comprises 80% polyamide and 20% elastane.

The bib shorts feature a four-layer female-specific chamois, which Le Col says uses gel inserts to provide comfort for 6+ hours of riding. While I didn’t test them on a ride quite that long, I did find the chamois comfortable, providing soft tissue protection without extremely bulky padding.

The bib shorts had the relaxed fit described and were true-to-size. The mesh pockets were the highlight, with a great 18mm depth to fit everything I’d normally put in a jersey pocket.

There’s no comfort break feature, but this is something Le Col says it’s working on.

Fabric and features

The Women’s Sport Cargo bib shorts main body is made from 80% polyamide and 20% elastane, and the mesh contrast uses 94% polyester and 6% elastane. Le Col says the material features UPF 50 UV protection and also has abrasion-resistant qualities. The pockets are made from a ‘strong lightweight mesh’, which is said to have good stretch recovery.

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The chamois uses a four-layer construction, which apparently features gel inserts that provide comfort for 6+ hours in the saddle. Le Col says the padding is thicker and wider at the back than the men’s chamois, to best suit the female anatomy, with less padding at the front.

The legs use Le Col’s ‘premium leg grippers’ and the garment has been constructed with flatlock seams in a bid to prevent chafing. Le Col gives a recommended temperature range of between 15 and 25°C.

Le Col Women’s Sport Cargo bib shorts fit and sizing

I got the Sport Cargo bib shorts in a size large, as a UK 12, and found them to be true to size. The relaxed fit means they aren’t compressive but still fit close to the skin as you’d expect from training kit. The bib shorts are available in sizes XS to XL.

The grippers sit on the inside of a band at the end of the leg, which has a decent amount of give that is only capped by the stretch of the seam. I found it fitted my leg well but a stretchier thread on the seam would bump up the comfort level.

The mesh straps and upper have a good amount of give in them so, while they fit me at 5’ 7″, they should have plenty of space for riders with longer upper bodies.

Wearing the Le Col Women’s Sport Cargo bib shorts

The Sport Cargo bib shorts felt lightweight thanks to the breathable mesh upper and straps. The main material was thin enough to help keep my body temperature down but not so much as to feel cold or flimsy.

Although I typically prefer a more compressive fit, the training fit on these bib shorts was enjoyable, and the grippers held the leg fabric securely in place.

I love the pockets on these bib shorts. They’re a solid 18mm deep and could fit everything I needed, with the upper hem helping me know without looking when an item was fully inside the pocket. The mesh didn’t feel quite as durable in hand as say, the Rapha Cargo bib shorts, but I didn’t encounter any issues with it while testing.

The chamois delivered reliable comfort, whether in the saddle for half an hour or three, though I may quibble Le Col’s claim that it can provide 6+ hours comfort as I did feel it begin to compress slightly towards the end of longer rides.

There’s no comfort break feature, which is a shame, but Le Col says this is something it’ is working on developing for the future.