With all kinds of bib shorts in the hopper this year, some have bubbled up as winners for different reasons. The Hincapie Power GT bibs are certainly tops in many categories.
Hincapie Power GT bib features:
- Durable, super opaque AT1 Superstruct™ Lycra® Power provides a supple, supportive fit.
- Proprietary Schoeller® coldblack® finish technology reflects heat away from the body
- Abrasion resistant ABR Resistor™ Lycra® moisture wicking panels in the saddle wear area.
- Strategically placed Resistex® Carbon panels help lower temperature, heart rate and lactic acid concentration in muscles.
- Comfortable power stretch IllusionMesh™ upper wicks moisture away from the body while also providing an updated visual interest.
- Updated leg bands in ProGrip™ for enhanced comfort.
- Seamless anatomical multi-density ProTour Chamois with perforated foam inserts and center relief channel moves with the rider.
- Reflective logos for increased visibility.
- 10.5″ Inseam
- Price: $180
Power GT Bibs Offer Compression and Comfort
The new Power GT bibs are great examples of a great blend of cutting-edge fabrics and refined construction. Looking at the specs, it reads like a who’s who of fabric mills with Schoeller, Lycra, Resistex and more — all featured in these bibs. With a magic mix of fabrics, the Power GT’s are great for long days in the saddle.
Speaking of long days, I immediately zipped out for a 50 mile ride with over 4000 ft of climbing as a break-in ride. At the start of the ride, temps were comfortable, but by the end, it was toasty and I was spent. The GT’s were super at providing proper muscle support and cooling — despite being all black.
Particularly, the uppers are very soft next-to-skin with the straps doing an excellent job of moisture management. Soft bib straps should be more common than they are, but I’ve had my fair share of chaffage from rough straps. None of that is happening with these. Oh, and they remain stink-free for multiple uses (yeah, I’m like that).
The leg bands are wide and have layer flat throughout my months of testing. Every panel hugged my leg muscles and I felt refreshed longer when wearing these. With no visible signs of wear, these have remained good-as-new.
Down at the chamois, this multi-density design remains low-profile. It doesn’t have quite the squish of the Garneau Elite Lazer, but it does provide excellent comfort and has worked well with a variety of saddles from Bontrager, Specialized and Ergon.
For reference, I’m 5’11” and 170 lbs and wore the size Medium bibs.
The Good
- Superb compression
- Uppers are very comfortable, chaff-free
- Breathes well
- Stretches for relief
- Chamois is low-profile, but awesome
- Plain black goes with any jersey
The Bad
- All that fabric technology ups the price (but, they are on sale for a steal… see below)
The Bottom Line : Power GT Bibshorts
What a great combination of fabrics, fit and performance. The Power GT bibs are really hard to beat, but do come in a little higher-priced than the competition.
Buy Now: Available at CompetitiveCyclist.com (now only $107.97)
