Bib shorts designed for mountain biking are becoming more prevalent in the market and Rapha’s Men’s MTB Trail Liner Bib Shorts are an excellent example. Built with plenty of mesh panels, combined with a near-perfect fit in a comfortable package they stake a serious claim as one of the best bib shorts on offer. They’re a little pricier than similar offerings and they use thicker fabrics but they’ve become a go-to for almost every ride.
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Rapha Men’s MTB Trail Cargo Bib Liner - Technical details
Seeing more mountain bike specific bibs pop up on the market is something that I’m really enjoying. I like the security bib shorts offer and the extra mud protection but with most on the market designed to be worn as an outer layer they can be a little much for wear under MTB shorts and trousers.
Rapha’s MTB Trail Liner Bib Shorts come with a general design that’s not too dissimilar from its road and gravel-going bibs but with two large mesh panels at either leg, with others located at the upper, they’re designed to offer better airflow and cooling when worn under shorts.
Meeting Bluesign and Oekotex certification, these shorts are made of fully recycled materials with GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified yarns. They then utilise Rapha’s chamois tech with a quick drying pad and there are two mesh pockets at the lower back.
Rapha has cut the MTB Trail Liner with its classic fit which the brand says is close but flexible while being optimised for all-day comfort.
As for the fabrics, 78 per cent nylon and 22 per cent elastane make up the tricot main fabric, and a blend of 73 per cent nylon with 27 per cent elastane sorts the mesh.
Rapha Men’s MTB Trail Cargo Bib Liner - Performance
I’ve been riding in the Trail Liner Bib Shorts for a good few months now and they’ve been the first I’ve reach for before every ride. That’s simply because they’re the full package, and I’ve found very little to grumble about.
The fit is spot on for me. I usually run a medium bib and that’s what I chose for this test. Tight spots are non-existent and the close fit is true to Rapha’s description but it’s never felt uncomfortable. There is a bit of compression at the shoulder straps but again, I’ve found no real issue here.
These bibs have spent a lot of time being worn under trousers throughout the autumn and winter, and that’s where the real benefits of its mass of mesh make a difference compared to regular bibs. Everything’s a bit cooler and where the mesh adds an extra hint of stretch, maneuverability in the Trail Liner Bibs has remained unhindered, which is excellent when getting into the extra shapes that come part and parcel of mountain biking.
I’ve even worn them on lengthy cross-country and gravel rides where the pad boosts comfort further. From the outside, it looks rather simple but it’s pre-folded, so it matches the body’s contours closely and it doesn’t feel as if you’re wearing a nappy when walking around the car park.
The bib’s pockets are super easy to access as they’re offset from the center of the back, and their entries are angled. Both of these features work to make them intuitive and simple, which then makes for easy use when pedalling.
Durability has been very impressive too. Yes, the Rapha bibs do come with a slightly enhanced outlay, as is to be expected from the brand, but for that money, the Trail Liner Bibs are sure to last. Throughout my months or near-constant riding in them, and after numerous washes, they’re looking as good as new, aside from a bit of colour fade, perhaps.
There is a compromise to be made here, however. The Trail Cargo Bib Liner’s fabric is a little thicker than other MTB-built bibs. While that returns in durability, where there isn’t mesh, they can get a little warmer.
Rapha Men’s MTB Trail Cargo Bib Liner - Value
Rapha’s Men’s MTB Trail Cargo Bib Liner shorts sit towards the mid-high end of the scale where they’re not quite as expensive as Assos’s Trail Tactica Liner at £170 but they’re not quite as friendly on the wallet as Endura’s Singletrack Bib Liner at £85.
Coming at a similar price at £120, Gore’s Fernflow Liner Bib Shorts get a comparable range of features but its build is very different. These shorts are very much like a pair of shorts with strap sewed on and because of that, comfort doesn’t quite stack up. However, the compromise there is that it’s a cooler bib short. It gets one large pocket at the rear, but because of that, it can take some rummaging to retrieve the thing you want.
To compare to the pricier Assos Trail Tactica Liner Bib Shorts HP T3, they cost £170 as mentioned before but they get three pockets at the rear and impact pads at the hips, adding useful protection and that’s just scratching the surface.
Although they don’t get protective features, and they’re a little pricier than other shorts, Rapha’s Men’s MTB Trail Cargo Bib liner is an excellent offering to the bib shorts market. These shorts proudly fly the Rapha flag in terms of quality, fit and comfort but it works brilliantly as an undergarment that promotes extra airflow. Grumbles are few but if anything, the thicker main body of the fabric can make things a touch warmer.