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It'd be a mistake to associate the name Gore solely with waterproof kit, as these extremely comfortable and well-featured bib shorts show. They're not cheap by any stretch, but whether you hide them under baggies or wear them on their own, they're amongst the best bibs I've used, assuming you get on with a fairly athletic cut. 

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The C5 bib shorts main party piece is that it uses a 'cup' of Windstopper material on your groin to keep wind - and a fair degree of water - off those sensitive bits. The rest of the short is made from a nicely stretchy material with plenty of panels to ensure a comfy fit.

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There's no bunching up, no digging in and no chafing from either the legs or straps and the material has proven to be perfect for everything from blazing hot summer days to slightly chillier evenings when worn on their own and they work pretty much year round should you put them under baggies. The material dries out quickly too, wicking sweat from your really effectively.

They're super comfy shorts at a reasonable price for such high-end construction

The multi-density 'Advanced Road' chamois has similarly been superbly comfy, holding itself in position nicely and helping to isolate your bum from the bumps without feeling like you're wearing a freaky adult nappy. On everything from short mountain bike jaunts to 60-mile gravel rides, I've not been left feeling battered or numb.

The 10"long leg is about perfect as far as I'm concerned and they stay in place really nicely thanks to a combination of stretchy and pretty deep lower legs that also have subtle silicone-type grippers that help hold them in place without tearing out leg hair - assuming you have it.

Long elasticated lower leg grippers keep the shorts effectively in place

All in all, these are an absolutely top pair of bib shorts that have quickly become my favourites. The only issue is the cost, which is pretty steep by the standards of many mountain bike bibs, but less so when compared to other high-end road shorts.

There's no bunching from the straps or back

For me, I'd say that the comfort and quality on offer goes a very long way to justifying that cost - after all, unless you regularly ride multiple days on the go, one set is all you need - but many will find this money hard to justify.

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