Cycling bibs are certainly one of the most personal items any cyclist will ever purchase. There are very strong opinions about one brand versus another amongst cyclists. In my opinion, the best way of testing such an item is a ride of 50 miles or more. Most bibs do fine for anything shorter than that, but hit 50 miles, and everything changes. What you thought was comfortable suddenly becomes an object of extreme discomfort. So, in order to try out the new Cervo Rosso CR Strada S3 bibs I needed a good long ride. I set out from my home on what turned out to be the first day of a two week long heatwave in Southern California. I headed into the valley via Mulholland, and out to Topanga Canyon. I enjoyed the climb, and then the descent to the beach and the cooler temperatures before heading back to Hollywood. The ride totaled out at 60 miles with about 3600 feet of climbing. The entire ride I knew I was supposed to be thinking about something, but my mind wandered off into that wonderful state where ideas start flowing. It wasn’t until mile 55 or so that I realized I was wanting to form an opinion on the Strada bibs. I hadn’t thought about them because they performed perfectly. Or, to put it bluntly, my bottom felt no pain whatsoever even after finishing up the ride. I chalk this up to the design and quality of the Strada bibs. The HG11 Technology padded insert is nothing short of miraculous. The 3 panel Xtra Life Lycra construction with flatlock stitching and soft elastic silicone leg grippers round out the package. The Cervo Rosso CR Strada S3 bibs are true performers begging for long rides in the saddle. Cervo Rosso has added more fuel to the debate of best bibs, something I welcome.
