Specialized's race-level bib shorts have long been appreciated for their lightweight, supportive and articulated fit, excellent chamois pads, and superior construction. The chamois has to be perfect- soft on the skin with appropriate levels of foam in all the right places, and a perfect shape. Overall, the materials and fabrics must be compressive, yet still comfortable while being sized correctly. The design team at Specialized continuously works to refine, improve, and innovate with every product, with some changes being incremental, so monumental. The SL R Bib Short represents the former, making minor but real improvements on the previous version.

Body Geometry technology is often the center of Specialized's equipment, and on a bib short that starts with the chamois. The pre-molded, triple-density foam Race-level Body Geometry Contour 3D Chamois is contoured to perfectly match the curvature of your body, all while being soft and supportive in all the right places. Essentially the pad is a 4-layer construction, that seeks to conform to the body while meeting the shapes of Body Geometry saddles. You get aligned support and comfort featuring “Reduced Points of Contact”, a race posture informed anatomic shape with excellent breathability.

The upper part of the comfort equation is extremely stretchy, featuring soft, flat bib straps paired with a soft four-way stretch fabric. That moves with you, keeping the lower half in compliance with movement. A central vertical panel is lightweight and carries moisture off the skin, to be passed out through your next layer. The external obliques and lower abdominal get lightweight, mildly compressive support. The short section is pure performance, with anatomically aligned support, proper fit and ergonomics while pedaling, and impressive breathability. The four-way stretch fabric ensure features plenty of compression, for long days in the saddle, but has excellent resilience ride after ride. Specialized finished off the leg openings with a three-inch-tall silicone cuff that distributes pressure evenly.

The entire bib short design is complements from top to bottom, for a a great, stable fit and the contoured chamois pad riding in place, flexing and moving with you, in or out of the saddle. Every stitch, every detail, and every intention has been thought out, executed, and tested to deliver the terrific performance of the Specialized SL R Bib Short.