RedWhite The Stealth (Fondo) Bibshort
The STEALTH (Fondo) is a cycling bibshort based on The BIB Bibshort and features the same long-distance chamois & M.I.T.I. fabrics. We’ve swapped out the iconic Red colour on the top mesh with Black and replaced the classic logos throughout the bibshort with Dark-Grey versions to create an understated and stealthy look.
The STEALTH is recommended for cyclists tackling long rides such as the :
- Transcontinental Race
- AUDAX rides
- Paris-Brest-Paris
- Race Across America
- London-Edinburgh-London
- Race Across Britain
Overview:
- Italian luxury Lycra from M.I.T.I.
- Lightweight Italian mesh fabric.
- Silicone Microdot Gripper.
- Long distance thermic-moulded Italian chamois
- Reflective tabs on rear of each leg.
- Made in Romania.
When we started RedWhite in April 2014, we wanted to create a no-compromise BibShort for everyone.
We had returned from an long tempo ride and our sit-bones were sore, and we couldn’t get back onto the bike the following day. We thought to ourselves, ” We could do BibShorts better.”
Many months later after countless design iterations and chamois and lycra samplings, we had in our hands what would become our flagship long distance model – The BIB. Why The Bib? Because this is meant to be your Go-Tos from here on.
The Chamois
The first thing you’d notice about any RedWhite chamois is how plush it is.
The chamois is constructed primarily from Open-Cell foam of multiply densities. The rear of the chamois is kept extremely plush to allow you to roll back onto your sit-bones – a position that’s common on long rides.
To accommodate the needs of more aggressive cyclists, the perineum area is elongated and firmed up to provide ample protection and comfort when an attacking rider goes into the drops and rolls forward onto the saddle.
Some key features of all the chamois’ we use in our bibshorts’ are :
- Built using 3 layers of medium to high density foams
- Moulded using a proprietary process called Thermic-Moulding. This produces a chamois that retains it shape, stays plush and doesn’t “flatten out” on long rides.
- Doesn’t “delaminate” and break apart after years of use.
Silicone Microdot Grippers
A bibshort requires some form of gripper to ensure it stays in position. RedWhite Bibs go one step further by ensuring the grippers provide the necessary grip without constricting your legs on a long ride. We call this a “Silicone Microdot Gripper“
We use a lycra fabric that’s overlaid with hundreds of microbeads of silicone. Each dot works together to give an even and non-tacky grip on the skin, while the lycra base (which we oversized) ensures your skin still breathes and doesn’t overly constrict your thighs.
The Silicone Microdot Gripper uses the theory of surface area. By using microdots across a wide gripper, you achieve 2 fantastic results:
- Increased surface area between the dots that allow the skin to breathe
- Increased gripping surface area through the dispersed dots that ensure a “gecko” like grip on the skin. Works well with hairy legs, even better with shaved legs.
When paired with the main lycra body, you get an even compression all round. Something that makes you forget you are even wearing a bibshort. Truly a gripper for the 21st century.
Luxury Lycra & Mesh Fabrics
RedWhite Bibs use Italian fabrics from MITI. Again, this is carefully selected. Many prototypes with various combinations of fabrics were experimented with before finding the perfect one. The fabric on The Bibs is a 220gsm matt black fabric with 20% Lycra POWER (an elastic fibre with compressive qualities) and 80% nylon.
There is a reason for this choice.
The RedWhite bibshort achieved a natural next-to-skin feel, with soft, supple and highly breathable lycra, which also provided superior anti-abrasion properties as opposed to polyester based lycra.
We are often asked why we chose the color black for our Bibs. Why don’t we have beautiful graphics on our Bibs? This too is a conscious decision.
Graphics are printed onto stretch fabrics commonly used in cycling bibshorts using a process called sublimation printing. The ink based graphics are printed onto a paper, from which they are heat pressed onto the fabric to allow the colors to adhere to the individual fibres within the fabric. This process is only possible with polyester based fabric. Nylon fabrics simply deteriorate when subjected to heat from the sublimation printing process.
The top mesh is also one of the finest from MITI. It is incredibly stretchy, lightweight and soft. These 3 properties increases the body area covered by the bib-straps, without causing overheating during warm days. The increased coverage by the mesh results in the bibshorts feeling almost like a 1-piece suit, rather than a pair of shorts held up by straps.
The Fit
Getting the right fit means that the bibshort should disappear on you when you ride. No flapping excesses to remind and annoy you. Getting the right fit was a priority. Apart from different sizing needs, the fit boiled down into making independent panels work into fitting both the length and width of riders.
The two main pain points for most people when getting a BibShort:
- Fitting the gut. Lets face it, not all of us have bodies like Chris Froome. Most of us carry a slight belly, sometimes more.
- The bib-straps fit great off the bike, but when tucked into an aero position, they sag and flop about.
To address the issue with fitting for regular people, an oversized front panel of lycra was added, just below the navel. This panel avoids cutting horizontally below and into the belly and gives a generous amount of room for the belly to expand out. This results in increased breathing room as we tend to breathe with our diaphragm whilst exerting ourselves. On top of this, the design doesn’t make a RedWhite bibshort any less fitting for people who want a tight, well fitting pro-cut bibshort.
The solve the common fit issues with the straps, we patterned them to follow the curves of the lycra as opposed to horizontal add-ons seen in other shorts. The design intent was to create a mesh that hugs the body all around and remains like a skin-suit even when the user goes into the drops. All our bibshorts should remain snug throughout your ride, on and off the bike.
Key Highlights:
- A low cut front panel that expands for lower belly comfort.
- Zero inner-thigh seams, reducing chafing and eliminating a common Bib weak spot.
- Wide cut mesh-straps.
- A large posterior lycra panel for maximum cooling and breathability.
100% Flatlock
Flatlock stitching is employed throughout the bibs. This increases durability even with regular rubbing across the contact points. Flatlock stitching is a high density flatlock stitch that requires experienced hands and special stitching machines.
The Flatlock stitch also lies flat against your skin, preventing fabric chafing and improving comfort on long rides.