Reviews

Funkier Matera Pad F1 bib shorts – review

An interesting take on bib shorts but fatally flawed

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, as the old saying goes – and that’s applicable to the Funkier Matera Pad F1 bib shorts. These shorts have an excellent chamois but the unique take on bib straps means they fall significantly short.

Let’s start with the chamois, as it’s a very good pad which feels comfortable from the first ride. It strikes a balance between padding and compression, and offers effective ventilation and temperature control thanks to the perforated, multi-layered foam.

The lower legs are made from a mix of 240 and 250gm lycra. The panels are all well cut and sit well on the body, and while the grippers are a little narrow, they are effective in holding the shorts in place.

Funkier’s Matera Pad F1 shorts have a unique take on the traditional bib strap design

Specification
Price: $129.95
Website: Funkier

It’s the top half of the shorts where the problems start. The vast majority of cycling shorts on the market either end at the waistband or have bib straps which loop individually over either shoulder to hold the shorts in place. It’s a tried and tested design which just works.

However, in a bid to make comfort breaks more, well, comfortable, Funkier have devised straps which start out as a single piece of fabric with a detachable clip at the front and back, before looping over the shoulders. The idea is that you can undo the clip(s) and pull the shorts down to answer the call of nature.

It’s fair to say that answering the call of nature can sometimes be a bit of a faff when wearing cycling shorts, though just how much of a faff varies from one pair of shorts to another, and Funkier’s solution does make things easier to begin with.

But there is always a but – it’s nigh on impossible to reattach the clips. Whether it’s the front or the back, once unclipped the elastic retracts so much you have to take your jersey off, with all your pockets emptied, and re-attach. That’s if the shoulder fabric hasn’t twisted or moved too far that you then have to re-arrange the straps completely. If you have to go through this battle to relieve yourself mid-ride, you may as well have just stuck with regular bibs.

The detachable front/rear clips are designed to make comfort breaks easier, but it’s not as simple as that

On top of that, the clips are prone to rubbing on the stomach and spine, where tools and items in the back pockets rub on them or sit awkwardly. While riding, I was constantly nagged by the clips and the awkward waist design, which, because it sits quite low, cuts in on the stomach. It could use a wider waistband as a result.

Ultimately I can see the initial idea behind these shorts, but the execution of the design just isn’t a real world working solution. You can just as easily answer a call of nature with regular bib shorts, and if these are aimed at long races or rides, where you might benefit from a quick stop, you aren’t going to want to be struggling around trying to clip them back together.

Conclusion

There’s nothing quite else on the market like these shorts (for male riders, at least) – and probably for good reason. It’s a Marmite design and while Funkier may be onto something, there needs to be more research and development to really make the shorts work. It’s a shame as with regular bib straps, this would be a solid set of shorts, with an excellent chamois, so we’d recommend looking elsewhere in the Funkier range.