1. Specialized SWAT Bibs
These innovative bib shorts are designed for mountain bikers who wear loose fitting ‘trail’ clothing to carry their essential tools, nutrition, hydration and things like cash or phone without the need to ride with a hydration pack or a shirt with built-in pockets. The SWAT bib’s storage capacity was crucial in allowing Charlie Boy and me to ride the Cape Epic in button-up chambray cotton shirts and baggies – an outfit that certainly didn’t offer storage in the traditional sense.
Our chambray cotton shirts didn’t offer any storage, but thanks to the SWAT bib’s ‘undercover’ pockets Charlie Boy and I were able to carry all our tools and nutrition. Photo by Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Storage is provided by three pockets sewn into the bib shorts positioned in a similar way to traditional shirt pockets but hidden by a rider’s top. In addition, easy to reach pockets are positioned on each quad underneath the baggies – these we used to store energy bars and gels that we needed to access most often. With our loose fitting shirts, getting to our tools and nutrition was easy – it did take a few attempts to get used to where exactly the pockets are positioned on the bibs, but once we got the hang of it, it was child’s play. Crucially, we could do it while riding on open roads.
Importantly, Specialized haven’t compromised on the SWAT’s chamois which provided the perfect amount of comfort – there were no moments of desperation or pain during the eight days.
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