Lusso Paragon Seamless Bib Shorts review

Lusso has historically impressed with its classy yet well-priced kit, and that winning form largely continues with the Paragon Seamless Bib Shorts.

The Paragons are the brand’s top-end shorts and are accordingly pricier than many of Lusso's offerings.

For the money, you get sustainable and smooth Italian fabric and a handmade appeal added to the mix.

There’s also a bumper pad if you’re looking for all-day comfort.

Lusso Paragon Seamless Bib Shorts specifications and details

There are plenty of top-end features in the Paragon bib shorts, such as laser-cut leg sleeves and seamless straps. The material blend has a high 35 per cent elastane content for extra stretch (20 per cent elastane is about standard for bib shorts).

The big ‘floating’ pad from Elastic Interface is one of the key features (ultra-distance riders, take note), while that titular ‘Seamless’ promise is seen through a collection of flatlock seams to minimise mid-ride irritation.

The recycled material is sourced in Italy, before the shorts are handmade in Manchester, UK. The kit is produced to order, to minimise the chances of overstocking – a further sustainability boon.

Lusso Paragon Seamless Bib Shorts performance

Vying with the pad for attention as the Paragon’s chief talking point is the sheer quality of the material.

The elevated elastane content ensures these stretchy bibs sit softly on the body (the difference in quality was notable when I wore them back-to-back with other bib shorts).

The construction quality is also high, with Lusso’s long-serving army of tailors (I’ve visited the factory and the levels of craft are impressive) providing a garment with few seams.

The vast majority of necessary seams are flatlocked, delivering very good endurance comfort.

Like the matching Lusso Paragon Jersey, the shorts boast raw-cut sleeves. Combined with the minimal silicone beads, they excel in keeping the fabric in place in an understated manner, with no hint of ‘sausage-leg syndrome’.

The Elastic Interface chamois is pitched towards all-day and audax riding. Its monster 43cm length gives plenty of coverage at the rear and front, the latter helping to provide some modesty at café stops.

Interestingly, it’s also only stitched to the fabric underneath at the rear and front, meaning you can lift up the pad and see underneath it (Lusso labels it as ‘floating’).

I thought it was a manufacturing mistake at first, but there were no issues on the bike. It seemed to enhance aeration on the move, while making the pad quicker to dry both on the bike and off – a useful feature when out in the sticks.

The pad is pretty firm, yet it remains supportive in the key areas and never felt too squishy. However, the sheer size of it meant I walked with something of a waddle, which would be an issue for hike-a-bike sections.

Given Lusso finishes everything by hand in its Manchester factory, I’d like to see the brand offering multiple pad sizes (see the Endura Pro SL for a good example of this in action) depending on a rider’s size and/or saddle type.

I was worried the lower positioning of the shorts themselves might see my stomach creating some classic muffin-top action, but they keep things largely in place.

The crossover-style straps mean there’s no rear panel for wicking sweat, although there are perforations in the straps themselves to provide a modicum of ventilation.

Lusso also offers the Paragon in a 'Black Ventilated' version for an extra £10, with laser-cut vents on the lower thighs intended to increase airflow.

Lusso Paragon bottom line

If you’re happy with using a large pad, the Lusso Paragons are exemplary bib shorts that can handle many miles in the saddle.

The lack of a mesh rear section and the relatively high price tag may deter some, but these are well made and comfortable bibs with much to recommend them.