Trek’s Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Shorts are part of a larger move by Trek to do two things:
- Rebrand at least some apparel from the Bontrager family to the Trek family
- Increase the amount of recycled material used in their products and the amount of recyclable material in their packaging
While new product lines are interesting and exciting — and the Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Shorts have a lot to offer, as you’ll read in a moment — the latter point is far more interesting. As Trek itself notes, the apparel industry is an environmental hot mess, as fast fashion often fast-tracks clothes straight to the dump. The clothing lifecycle is very linear from resource extraction, through manufacturing and shipping, consumer purchase, and finally, landfill.
That’s a long-winded way to say that if you care about the environment, being in the business of selling clothing is fraught with existential problems.
So are the Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Shorts a solution to clothing life cycle woes? No, but they certainly point to a less environmentally devastating trend.
Trek Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Shorts Specs:
- $100.00
- bluesign® product and STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® tested
- Elite inForm Chamois — form-fitting, dual-density pad with optimal balance of performance and comfort
- Lightweight, breathable fabric balances compression and comfort
- Low-profile bib straps with shaped mesh allow for easy bathroom breaks without disrobing
What I like: The Elite inForm chamois is comfortable for 1-2 hour rides; the average 6.3 oz of waste reduction per pair holds promise for an increasingly sustainable approach to the future of apparel in the cycling industry
What I’d change: A bit less silicone grip on the legs would improve the ease of getting into and out of the shorts
My call: A solid pair of bibs for two-ish hour rides that have the added bonus of being bluesign® approved seems like something most folks can get [on their] behind.
Trek Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Short: bluesign® certified
bluesign® is a third party that establishes sustainability standards for the entire value chain, from material suppliers to manufacturers through to brands and retailers. If you’re a consumer looking to make the best choice possible, there’s a lot of concern about companies greenwashing their environmental or sustainability claims. Or worse, picking and choosing what environmental facts they choose to report. The fact that the Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Shorts are bluesign® certified should provide consumers with some comfort that Trek’s claims are verifiable.
RELATED:
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX tested
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a global certification standard that sets strict limits on 100 harmful substances like pesticides and heavy metals. It’s an independent third-party process that tests textiles at all stages of production, from raw material to finished product. Consumers can feel confident that not only are they not exposing themselves to harmful substances, but that the people who manufacture the raw material and construct and package the end product are also not being exposed to harmful substances.
Trek Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Short: The Ride
I’ve been testing the Circuit Women’s Bibs for a month, but we only reached shorts weather about a week ago. So most of that testing has been on the trainer. The Elite inForm chamois is Trek’s mid-level chamois. They recommend it for up to 2.5-hour rides, and I would agree that that is the high end of the chamois’s performance and comfort range. The dual-density padding manages to remain relatively thin and unobtrusive. For trainer rides ranging from 45 minutes to an hour and half, the chamois was fantastic — supportive and comfortable. It also performed well on the single outdoor test it received — a two hour gravel ride. At the end of that ride, I was starting to notice the thinness of the chamois and wanting a bit more support or firmness to the padding, but only just.
The Circuit’s bib straps are wide and thin with mesh on your back for improved cooling. The width distributes any pressure and they lay nicely under a jersey. The front of the shorts have a mid-rise height. They hit me right around my navel, offering light but non-restrictive support when I was bent low in the drops. The shorts have quite a few panels. But the pieces all come together nicely and I didn’t notice any awkwardly placed or uncomfortable seams.
That being said, I do have one gripe. The silicone grip on the leg bands are not my favorite —they’re grabby enough that it takes some work to get them past my calves when I’m kitting up. While that is a bit annoying when I’m in a hurry to maximize my hour-long lunch break ride, it bordered on embarrassing when I did wear them outside and I found myself bum out, struggling with the leg bands during a nature break. Once the shorts are in place, the grip on the leg band is fine and I don’t notice it. I’m hopeful the grip wears a bit as the shorts break in. While it would be nice if the shorts started with a little less grip, time should solve the issue.
Trek Circuit Women’s Cycling Bib Short: Final Word
I’m excited to see Trek embracing and working toward offering more sustainable products and I absolutely support that move. I also think the Circuit Bibs are a great product, especially for the price. The fact that Trek’s most sustainable bibs are also not the top tier bibs, but are instead $100, is great to see. And that’s not to say a hundred bucks is cheap or “budget friendly” for a lot of folks. But for the quality of the shorts, it really is a good price.
The Circuit Women’s Bib shorts will work great for anyone doing sub-two-hour rides. They are especially great if you’re looking to lighten your impact on the planet. Remember though, the most environmentally friendly thing you can do is not buy new clothes—even environmentally friendly ones—until you actually need them.