Evolved from the L1 Essential Lady bib short and taking it's design lead from the men's Dottore project, the Dottore L1 Lady is not simply a modified men's short with a women's pad sewn in. Q36.5 have developed the Dottore L1 with innovative technologies that are not just tailored to fit women but that offer calibrated support, compression and comfort, resulting in a women's bib short engineered for the specific needs of the female cyclist and that will serve in a wide variety of conditions and disciplines. The queen of bib shorts.
As both a cyclist and retailer I am constantly on the look out for brands that offer something different. I'm not talking about colours and false innovation whereby old technology is re-hashed in an effort to sell more of the same. I'm talking about real, ground-up, pioneering innovation that offers a tangible benefit to me as a rider and something that consumers - you - can genuinely benefit from. As a biologist also, I have an appreciation of anything that gives a functional performance advantage through careful design that helps support and augment the body's natural structure and processes. There is always a reason for stocking the products we keep here at 700 and Q36.5 is a brand that sits perfectly with the 700 ethos.
Q36.5 is born from a genuine passion. It is evident in the way they create their products and in the way they talk about them. We love that.
The Salopette L1 bib short is the original Q36.5 garment, conceived in early 2013 concurrent with the founding of the brand. After 20 years of experience at the highest level of the industry, it represents Luigi Bergamo’s very personal vision of the future of cycling and expresses the mission of the brand. More recently, Luigi has developed the Salopette Dottore L1, refining and augmenting the Essential to be an even more advanced and technical short but one that still fulfills the remit of an any-day, any-ride bibshort. The name is a reference to the almost mythological, sometimes notorious figure of the professional cyclist’s personal doctor - and their role in helping fine-tune the rider. The Salopette L1’s ergogenic philosophy is to do the same : to become the definitive all-purpose, all-day, any-day, high performance cycling bib short
One of the defining features of the Q36.5 range is their pioneering and innovative approach. It is this that has allowed them to literally re-invent key aspects of cycling clothing and they can confidently say 'Unique' and 'Word's First' numerous times when referring to their L1 range.
Read the background on the brand and you will appreciate the Q36.5 approach to maintaining the optimal operating temperature of the human body whilst also simultaneously offering a targeted approach to muscular support and body stabilisation whilst riding. This focus means that Q36.5 shorts and clothing are far more versatile than most of the other competing brands and do far more than simply clothe the rider.
No other short in the world is manufactured the same way.
The key element of any bib short is the pad and its interface with the rider. In the last decade, Chamois pads have been characterised by 2 different technologies. The sewn, flexible pad as pioneered by Assos and Cytech which introduced the Elastic Interface in 2000 and which conveys greater flexibility and elasticity; and Thermo Moulded Foam pads whose denser grade of foam offers more support and padding.
At the brand's inception in 2013 and after considerable R&D, Q36.5 introduced the world's first hybrid chamois that employs both technologies in a single pad design. Q36.5 refer to this innovative pad as their Fusion Chamois. A structure of multi-layer and multi-density open cell foam is engineered for varying levels of support depending on the area in contact. For example, the front of the chamois employs a softer, more flexible and breathable pad and the chamois is cut and sewn. Rearward, where support and comfort are favoured over flexibility, the foam is Thermo-moulded for superior density. As many of us will have experienced over our cycling careers, the perineal area is a sensitive one and demands extra attention. To this end, Q36.5 have placed 2 parallel longitudinal foam pads in the appropriate area to relieve pressure and the entire chamois is covered in a proprietary atypical 'double heart' shape of generous proportions in order to better cup the gluteal and genital areas. On first inspection the pad looks very large but put the shorts on and you'll wonder where it went. The complex construction lends the versatility to the short that is a signature of the brand; the substantial padding offered by the entire chamois means that no matter your riding position - whether you are an amateur endurance rider or a dedicated Time-Trialist - you are always comfortable with the requisite level of comfort and support.
While the fundamental basis of the pad construction remains the same, Q36.5 have not simply sewn a 'women's shaped' pad into a men's short to create the Dottore L1 Lady bibshort.
The Dottore L1 Lady, like the Essential L1 it evolves from, is inspired by neither the 2-panel (Descente) or 8-panel (Assos) concepts which have dominated short design since the mid-80s, but rather it is cut according to an entirely new Ergogenic Pattern. The shorts have targeted support for different muscle groups during cycling and minimal panels and seams - none of which face forward in an effort to minimise aerodynamic drag.
The Ergogenic cut is possible thanks to the novel construction material and technique. The Dottore L1 Lady builds on the Essential's multi-density weave construction by employing 8 (rather than 4) different densities of 6.6 Polyamide fabric for maximum performance gain. The greatest density is also the most obvious and is in the lumbar panel at the lower part of the back of the short. Here it is employed to maximise body alignment throughout the pedal stroke. This area is important as many of the larger muscle groups meet here. In addition, the support offered through this higher density area also serves to reduce muscle fatigue and you can literally feel the assistance as you ride. Q36.5 refer to this as Vectorial Elasticity and it continues throughout the shorts with the varying densities of polyamide and the minimal number of panels in the design.
One of the key differences between the women's and men's versions can be found in this Lumbar area. Q36.5 have tweaked the density of the fabric weave for women since their musculature support requirements differ from that of men. The ergogenic support and the graduated compression (see below) isn’t so extreme and to this end the women's Dottore employs panels of a less compressive rate to give a softer compression. In addition, Q36.5 use a completely different side panel construction in the women's short, this less densely woven area balances the support offered in the lumbar area for greater comfort and a tailored, female specific level of compression.
The Dottore L1 Lady is further tweaked through the addition of the jacquard woven “Y-pattern” found across the surface of the leg panels. This “y-pattern” serves on two levels. Aerodynamically, it disrupts the surface of the air, reducing drag, and has been studied specifically for limbs which are in constant movement and thus needs to be effective in a full range of positions relative to the air it is “breaking.” Additionally, it's purpose is also one of graduated compression. Close observation will reveal that the pattern has been used in 4 shifting levels of density, which correspond to the 4 different levels of graduated compression, from greatest compression at the bottom of the shorts to least at the top, around the groin area, thus stimulating an enhanced so-called “pump-effect” of blood circulation - also known as venous return.
Contrary to most traditionally knitted high-end shorts, the use of high density woven Polyamide also lends a far greater robustness to the shorts without in any way altering the feel against the skin and with no weight penalty. Indeed, the durability for the weight is unmatched and the shorts will continue to serve long after the competition are thread-bare: the materials and construction mean that the longevity of the fabric is approximately 10x that of traditionally knitted high end shorts.
If you ride in the UK, there is an extremely high chance that you will - at some point - get caught in the rain. The good news for riders in the Dottore L1 shorts is that the fibres used in their construction undergo a water repellency treatment before being woven, this not only maintains their natural structure but improves their drying time making them a particularly sensible choice in changeable weather or if you are likely to be riding in hot or humid conditions and sweating..
Another unique feature is the bib or braces. Constructed in a proprietary new Tubular Brace System, the bibs are far softer both as a result of the fabric choice but also because the construction is seamless. In addition the fit is more ergonomic leading to a sense of the bibs disappearing when you adopt the riding position. A development in the Dottore L1 Lady and one that is a function of an enhanced aerodynamic approach, is the removal of the sewn-in leg gripper in favour of an un-hemmed leg. This further reduces weight and the injected silicon offers a super close, comfortable, aero fit - one that I very much prefer having ridden both shorts, not least as it affords a more definite tan line! In addition, in combination with the more foriving level of compression, it also dramatically reduces the appearance of 'sausage leg' - something that I am aware, having spoken to many customers, can affect the buying decision.
Arguably the biggest innovation in the Dottore L1 Bib Shorts is the use of pure Silver thread. Aside from it's antibacterial and conductive qualities that help keep the rider fresh and thermally stable, Silver yarn is woven into the weft of the fabric in the bottom 20cm of the leg and throughout the lumbar panel (which supports the gluteus muscles) tin order to protect active muscles from electrostatic and magnetic interference (the so-called “electrosmog” pollution of electromagnetic radiation resulting from wireless technology and mains electricity). The protection offered by the silver thread from these waves allow the active muscles to operate with less “distractions”, further refining the ergogenic function of Q36.5’s high density woven fabrics.
At just 160g a pair - a result, not the goal of careful refinement, fabric development and design - the Q36.5 Salopette Il Dottore is an exceptionally lightweight short that all but disappears when riding, allowing the wearer to focus on and enjoy their riding.
All in all the Q36.5 Dottore L1 Lady Bib shorts offer the versatility of use for 3 seasons and a guarantee of body temperature stability above 18oC. Combined with unmatched comfort, muscular support and aerodynamics their durability belies their low weight and ensures that your shorts will continue to perform for years.