Almost perfect: Santini’s Unico Edge bib shorts
9/4/2026
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Pictures: Patrick Bardelli
Italian premium cycling clothing brand Santini promises comfort and performance. The Unico Edge bib shorts are no exception. Well, with one exception.
You know how it goes – victory or defeat are so often decided by mere seconds. Admittedly, I don’t participate in bicycle racing. Given that, you might find my opening statement a tad dramatic. But it sums up my thoughts on the Santini Unico Edge bib shorts. They do pretty much everything right yet still fall short of perfection for me. Let’s start from the beginning.
Made in Italy
Founded in Bergamo in 1956, the company still manufactures in Lombardy today. The northern Italian brand has since become an official supplier for major races such as the Tour de France, the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix, as well as the official merchandising partner for all UCI races. They also kit out teams, including Lidl Trek.
Unico Edge for men and women
With the Unico Edge, Santini has launched an ultra-lightweight and, above all, ultra-comfortable pair of bib shorts for men and women. According to my kitchen scale, it weighs 200 grammes, which is about 10 per cent lighter than my current go-to pair. According to the manufacturer, the Unico Edge are designed to offer maximum support, stability, and the highest level of comfort even on long rides. That said, they’re also supposed to be ideal for everyday training rides.
Eight-hour rides aren’t really my thing. Short, punchy sessions of one to two hours on the gravel bike are much more my style, so I can’t judge how these shorts perform over a long day in the saddle. But during my intensive training sessions, they get just about everything right.
High comfort
The microfibre of the Unico Edge is highly elastic while still providing light compression. The legs of the pants are laser-cut, so there’s no need for the usual silicone grippers; they don’t budge. The seams are thermally bonded, which prevents unpleasant chafing. The straps are laser-cut too, which adds even more comfort. All in all, top notch! I give the Unico Edge full marks in terms of comfort.
The chamois pad
Santini is known for its high-quality chamois pads. The Unico Edge rely on the C3, which has an ergonomic 3D surface and a shock-absorbing gel core. And I would have been perfectly happy with it. If only I hadn’t recently discovered German manufacturer SQlab’s unconventional chamois.
The crux: SQlab’s pads are super thin – just six millimetres in my current shorts. By comparison, the C3 measures ten millimetres at its thickest point. And I never thought I’d write these words, but my bum really can feel the difference those four millimetres make. After just a few weeks, I’d got used to SQlab’s minimalist pad.
And it completely won me over. SQlab breaks with the idea that thicker padding is always better, instead relying on thin pads designed to minimise shear forces.
And ever since I started taking any new bike I get to a professional bike fitter, I no longer underestimate the difference a few millimetres can make in cycling.
In a nutshell
A few millimetres short of perfect
If only my bum hadn’t got so used to a competing chamois pad that’s four millimetres thinner. Then the Unico Edge bib shorts, which Santini sent me for review, would have aced this test. Alas, I can’t quite give it full marks.
At the same time, these bib shorts from Bergamo offer outstanding comfort and a really cool burgundy look. I like the dark red combined with black, anthracite and grey in particular. There’s really nothing to complain about, yet I reluctantly end up giving these shorts «only» four stars.
Mind you, they definitely won’t end up buried at the back of my wardrobe – they’re far too good for that. I expect to keep using them on my rides.
Pro
- Top-notch comfort
- Very lightweight – feel like a second skin
- Cool design
Contra
- «Normal» chamois pad
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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