As part of their focus on the 3 key contact points between rider and machine, back in 2021, Q36.5 released a world first. A three-dimensional seamless bibshort. The UNIQUE.
Using double weaving tech, Q36.5 were able to create a garment from a single piece of textile to deliver a supremely lightweight, highly breathable and incredibly comfortable bib-short that literally behaved as a second skin, and which was designed to minimise the distractions often experienced at key 'touch points' between rider and bike.
Despite the apparent low-bulk, Q36.5 also managed to build in a level of support you would not think possible from such a svelte piece.
Refined over the course of the last few years, Q36.5 have now unveil the UNIQUE PRO Bib short, representing the pinnacle of Q36.5 design and development, the new Unique PRO Bib Shorts redefine what on the bike performance and comfort feels like. Made using signature innovative proprietary materials and featuring a brand new Q36.5 developed chamois insert, the Unique PRO Bib Shorts provide a visionary example of ultra high performance equipment.
Indeed, Q36.5 have spared no expense in their quest for perfection. The UNIQUE Pro is not just a bib short, but a functional part of your cycling weaponry that is designed to maximise performance through comfort and recovery by assissting your natural systems.
Through graduated compression, the UNIQUE PRO provide a balanced level of muscular support that not only assists with augmenting your pedal stroke, but that is engineered to optimise blood flow. In turn this aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle and the removal of toxins.
This muscular support is achieved using multiple material densities and a preformed shape to most effectively accommodate the riding position. Every section has been tuned to support specific muscle groups and their articulation when pedaling. Like all their shorts, Q36.5 retain their focus on the Lumbar panel, a key area that helps to stabilise the pelvis and is particularly effective over long hours in the saddle.
Their SKIN Fit and seamless one-piece consruction lend levels of comfort unrivalled in the industry and contributes to the distraction-free enjoyment of the ride.
To better stabilse the short, q36.5 have refined the bib straps over the original iteration. A tubular mesh brace construction has been used that offers additional support but with no additional weight and, more importantly - no unwanted pressure.
But the single biggest change has come in the most critical area. The Chamois pad.
The Fusion Vented - already an exceptional pad - is replaced by an in-house designed and manufactured UNIQUE PRO CHAMOIS.
The most distinctive advancement in the Pro bibshorts (if not all bib shorts), the pad is created and shaped as a mirror to the saddle and uses a large, smooth surface to act as a filter between body and bike.
The design greatly enhances the moisture management capabilities of the pad too, and the 11 mm thick pad natuarlly adapts to diffrent rider shapes for maximum comfort. (More detail in the Technical section below)
Made using two separate pieces of super breathable, high density open cell foam, the two layers work independently and are not glued or laminated together in order to increase adaptability and moisture management. The result is a comfortable insert that offers maximum freedom of movement and breathability.
"As the crux of the Q36.5 'Three Points of Contact' philosophy, the Unique Pro Chamois has been developed and designed entirely in-house. The upper layer (120 Kg/m2, 5 mm thick) directly in contact with the skin uses a smooth proprietary fabric that is extremely flexible to offer a maximum freedom of movements and quick drying performance. The second layer is a high density open cell foam (155 Kg/m2 , 6 mm thick) that has been strategically shaped to support with a carved out construction designed to adapt and protect the ischiatic and perineal area.
Supported by this “Adapt Technology”, the dual layer construction is connected by a single thermo-molded point at the rear of the insert. The rest of the insert uses an Open Air construction which when open resembles the bill of a duck. The result is exceptional freedom of movement, high breathability and quick drying performance."
Like the Dottore Pro bib shorts, the latest iteration of the UNIQUE shorts has a 2.5cm longer leg - the Unique Pro thereby extending the compressive muscular support. At just 175g (Medium) the Unique Pro offer the ultimate in compressive comfort without inhibiting durability (a signature of the brand as a result of their construction technologies) or breathability.
As with all Q36.5's pieces, the shorts are cut ergogenicallyto mimic the riding position and so perform optimally while riding.
Altogether, the Unique Pro is the pinnacle of cycling short technology - from construction to chamois development - and is designed to help you deliver your best performance regardless of body shape, riding style or position.
Whether you race or ride long, the UNIQUE PRO will help you do it in comfort.
As a huge fan of Q36.5, there isn't much - if anything in the range I haven't either worn or own!
As with all cycling apparel, in order to do its job effectively : keep you warm or cool, dry, comfortable and aero, it has to fit correctly. All too often we see riders in clothing that is far too big, flapping around or with gaping sleeves.
We get it, some people don't want to 'look silly' in tight fitting lycra - the stigma for many remains. To these folk I say consider this: most of those who'll be paying you any mind while you ride around will be other cyclists; they will almost certainly think you look silly if you're riding around in loose, ill-fitting kit! Besides, you want to get the best from your investment so who cares what people who aren't part of the cycling fraternity think - if it fits properly, it works the way it's designed to.
Q36.5 is highly technical kit; regionally sweat-mapped for optimum moisture management; ergogenic pattern cuts for best possible form-fitting and aerodynamics; not to mention the thermal conductivity that helps stabilise your body temperature, freeing up energy for riding. Fit is key and often at odds with your civvies.
We recommend purchasing and wearing your Q36.5 garment or shoes ‘true to size’ - if you are usually a Medium, purchase a Medium; 43.5 shoe then 43.5. However, when trying on a Q36.5 garment for the first time please keep in mind that cut and fit is designed for on the bike comfort and performance, indeed it is a pre-shaped cut meaning and the user may feel a minor degree of strain (eg. in the shoulder and chest area of the jersey / jacket or the bib short braces) when standing upright - this is totally normal and preferred, since you don't ride standing upright!
Try adopting a tucked, cycling position when trying kit on - all cycling clothing of any note is pre-shaped or cut in this position in order to deliver the technical benefits of the piece. When on the bicycle, any feeling of restriction should literally disappear and be replaced by a snug fit yet with excellent ease of movement, comfort and stability. With shoes, you want a small gap between your toes and the end of the shoe. As you ride, your feet swell and your arches collapse slightly causing your feet to 'creep'. Most of this movement is lateral but there is some longitudinal movement also. If your toes are at the end of the shoe to begin with - you will suffer with numbness and pain.
If you are ever unsure of sizing - maybe you have no frame of reference or you've tried 2 sizes and both seem to fit - the recommendation is to size down! Better to have your cycling kit tight than loose. Materials will give out slightly too and in the case of bibshorts, you want the pad firmly against you so you are stable in the saddle and so there is no rubbing of material or shifting of the pad - this only leads to bad places; saddle sores and ultimately, quicker wear in your kit.
If you are between sizes or already borderline on a size (close to it being too small), you may wish to size up one. Similarly, if you are not quite 'racing snake' and the size chart suggests you are a particular size - if you are close to the upper most extreme of that measure - you may wish to size up (it's how it works for me!).
For the latest seasons (2024 ->) there have been some changes to short leg length. In much the same way that the Pinstripe Pro (now Dottore Pro) jersey had an additional 2cm added for better overall fit, the Dottore and Unique bib shorts now have legs that are 2.5cm longer to better support the full length of the muscle. I would expect to see this creep into all shorts moving forward. Remember - there are rolling changes made where necessary during the 4 year development cycle of Q36.5 clothing.
There are also some changes to the structure of the range - at least in name. Collections are split by tech and fit: Democtratic Fit / GREGARIUS (Essentially KNITTED Fabrics with a more forgiving fit), Ergogenic Fit / DOTTORE (WOVEN Fabrics that fit close and are semi-compressive) and Skin Fit / UNIQUE (A small grouping, of UNIQUE Pro products that are second-skin). We separate them out in the menus on the site if it helps!
A note on socks : Q36.5 socks are supremely comfortable, easily the best I have ever owned. They last too and that feeling continues wash after wash where others become crisp and scratchy. If you are between sizes or unsure then I suggest you size down. There is plenty of stretch in Q36.5. With some models - notably the Be Love 0 and Be Love Seta - it is recommended that you cold-wash them before first use; they will shrink ever so slightly but not enough to warrant buying a size up.
Base layers are critical to the performance of anything you layer over the top. They should absolutely be a second skin or they don't do their job. If it fits like your favourite Sunday afternoon baggy T-shirt, bin it! Always buy the size that fits closest without any pinching under the arms or restriction at the cuff. Again, size down if you are unsure or between prescribed sizes. You may find that for the UK climate you can survive the winter in a short sleeve Q36.5 Base (Base Layer 2) - though this will depend on how you feel the cold. During summer, a base layer is still beneficial, helping to move moisture off the skin - where the temperature exceeds 24oC, you may find that a Clima or Dottore PRO jersey are fine next to the skin but both (and all other jerseys) will perform better when the Zero Mesh base layer is in play.
Get a Vest / Gilet! If you don't own one, this is the single piece of equipment that offers the broadest range of benefits. A good gilet offers wind protection on chilly mornings, late evenings, descents after hot and sweaty climbs and core protection in sudden downpours - it is virtually indispensible year round. Not sure where the weather will go an any given ride? Stuff it in a jersey pocket and your core will always be protected, extending the operating temperature of the rest of your outfit; be that in summer or winter.
Q36.5 make 5 key vests - one uniquely for potentially wet rides but that also serves to keep the wind off (R.Vest Protection); the all-round Vest L1 Essential that offers both thermal stability, insulation and weather protection; the new Air Vest, the ultimate in low bulk emergency wear that will keep the wind and showers from ruining your ride and that packs down incredibly small - it weighs just 69g; the new Adventure Insulation Vest developed for lower intensity and more adventurous forays off the beaten track in a design that weighs in at just 115g & packs away easily - and lastly the Woolf Bombardino - a versatile gilet that can serve as a layering piece or an external weather defense during rides in changeable conditions - it's small too, so ideal for summer trips to the mountains where temperature can vary sigificantly with elevation. Remember - the fit needs to be close, particularly when layering.
Be smart with your Q36.5 clothing. Wash it without softener at cold temps - preferably as soon as you get in from your ride. And use their Tech Wash - it will make your kit last longer and perform the way it is supposed to.