Fizik Link R1 Chameleon Bibs
The Link R1 Chameleon Bib Shorts incorporate the brand's Spine Concept design philosophy and luxury details, making them race-ready for cyclists with moderate flexibility. For reference, Fizik designed the Chameleon Bibs to correspond with the brand's Antares saddle, but the shorts are so comfortable and well-tailored that they're just as capable of pairing with any other saddle.
Though this is Fizik's first outing in chamois land, the Link R1 feels like the product of multiple generations of R&D. This immediate rise to the top is impressive—though, admittedly, not unexpected. After all, the brand has made a name for itself by redefining our expectations throughout the cockpit, so extending that expertise to bib shorts was the next logical step, and focusing on the chamois is itself the most obvious point. As with its saddle counterpart, the Antares, the Link R1's Chameleon chamois is shaped for cyclists whose average spine flexibility means their hips tilt forward five degrees while they're stretched out on the bars. Fizik's thinking is that Chameleons benefit from dedicated support across the entirety of the chamois with a slight increase under the sit bones. This corresponds with Fizik's Antares saddle but also rides happily on any preferred perch.