Foldable Bikes Party: Best winter bib tights for cycling

Thursday, 20 October 2016

Best winter bib tights for cycling

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To keep your lower half warm cycling in the winter, you have three basic options: leg warmers with bib shorts, tights over bib shorts, or winter bib tights. Here we show you five of the best winter bib tights for cycling, which are the simplest way to suit up and head out into the elements.

What to look for

Insulating warmth and wicking should be givens in this category, as all winter tights have some degree of Roubaix-like brushed fleece lining the inside. (Think Pearl Izumi leg-warmer material.)

While all these models have good chamois pads stitched in and varying degrees of reflectivity, most default to breathability over wind block or water repellency. While wind- and waterproof jackets are fairly easy to build without compromising fit, the highly flexible and form-fitting nature of tights makes for a challenge when incorporating these characteristics. Only a few brands can pull this off well.

Fit is crucial. Besides how the insulating material feels on your legs and how the straps feel over your shoulders, you don’t want to be wrestling with a slightly misplaced chamois. All the bib tights shown here are size large (except the medium Pearl Izumi) on riders who are 6ft-6ft 2in / 183-188cm.

Assos LL.Mille S7

Price: £175 / US$270 / AU$365

Buy now from Assos

If the measure of good clothing is never thinking about it once on, then the LL.Mille S7 succeeds completely. Whether riding hard for one hour or cruising easily along for four, the Mille bib tights have the details dialed.