Rapha Winter Tights £145

At a glance A well made, warm, comfortable and durable pair of tights ideal for roadies looking to keep up the miles over winter. The new version now has reflective details but could still do with a better positioned pocket.

Tested by
Oliver Laverack, tester for The Bike List

Value

Performance

If you're a fair weather cyclist who gets put off by cold temperatures and rainy days then stop reading now, these tights were not designed for you. This review is for those that take winter by the scruff of its neck and continue cycling through despite the long dark nights and sub zero temperatures.

With no chamois insert, Rapha's Winter Tights are designed to be worn over your normal bib shorts or even tights. On the countless cold rides that I've worn these tights I found that wearing bib shorts underneath was ideal for all but the coldest of rides. If I was a little cold when I stepped outside the door I was perfectly warm when I started turning the cranks and generating some heat. The trick is to pick the right layers for your top half so you can wrap up warm when it's super chilly but also let air in quickly should you get hot climbing or should the sun decide to put his Rapha cycling cap on.

Acting as an insulating but breathable extra layer, the Thermoroubaix fabric, lined with a soft and comfy brushed Thermolite fleece inner does an excellent job of trapping the heat you generate and wicking away any sweat.

With the highly variable weather Britain tends to get, these tights are actually much more versatile than the name suggests. I have used these tights all the way up to May on days that were cold but certainly wouldn't be classed as winter. Also, although not specifically designed for wet weather riding I found that on the few occasions that I was caught in a light shower the tights managed to help my body retain its heat for the rest of the ride despite having rain soaked fabric covering my legs.

The construction of these tights is good and well placed seams ensure comfort and longevity. The flatlocked stitched panels combine to offer an excellent figure hugging fit with only one problem. On the first couple of occasions when I put my feet through the tights I tore a couple of the stitches near the ankle however this hasn't affected the tights in any noticeable way and I now know to be extra careful when putting them on. Other than this small issue and despite the hundreds of miles of use these tights have seen I've only noticed a small amount of wear. Strangely only on the rear right hand side inner thigh panel where it comes in contact with the saddle. Here the material has started to bobble however this appears only to be a surface blemish and the structure of the fabric still appears to be in tact.

So what else do you get for your £145? Shoulder straps made of stretchy mesh help keep the tights in place and the same material also covers the upper back area helping prevent sweat. More durable, double-layered stretchy mesh is used on the foot loops, which you can cut off if you don't get on with them. Soft rubber ankle grippers stop the tights riding up but the snug fit on my legs meant that they didn't move around much anyway. Fans of coffee shops with shoebox-sized toilets will be also pleased to hear that a fully lined zip means you won't have to strip everything off for a wee.

Directly underneath where the stretch mesh meets the lower back panel is a small zip pocket that also contains the washing label. I found this pocket to be somewhat useless as it's both inaccessible whilst riding and badly placed as any jersey would stretch over the contents of the pocket whilst in the riding position and be uncomfortable or just annoying.

Let's not forget that although performance is important, so is style and the red stripe and Rapha logo on the left leg give these tights an understated sophistication. The words "Wheel Sucker", taken from Tim Krabbe's book, The Rider, are imprinted on the right rear panel above the hips and acts as a nice little 'take your turn at the front' reminder to anyone drafting you.

Unfortunately these understated touches of sophistication appear to be at the expense of what is arguably more important during winter; in these darker months, being seen on the roads is of primary importance. A few reflective details would be a valuable addition to these stealthy but otherwise excellent tights. (Note: Rapha have remedied this on their 2010/11 winter season version, now available, with two reflective strips on the rear.) The obvious way to remedy this is to ensure that you've always got some good lights on your bike and that some other items of your clothing such as your booties are covered with enough reflective materials to broadcast your presence to drivers.

Find out more and buy from www.rapha.cc

Rapha says:

Rapha's Winter Tights are an essential piece of clothing for cold winter cycling. They are made from durable Italian Thermoroubaix fabric and have a brushed fleece inner throughout for maximum insulation. The tights are designed to be worn over your favourite bib shorts so there is no pad and they have mesh stirrups that can be easily removed. The tights are shaped to provide an ergonomic fit and additional muscle support.

Other features include a mesh panel in the back of the tights to help regulate body temperature and a fully-lined zip to allow you to answer calls of nature quickly and easily. The tights have a discreet zipped valuables pocket in the lower back and are finished with flatlock stitching to prevent chafing. The left leg has a contrast stripe with a printed Rapha logo and there is an additional 'Wheelsucker' logo on the seat of the tights.