At a glance Well made, stylish ¾ length bib tights with a very comfortable chamois but made from a very warm, fleecy fabric that leads to a bit of a Catch 22 situation…
Tested by
Claire Maxted, tester for The Bike List
Performance
I feel as if Rapha have created a Catch 22 situation in creating a ¾ winter bib tight. As soon as it gets warm enough to wear ¾ length tights, it is too warm for the thick fleecey Thermoroubaix fabric. Conversely, in the winter, when you want a warm, fleecy fabric, your lower leg is exposed to the elements unless you use leg warmers.
I wore these on a very cool, early spring 45mile sportive around the Grafham Water area and I found that I was cycling with a gloriously warm bum, yet my bare lower legs were freezing and covered in goosebumps. So rather than ¾ length bib shorts, I’d love Rapha to make a full leg women’s version of these.
There is a reason behind the ¾ length. Rapha say that Former Tour de Flanders winner, Belgian Edwig Van Hooydonk found that while riding in cold, nasty conditions, conventional shorts aggravated his recurring knee problem. His solution was a pair of 3/4 lengths which stretched below the knee and acted as a sort of bandage. This new look achieved international exposure when Van Hooydonk won the race in 1991. However, not having a knee problem myself, super just-over-knee-length tights don’t really work for me – I find the thick fleece too warm for warm weather and too cold around the calf in cold weather.
On the Grafham Water sportive however, some brilliant things about these bib tights did become apparent. Firstly, the contoured Cytech chamois is marvellously comfy to sit on for 45miles. Secondly the top half of the bib shorts was enormously soft, stretchy and comfy, warm and completely put an end to that annoying cold patch you sometimes get on freezing early spring rides. That awful moment when your cycle top wriggles up to expose a bare portion of skin the wind smashes a freezing chill up your spine, is now gone. It’s also a lovely feeling also not to have a waist band digging into your stomach when you lean over to ride, and the reflective details were stylish, subtle and useful.
One other point to note is that the leg grippers are very tight just below the knee. I personally found them to be too tight and quite uncomfortable after longer rides. Not all ladies may find this a problem at all - my calves are definitely on the large side. As well as cycling I do a lot of walking and running, so my lower leg muscles are quite well developed.
The calf circumference of the bib tights is 29cm, but my calves measure in at a circumference of 35cm – go figure! Although elasticated, the material is very strong, always pulling back to its original circumference which slowly cuts off my circulation and cramps up my lower legs. Although the bib tights fit nicely everywhere else, I do have a problem with this area, but other ladies definitely may not have this issue.
So in summary, I think we can over look the tight upper calf leg grippers (just try before you buy if you think you may have larger than average calf muscles). The chamois is excellent and the fit, style and detail everywhere else feels great. With a price of £160 you are paying for the exquisite Rapha styling and quality. You can get cheaper bib shorts of course, but they may not be as good looking, or make you look as good! However despite this high quality and excellent styling, the overriding downside in my opinion is that the Women’s ¾ Bib Shorts are still too warm in warm weather and too cold in the cold. I would really love to wear a full length version of these for cold winter cycling if Rapha ever make a pair. Do email us if you have these tights and find the ‘warm ¾’ combination perfect however, we’d love to hear your opinion.
Rapha says:
Classic cycling bibs designed for women
The Women's ¾ Bib Shorts use a durable, fleece-backed fabric to ensure maximum comfort. The bibs are made from a luxury mesh material with a large cutaway section in the back to prevent overheating. There is also an elasticated pocket at the back of the bibs for small items.
The shorts use the same female-specific Cytech pad as the Women’s Shorts for total comfort. The shorts have a high-rise front chest panel for additional support that uses a softer fabric than the leg panels. The front zip has a soft Lycra guard for the lockdown puller.
The ¾ bibs have flatlock stitching throughout to prevent chafing and are finished with cream binding and soft gripper around the legs. Reflective tabs behind the knees provide added visibility.
A recent invention, 'three quarters' were the brainchild of Edwig Van Hooydonk and played a key role in the Belgian hardman’s successful bid to win the Tour of Flanders in 1989. Riding in cold, nasty conditions, he found that conventional shorts aggravated a recurring knee problem. His solution was a pair of cycling shorts that stretched below the knee and offered an elegant alternative to the wrapped bandages used at the time. The new look gained further international exposure when Van Hooydonk returned to Flanders to win again in 1991.
Fabric
- Strong and durable Thermoroubaix with great stretch. Thermolite fleece lining.
Features
- Seams positioned away from front and back of the knee.
- Lightweight mesh bib.
- Supportive chest panel.
- Soft gripper on leg hems.
- Flat lock stitching.
- Cy-Tech female-specific pad.
- Reflective tabs.
Care instructions
- Machine wash cool 30°
- Wash dark colours separately
- Do not tumble dry
- Do not iron
- Do not bleach
- Do not dry clean
Sizes: XSS, XS, S, M, L, XL
Find out more and buy from www.rapha.cc
