Tights & longs

I've had the pleasure of testing a bunch of Louis Garneau's winter gear lately, and have found it all to be well thought out and constructed but I was a little disappointed by these Oslo bib tights.

Ride are a new brand to these eyes, but going by these bib-tights they do darn good kit at a very reasonable price.

Scott's All Season Helium Minus tights come with windproof panels to boost their cold-weather performance and several other high-quality features that set them apart from the crowd.

We first tested these tights a year ago - in November 2010 - so we thought we'd update our review to cover how we've got on with using them since then. Well I say "we", what I mean is "I"… you can take team bonding too far y'know. The price for this winter, 2011-12, remains the same at £160.

These bib tights are from Castelli’s Rosso Corsa line, which means that they’re a top-of-the-range option from the Italian clothing specialists.

Endura kit is very popular among mountain-bikers, and this UK manufacturer also produces highly-respected gear for road cycling. At the top of the family is Endura's premium range: Equipe.

The Equipe Thermo biblongs are full length tights designed for road riding in cold or wet weather. The fabric is Roubaix style - meaning it's fleecy on the inside, lycra on the outside - and it does the job very well. These test tights have been worn for some long rides in nasty conditions, and they definitely kept me as warm as any pair of winter tights can.

Madison's Shield Protech Roubaix full-length tights have everything you need for riding in cold and wet conditions, and nothing you don't need.

The Roubaix fabric is fleecy on the inside to keep in the warmth, and sheer on the outside to repel wind and rain. This material is not water-proof, so you'll get wet legs in a storm, but it is a half-decent barrier against road-spray thanks in part to an additional water-resistant coating - presumably the eponymous 'shield' - although it's not clear how long this coating will remain effective.

dhb's cycling leg-wear range gives you an impressive list of options - long tights, tights or shorts, with or without bibs, with or without pads, in two fabric weights, male or female cuts - I've been testing the ladies version of the dhb Pace Roubaix Bib Tight with pad (there's a men's version too), and overall I must say I'm impressed. I've used several different brands of cycling tights over the years, and these are among the best I've ever worn.

Female specific bib tights such as these Gore Bike Wear Oxygen women's bib tights are thin on the ground with a vicious circle stating that ‘women don’t wear bibs’ meaning manufacturers steer clear of making bib tights for women, which means women don’t wear bib tights, and so it continues. Gore Bike Wear however, are one of the handful of companies who do produce bib tights for women, and have done so consistently for some time.

After reading some good reviews for various bits of Zero rh+ kit (to give them their full title) I was pretty excited about testing these Stretch Congtrol big tights. Having spent more than a few hundred miles in them over winter, in just about all possible riding conditions I'm a bit less excited. Unfortunately as Mat found with the Power Logic Olympic bibs from Zero these just come up a little short for the clearly premium price tag.

As their name implies, Altura children's winter cruiser tights are scaled down versions of the adult longs. Looser cut and double seat means they transcend the road, mtb and cross genres while timeless and ultra practical black peppered with Scotchlite reflectives keeps them neutral enough for running, football and similar activities.