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Mavic Sprint Bib Tights

9
£155.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Very comfortable tights good in the cold temperatures with an excellent fit, ideal for longer rides
Weight: 
385g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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With a comfortable insert, excellent fit and ideal insulation for cold temperatures, Mavic's Sprint Bib Tights are good winter legwear but the price puts them at the top-end of the bib tights market.

They work hard to justify that price tag. The Ergo 3D insert is claimed to offer 'all day comfort' with different density foam in six different thicknesses, which sounds complex but ensures there is basically more padding where you need it most, and less where you don't need it. It's a design that works, and works very well.

I didn't test the 'all day' promise but on one ride in excess of five hours they provided ample comfort, with nothing to suggest they wouldn't keep on providing ample comfort for another five hours. The insert just feels good, with the right thickness of cushioning that makes them as good as any competitor's insert at a similar price.

The tights are made from a Warm Tech fabric, which is quite thin between the fingers but provides decent insulation. Mavic have doubled up the fabric in a section that runs over the front of the knee and up the thigh, providing more protection from the cold in the front facing section of the leg, where you need it most.

It works well, providing good warmth for the legs yet breathability is good especially around the back of the legs away from the cold wind. I didn't notice a hint of overheating even during harder training rides.

Fit is where the Sprint Bib Tights definitely earn a few extra points. Some tights can feel tight or restrictive in certain areas, say around the knee joint or top of the thighs, but there wasn't a hint of restriction or tightness with these. They simply felt they were custom measured for my legs, so good is the fit. I tested a size medium for reference.

All the panels are sewn together with flat-lock stitching and they've proved to be very hard-wearing bib tights, even standing up to some off-road riding and getting caught in brambles. There are the ubiquitous reflective details to help you stand out on the road. A short zipper in the front provides easier access for comfort breaks.

The Sprint Bib Tights offer excellent performance in the cold weather and the fit and comfort is as good as any other bib tights costing this sort of money, and they're at least as good as any other similarly priced bib tights. The rather loud sprint logo might not be to everyone's tastes, but based purely on performance and function, these are top notch bib tights.

Verdict

Very comfortable tights good in the cold temperatures with an excellent fit, ideal for longer rides

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Mavic Sprint Bib Tight

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Ergo 3D insert offers comfort and performance thanks to progressive cushioning with 3 different densities and 6 different thicknesses of preshaped foam

Warm Tech provides warmth, comfort and high abrasion resistance

Flatlock seams

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Built for long distance rides and races throughout the winter months, the Mavic Sprint Bib Tight is packed with high end features specifically picked to complement your riding. With a unique two layer construction delivering a highly stretchy fit as well as excellent warmth, the Mavic Sprint Bib Tight will keep you going when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and thanks to a supportive Ergo 3D insert you can keep on riding mile after mile with added comfort.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Work really well in cold temperatures with the double layer panel over the knee, but good breathability elsewhere.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The excellent fit defines these bib tights, a good fit is something that some bib tights still struggle with.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The loud 'sprint' logo along the side of the leg.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

They're very expensive but against similarly priced bib tights they earn a place at the table with top notch comfort and fit, ideal for longer rides.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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1 comments

Avatar
thesaladdays | 9 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

head wearing bib tights

You may have put them on upside down  4

Seriously though, I've always found Mavic bibs to be very comfortable and durable, and when they're on sale I never hesitate to buy a pair. These look really good.

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