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howies Men's Padded Bib Tights

9
£75.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Supremely comfortable tights at a great price but may not be warm enough for some on really cold days
Weight: 
325g

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For the last couple of years Welsh-based clothing brand howies have been gradually expanding their cycle clothing range with some really well designed and well-priced garments, and that theme continues with these new Padded Bib Tights.

The Leadout bib shorts scored highly when we tested them and so did the bib tights, but the later came without a pad - you had to wear them over a pair of bib shorts. Nothing wrong with that, some people prefer that flexibility that offers, but now howies have taken the padded insert from the bib shorts and sewn it into these new tights.

The Padded bib tights only cost £6 more than the unpadded bib tights (which does make you wonder where the money goes in the unpadded bibs) which means they offer far greater value for money.

The Italian manufactured TMF high density 2-layer insert is a simple looking pad but it's a very comfortable place to park yourself for a ride, and proved comfortable for me for anything up to 5 hours in the saddle. The 2-layer refers to a base 4mm thick foam with 8mm of foam in higher impact areas, such as the sit bones.

The excellent fit of the bib tights ensure the insert sits in the right place and stays put without any shifting out of position. The tights are made with the same seamless knitted fabric as used for the unpadded tights. The super high stretch of the fabric negates the necessity for complex and multiple panel designs, and they have a second-skin feeling over the legs around the hips and bum.

Though they are seamless in name, there are actually a few seams, one up the back of the legs which you can't feel on the skin, and a few around the waist area, but again you don't notice those when cycling. They really are a very comfortable tight.

Moving upwards, there are two wide bib straps with a large rear panel providing a bit more warmth, and because of the stretchiness of the fabric there's no problem going for a mid-ride pee. There's a small pocket on the bib strap, which according to the official howies blurb is good for 'storing keys or emergency cake money' but I mostly didn't use it. I suppose if you really ran out of pocket space with your jersey and jacket it could be useful.

Other than that these bib tights are all about beautiful simplicity. There are reflective tabs at the bottom of the legs... which a pair of overshoes will obscure, so it would be nice to see a few reflective details around the top of the legs and hip area.

For a range of winter conditions the tights are adequately insulating, the fabric is quite thick, but I ventured out on on ride last week when the temperature was stubbornly below 5 degrees with a cold wind whipping across the fields, and the fabric failed to provide adequate warmth. I'll admit I do run colder than some cyclists - Stu who tested the unpadded bib tights fround them warm enough down to minus tempretures, but for me it took a noticeably long time to warm up the legs, leaving me to conclude that for the coldest rides they're not sufficiently insulating. For rides with higher temperatures they were just fine however, and if you run warmer they may well suit you better on the colder days.

Verdict

Supremely comfortable tights at a great price but may not be warm enough for some on really cold days

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Howies Men's Padded Bib Tights

Size tested: Medium - Black

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?

Seamlessly knitted men's bib tights, with contoured panelling, cycling pad and a second skin fit. Integrated breathable panels minimise the need for seams and helps avoid chafing. Reflective tape at the hem helps you get noticed at night.

Fitted with the same high-density pad we use in our best-selling bib shorts; a 2-layer TMF Professional cycle pad, manufactured in Italy, with a base construction of 40 density, 4mm thick foam bonded to a shock absorbent 90 density, 8mm foam in higher impact areas. Covered with a soft, elastic open-cell surround that moves with your body and an antibacterial finish.

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

TMF® High density foam antibacterial cycle pad

- Second skin fit

- Integrated breathable, contoured panels

- Bib strap pocket (for keys / emergency cake money)

- Fast wicking back panel

- Ribbed hem with reflective tape

- Flatlocked stitching

- howies Tricolour tab

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

The mostly seamless construction provides amazing comfort, there's no restriction around the knees at all

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

The insert is good for the long rides and the fit of the tights makes them a comfortable place to be for a long duration, but they do lack warmth on colder days

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

I've racked up hundreds of miles in them and they've been through the wash loads, and I've even used them off-road on the cyclo-cross bike tackling nettles and thorns, but they still look box fresh

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
10/10

They're currently setting my derriere's benchmark for comfort, with an excellent fit

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

We thought the unpadded bib tights were good value, but these are even better value with the addition of the insert. You can spend an awful lot of money on bib tights, these homies padded bibs prove you don't need to

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

Really good bib tights not just for the money, they put some expensive tights to shame

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Great fit, attention to detail, nice pad, very simple but just get on with the job without fuss

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Just lack warmth for really cold days

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes they're great value for money

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

I really like these bib tights, there's the great price, the excellent fit and comfortable chamois, and they've been my regular go-to tights for all but the coldest days.

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

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wrevilo | 9 years ago
0 likes

Howies only do 2 sizes of clothing. Any idea how the same size would fit someone of similar height, but who is 75kg?

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