Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Endura Transrib LS Baselayer

8
£29.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A good investment for winter cycling – top performance at a decent price
Weight: 
199g

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.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

For £30, the Endura Transrib LS Baselayer offers great comfort and good insulation qualities, and is plenty durable enough to last a good few winters.

This is the long sleeve version, but it's also available with short sleeves, which I tested last winter. They're identical apart from the sleeve length, so which you choose comes down to your requirements and personal preferences.

Find your nearest dealer here 

Buy this online here 

I find a long sleeve gets a lot more use in the winter, but it does depend on what you're going to wear over the top. I always like to start with a long sleeve base layer, but I must admit I really feel the cold.

Endura Transrib Baselayer - cuff

The Transrib is made from a CoolMax ribbed material (that's where it gets its name from) and the channels are intended to trap warm air and keep it close to your body. It seems to work. The base layer manages to be very warm when paired with a suitable jacket and has kept me snug on many very early morning rides.

Endura Transrib Baselayer - collar

Though Endura uses what it calls an 'athletic' fit for the base layer, I find it's definitely on the generous side. It doesn't hug the body tightly like some similar sized base layers, but that doesn't seem to adversely impact its performance or comfort.

>> Check out our guide to cycling base layers here

It's a comfortable base layer, the fabric is lovely and soft next to the skin, and the flatlock seams used to piece it together help keep it free of irritation.

It manages sweat well, too, not getting unduly swamped by moisture if you're riding hard or you're a little overdressed. And it's treated with an anti-bacterial finish, so it doesn't smell bad either, even on very long rides.

The Transib is available in black or white and five sizes.

Verdict

A good investment for winter cycling – top performance at a decent price

road.cc test report

Make and model: Endura Transrib Baselayer

Size tested: Medium, White

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?

Endura says:

Year Round Performance

CoolMax® ribbed knit provides excellent insulation in winter combined with superior moisture management in summer for year round performance

Antibacterial finish to keep you fresh

High stretch supportive fit flatters all body shapes

Athletic fit

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

Body mapped mesh zones for optimal temperature control

Anti-bacterial finish to keep you fresh

All seams flatlocked for comfort

Athletic fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Keeps you warm and dry.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

A very good investment, will last many winters of cycling.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

It's soft next to the skin but the fit could be better.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

At £30 why spend more? It does everything you need of a base layer.

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

Provides excellent insulation and good moisture management.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfortable and warm.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Fit could be a bit more athletic.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Maybe

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Probably

Use this box to explain your score

For £30 this is a really good investment, even the slightly loose fit doesn't impair what is a very good performance base layer.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180cm  Weight: 67kg

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, mountain biking

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

Latest Comments