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review
Gore Bikewear Power 2.0 Lady Tights 3-4£84.99
VERDICT:
Pricey but good quality, versatile 3/4 tights. The pad takes some bedding in each ride, but it's worth the effort
Weight:
196g
Contact:
www.gorebikewear.co.uk
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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The Power 2.0 Lady Tights are well made, as you'd expect from Gore, from good quality fabric and they're versatile enough for year round use.
I'm firmly of the opinion that a decent pair (or six) of three-quarter length Lycra tights are the most useful thing a female cyclist can have in her wardrobe. Get them the right weight of fabric and the right length and you can wear them all year round.
These are a streamlined version of the genre made from a light to mid-weight fabric. The sleek legs finish a good bit below the knee or at mid-calf, depending on your leg length (45cm/18 inch inside leg seam) and you get silicone leg gripper tape to hold the hems in place. The six-panel construction and female specific Power Lady seat pad are designed to make these ideal for medium to long rides, while the fabric weight is aimed at three-season use. There's a small pocket at the rear of the waistband for a key while the front of the waistband is smooth and not elasticated which makes for extra comfort.
In use, the fabric is extremely comfortable with just the right amount of stretch and support, feeling neither too soft and pliable nor overly heavy duty. The pad area is a bit tricky to get comfortable though, with some stiffness and initially, a tendency to pull the upper section of the tights down slightly. It also feels somewhat obtrusive and bulky. However, once you've shuffled about on the saddle and wriggled a bit, the pad soon moulds to the body and becomes much less noticeable. In the end I found it one of the most effective and least bothersome pads I've ridden with; it's just during that initial stage that it doesn't want to cooperate, or at least it didn't with me.
The fabrics used in the tights all wick moisture well, keeping you feeling happily dry even on long, hard rides, and they provide sufficient warmth for all but the coldest days. The waistband sits nicely once you've sorted the pad situation, but the pocket at the rear is not really that useful because there's no kind of fastening. It's just a pouch pocket which tucks under and that's not something I would trust my keys to.
Verdict
Pricey but good quality, versatile 3/4 tights. The pad takes some bedding in each ride, but it's worth the effort
road.cc test report
Make and model: Gore Bikewear Power 2.0 Lady Tights 3/4
Size tested: EU40
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?
Women's specific. Aimed at three-season use and for medium to long rides.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
85% nylon/15% elastane
45cm inside leg
Six-panel construction
Small key pocket
Gripper tape
Flat front to waistband
Female specific Power Lady synthetic pad (78% Nylon/22% Elastane)
Available in sizes EU34-44 (approx UK6-16-18)
Machine Washable at 40°C
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Very well made using excellent fabrics
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Once the pad is in the correct position these are exceptionally comfortable and effective tights. I found that it takes some effort to position the pad at the start of each ride, though.
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
The good-quality fabric should last well. It's not especially prone to snagging.
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
8/10
Good, versatile weight of fabric.
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
7/10
Once you've wriggled the pad into place, these are really very comfortable, with little sense of intrusion from the pad, even on long rides.
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Expensive, but if you factor in the high level of durability these are a sound investment.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performed very well.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Pad (once bedded in), fabrics, fit.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Pad (tricky to bed in every ride), price.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Probably
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Probably
Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?
A well made pair of versatile 3/4 tights with an excellent pad once you've managed to get it bedded in each ride
About the tester
Age: 37 Height: 1.65m Weight: 67kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,
Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling.
Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other.
She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting.
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