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review

oneten Altitude bib shorts

8
£31.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Low cost, high quality bibs, slightly light in the padding department
Weight: 
180g

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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Oneten's Altitude bibshorts continue the theme of value and quality we've seen from company's other products. At just £32 they are some of the cheapest on the market.

Oneten have gone down the compression route with their material choice and the 80% Polyester / 20% Spandex mix gives a mild feeling of muscle support as you ride. They feel like they are a size too small as you are pulling them up over your thighs but once on with the bib straps in place everything feels right. These test shorts are a medium which is what I wear in DHB and most others, so sizing wise the Altitude's seem pretty standard.

The seams are flatlock stitched which means no annoying ridges to irritate and they look to be very well put together with neat stitching and a tidy finish. The material certainly looks to be durable especially around the saddle area with little sign of wear or bobbling.

Silicone grippers keep the legs in place with minimal pressure plus you get a couple of reflective logos to add a bit of visibility for night time riding.

The bibs use a mesh fabric with 5% less Lycra in the mix than the rest of the shorts to offer a secure but less compressive fit. The rear is virtually full coverage so works well to remove moisture from your back while the front two straps have a decent thickness to stop any pressure points over the shoulders. The waist sits high around the belly button unlike the lower style that seems to have been adopted by a lot of the Italian clothing companies.

As with any shorts the chamois is the critical area and in the Altitude's its not bad, though it's a little on the thin side for me. It uses a mixture of foam and gel to create the padding which does a pretty good job for ninety minutes to two hours but anything over that I was starting to feel a little abused. It holds its shape though so you don't get any bunching of material while riding.

On the whole the Altitudes offer good value for money and with what looks like a highly durable material should last well too. Personally I'd go for a pair of bibs with a slightly more padded chamois especially if you ride a bike that's on the harsh side. For shorter rides or commuting I'd say the Oneten Altitudes are a good choice especially considering the attractive price.

Verdict

Low cost, high quality bibs, slightly light in the padding department

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road.cc test report

Make and model: oneten Altitude bib shorts

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?

Oneten have designed the Altitude shorts for long days in the saddle and while I agree in terms of the compression and decent fit they are comfortable for many hours the thinness of the pad could be a little uncomfortable for some. I'd recommend up to two hours maximum.

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

*Compression supportive stretch fabric 220g/m2 (80% polyester-20% spandex)

*Air-tex bib straps for maximum breathability and moisture control 190g/m2(85% polyester-15% spandex)

*Antibacterial 3D gel foam chamois

*Flatlock stitched seams for additional comfort and durability

*Oneten logo silicone grippers on inner leg openings

*Reflective Oneten logos for increased visibility

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

The stitching looks neat and tidy throughout.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Decent enough performers and the compression fit is a bonus at this price range.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Looking good so far. The material doesn't feel as plush as some of the other shorts out there but its seems plenty durable.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

They do feel pretty light when you hold them up.

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

The fit is good and they are comfortable when on; just the thinness of that pad that spoils things for me.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Very well specced and made for the money.

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

They worked ideally on the hour long commute and quick blasts but I would choose others for long days in the saddle.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The compression effect and fit.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The not so padded pad.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes; at this price I could get a few pairs for commuting duties.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

On the whole the Onetens come down to the exceptional price and the quality and comfort in relation to that. There are more comfortable, more padded, nicer feeling shorts out there that don't come anywhere near these on price. It's not just a case of 'get what you pay for', you're getting a little bit more here.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course!  My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red

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: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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1 comments

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Choco | 9 years ago
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Have these and the previous 'model' bibs from OneTen, i'm not sure what the thinking was but these are a massive drop in quality, cut, chamois... etc.
The previous bibs they offered were fantastic value, I cant say the same about these, you can clearly see from the images that they are budget bibs from the chamois to the cut and elastic bands.
They went backwards with the current line, I hope they return to the way things were.

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