Funkier S-976W Active Winter Thermal Microfleece Bib Tights

Funkier's S-976W Winter bib tights are very good in terms of comfort and fit at this very competitive price point though there are a few issues with durability which could undo all of that great work.

The thing I like the most is how much of your torso they cover. Wind chill on your stomach when you're descending in sub-zero temperatures is not nice and many other bib tights have a low front, so it's great to see the Funkiers covering your entire stomach right up to the chest.

This does require a long zip though and to ensure a smooth action you need to pull the two sides together mid-way up otherwise you are using the zip to pull the material which can put a lot of strain on it.

The zip starts lower than most, at around crotch level which makes comfort breaks easier but when bent over in a riding position the lower zip stops have started to cut into the fabric they are rubbing against. After about 30 hours of testing so far the tights are looking a bit pulled and bobbled in that area. Some of the wear is on the seam which could shorten their usable life.

The material is lined meaning it is very soft against the skin and beautifully warm. As the weather has started to get colder in December I've been using these tights a lot and they've kept the cold northerly winds at bay even when wet.

As for the fit the 17 panels provide a decent shape. It isn't overly race orientated; they touch where they should and offer support but you don't get features like pre-shaped legs or fancy strap patterns. It's not a deal breaker especially at this price though you do notice a bit of bunching behind the knees on longer rides. The seams are all flat-locked for comfort as well which means you can't feel them from the inside, definitely a good thing considering how many there are.

The ankles are kept in place with a double thickness band and a zip at the rear. They work well at keeping everything in place and don't irritate. You also get some reflectives here to highlight foot rotation in car headlights.

The pad is Funkier's B7 model which is a mixture of deep padding and grooves to alleviate pressure on the perineum. I usually prefer a less spongy chamois but I really liked the B7 for its balance of comfort and shock absorbance especially while testing some very stiff bikes.

You'll find a lot of competition at this price point - give or take a tenner - especially from the likes of dhb, B'Twin and Howies, and in terms of comfort and fit the Funkier tights compare favourably. It's the durability that lets things down though, not only that zip issue mentioned above but the way one of the seams started to come apart on our test model. You'd expect that to be a warranty issue that would be rectified by the distributor.

If the quality and were to match the comfort and fit the Funkier S-976W tights would be very high scorers indeed but the nagging durability issues drag them down.

Verdict

Comfortable, warm tights with good body coverage; questionable reliability though