Santini MYEGO 2.0 Bib Tights

Santini's MYEGO 2.0 bib tights come with an excellent gel-filled pad and fabric that will stand up to chilly winter temperatures, but bunching issues behind the knees can hamper comfort.

• Pros: Gel pad, warmth, fit
• Cons: Bunching behind the knee

Unlike most chamois pads that give you varying densities of foam, the GIT – stop laughing at the back – pad uses silicone gel to create the same effect. In fact it's not the same effect, I'd say it is a little bit better.

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When you aren't on the bike the pad feels kind of odd between your legs, a bit bulky and quite hard, but the moment you sit on the saddle and your weight distributes the gel a little it feels very comfortable.

Over the duration of a ride the main thing you notice is how much of those little vibrations from the road you aren't feeling; the GIT almost works like a little elastomer without feeling squidgy or as if you are bouncing in the saddle.

The padded section of the chamois is quite narrow compared with most, literally being the width of a racing saddle. There is a central channel to remove pressure plus a couple of others running side to side to allow the pad to bend and twist.

Even on long rides I never had any issues with numbness or discomfort.

Fabric

To keep the winter temperatures out, the MYEGOs are made in part from Blizzard Thermofleece which, apart from sounding like a cool name for an Arctic adventurer, means they are rated for a range of between 0° and +15°C.

You'll find it on the main panels that are most likely to take on the brunt of icy windchill: the lower stomach and thighs. The rest is made up of Thermodream, which is slightly thinner but stops the tights from feeling too bulky.

I'd agree with the temperature ranges recommended by Santini as I've ridden at both ends of the spectrum and I was plenty warm enough at the lower end. The upper is about where you'll start to get a bit clammy.

Ergonomic cut

More panels normally create a better anatomical fit and this is somewhere that bib shorts and tights have seen a massive jump in performance over the years since I've started riding. Santini has taken things even further by offering a separate ergonomic knee cut to 'allow greater freedom of movement without constraining'.

Unfortunately, as well as not being able to feel any benefits, it was the one place where I had an issue with the MYEGOs as I suffered with fabric bunching right behind my knees, which became quite irritating at times. I haven't got the longest legs for someone of my height, which might exacerbate the problem, but it's not something that affects me on other tights.

As for the rest of the tights, I had no issues. The bibs use a single back strap before separating into the two shoulders which are wide enough to avoid any pressure points, and even the single seam does nothing to annoy.

At the front, your midriff is pretty well covered which I find much more comfortable than tights that tend to sit under your stomach.

The bottom of the legs are kept in place by what Santini calls a double cuff, where the material has been stitched back on itself to create a thicker section. It keeps things snug and I never had any issues with the legs creeping up from the ankles.

Overall quality is good too, thanks to tidy stitching, and all of the material feels durable and hardwearing.

Value

All this is reflected in the price, which at £105.99 doesn't class the MYEGOs as cheap, though it's comparable with others of similar quality. I've just tested the Shutt VR bib tights at £99.99 and they are lovely, although I'd say the pad here on the Santini bibs actually just tops the Shutt VR's; it's just a shame about the bunching behind the knees.

> Buyer's Guide: 16 of the best winter bib tights and trousers

Another to consider – when stocks reappear – are the Rapha Core bibs for £120, which are by all accounts rather good (and pretty good value for the London brand).

The MYEGO tights are really good in so many respects, it's a real shame that – for me at least – Santini's efforts to create an ergonomic knee area result in uncomfortable bunching. If you don't think that will affect you, they are certainly ones to consider.

Verdict

Great gel pad and all-round performance, but be aware the knee section can irritate