Sportful Bodyfit Thermal Bib Tights

These Bodyfit Pro Thermal Bib Tights from Italian company Sportful are warm enough for the coldest winter days with a comfortable padded insert and excellent fit. They're well priced too.

They're constructed from a combination of Thermodrytex Double and Thermodrytex Plus fabrics, which feature a nylon outer face with a fleece polyester inner layer with hollow core fibres. It sounds complex, but it it is exceptionally good at providing adequate insulation on even the very coldest days.

A really nice feature is the double layer of material over the knee. This serves not only to provide additional warmth over the knee joint, which it does very well, but also to increase freedom of movement. The outer layer is able to slide over the inner layer, and this makes the tights impressively comfortable when pedalling.

Sportful clothing is well constructed and these tights are no exception, with flat-lock stitching ensuring good durability and also aiding comfort. Side ankle zips with camlock zippers make getting in and out of the tights easier.

The top half of the tights is constructed from mesh fabric, with wide straps sitting comfortably over the shoulders. The mesh doesn't add much extra insulation like some winter tights, but does allow good breathability with a base layer and jacket. Toilet stops proved not a problem with enough stretch in the front of the tights.

Pulling the tights on reveals a luxuriously soft lining. They're a bit snug when first pulled on (I tested a size medium) but once into place they're nice and comfortable. No tightness or pulling at the knees.

On the bike and in a range of temperatures from zero to 12 degrees they showed very good capacity to provide plentiful insulation while avoiding overheating, with enough breathability in the material that you never get sweaty.

Inside the shorts is Sportful's own TC Pro pad. It really is a brilliantly comfortable insert. Short commutes and long winter training rides are handled with utter comfort, with no chafing or unnecessary bulk. It's soft on the skin and has an anatomic shape so it sits flush with the body. The urethane foam ranges from 9 to 14mm thickness along its length, so there's more padding around the sit bones and less along the middle.

These are the first tights I've ever tested that have a finish that makes them look like you're wearing bib shorts and leg warmers. My girlfriend asked my why they would design them like that, and the best reply I could come up with is 'why not?' I think they look cool, you may not agree, and if you don't like the yellow other colours are available.

Like all of the BodyFit range, these have essentially been designed for the Saxo Bank team so you're buying the same kit the pros train in through the winter, only without the sponsors' logos.

The £100 asking price slaps them right in the middle of the range you can expect to pay for a pair of bib tights. Considering the quality of the materials used, the pro-approved fit and the excellent insert, these really are very good bib tights, though they are probably more suitable for the performance cyclist looking for good winter training tights than the commuter or touring cyclist. Shop around and you can find them for a bit less too, which I reckon makes them a bit of a bargain.

Verdict

Superbly comfortable bib tights and impressively warm for winter cycling.