dhb’s Aeron FLT Women’s Roubaix 3/4 Bib Tights are suitable for a wide range of temperatures and have an incredibly comfortable pad. That makes the price seem very reasonable, but there are a few niggles that take the shine off – and bear in mind that these size up small for taller riders.
Three-quarters can fill the gap nicely between bib shorts and bib tights weather. Their fleecy lining makes these are a warmer option and, with a great chamois too, they’ll serve you well on winter endurance rides.
The Italian Miti Roubaix fabric used is fleece-lined and feels very pleasant next to the skin. It holds in considerable warmth while still being rather breathable; I’d say these tights have a comfortable range of from 5°C into the low double digits.
The bib section features a mesh panel that helps with breathability where you need it on your back. But it’s not all made of mesh and there are a lot of chunky seams going on which I found irritated my skin.
While the fit was good – snug and supportive around the legs – the straps of the tights came up short on me. There’s not a huge amount of stretch in the strap material, so it’s not very forgiving to tall riders. Also, with the straps being quite narrow in width, pressure isn’t very evenly dispersed so these weren’t the most comfortable at the tops of the shoulders.
Down below, silicone grippers kept these in place throughout rides. Personally, I don’t really like the feel of gripper that is just a slab of silicone, I find it pulls on my skin – but these do what they are supposed to, which is ensuring the ends of the tights don’t ride up.
Behind the knee there’s also a seam which irritated. Another thing worth bearing in mind is that the legs are shorter than some – the fabric covers my knees, but only just.
Stitched to these tights is the women-specific Cytech Elastic interface Tour HP Air chamois pad and it is excellent. The seamless construction results in no hot spots and the amount of padding is very well judged, and not overly bulky. It moulded well to my body and covered me on rides up to four hours with no hint that it couldn’t keep me comfy for longer.
The FLT in the name of these tights stands for Flashlight Technology and this is all about the considered placement of reflectives for being seen effectively on the road. There’s a subtle reflective insert near the top of each thigh, as well as two reflective logos – one on the right side of your backside and the other just below the reflective insert on the left leg. These seem to be a decent nod to visibility.
At £80 these are reasonable value considering the excellent pad and the warmth in the main fabric – if the straps work for you. There are other similarly priced options, such as the Lusso Cooltech 3/4 Bib Tights also at the £80 mark, although we’ve not tested them so can’t say what temperature range those are suitable for.
> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit
I have been testing the Pearl Izumi Women’s Attack Bib Capris, a summer-weight and more expensive option at £114.99, but they do come with an incredibly handy easy pee design (full review to come).
Overall, dhb is well known for offering good value pricing and these women’s 3/4s are no exception. The chamois is very comfortable, which is an incredibly important start, and while details such as the stitching behind the knee and the strap design mean these are far from perfect, for £80 you are getting a decent pair that will cover you across a good range of temperatures and ride lengths.
Verdict
Soft, fleecy 3/4s with an excellent chamois, but lots of seams, including an irritating one behind the knee…
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road.cc test report
Make and model: dhb Aeron FLT Womens Roubaix 3/4 Bib Tight
Size tested: 10
Tell us what the product is for
dhb says: “The Aeron Roubaix Bib Tight, now with added Flashlight Technology (FLT) for increased visibility out on the road. With a combination of warmth, comfort and breathability, these 3/4 length tights are designed for tempo riding through cold conditions.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
dhb lists:
Flashlight Technology (FLT) placed in key positions to aid visibility
Italian Roubaix brushed fleece fabric for cold weather use
Roubaix braces with mesh back panel to aid thermal comfort
Women’s specific Cytech Elastic interface Tour HP Air chamois (cycling pad)
Reflective dhb logo on backside and right side leg
Wide silicone grippers to keep tights in place
Sizes up small for tall riders.
I didn’t get on with the straps, leg grippers or seam behind the knee. But the chamois itself is very comfortable.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
All good when machine washed at 30 degrees.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
These tights kept me warm across a decent range of temperatures and the chamois is comfortable for long endurance rides.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Chamois, and the fleecy inside.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
No easy pee design, lots of rough seams, the leg gripper.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Around the same as others, such as Lusso’s Cooltech 3/4s, and a fair bit cheaper than Pearl Izumi’s Attack Bib Capris.
Did you enjoy using the product? No
Would you consider buying the product? No
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if this was their budget.
Use this box to explain your overall score
These provide excellent warmth and comfort on your legs in temperatures from 5°C up to the low double digits, which is a decent range. The chamois is also great for the price, but the straps have a lot of seams and there’s also one behind the knee which can irritate when riding. I also didn’t get on with the leg gripper. While the main fabric used and the chamois are both great for the price, a few small details let these tights down.
About the tester
Age: 23 Height: 177cm Weight: 63kg
I usually ride: Road bike My best bike is:
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: road racing, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel riding, indoor turbo and rollers, track
1 thought on “dhb Aeron FLT Women’s Roubaix 3/4 Bib Tight”
Haha, easy pee. Might I
Haha, easy pee. Might I suggest EZP as a new marketing acronym for the next big revolution in cycling tights? That said, I can definitely relate, bought a fantastically warm pair of winter bibs only to have it unwearable due to a chamois that was positioned too far forwards. It’s the attention to detail that matters.
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