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Tights & longs
dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights
dhb Vaeon Reflex Roubaix Padded Bib Tight

dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights

8
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Oct 28, 2012

4
£64.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Toasty warm tights with added high-visibility
Weight: 
320g
Contact: 
www.wiggle.co.uk
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High-visibility is a key concern for some cyclists and with this in mind dhb's brand new Vaeon Reflex bib tights are covered with 3M reflective details all over the legs, ensuring you're highly visible whether commuting or training. It's not just at night that they're useful, but when it's a bit overcast and just plain dreary outside.

It makes a lot of sense to cover the legs with reflective material from a visibility point of view, with the pedalling motion of your legs hopefully ensuring other road users will notice you. dhb haven't gone overboard and manage a level of subtlety that some reflective garments struggle with.

The Lombardia 235g Roubaix fabric is incredibly soft next to the skin and impressively warm. The fleeced inside face helps insulate against temperatures down to 8 degrees, according to dhb. I reckon they can probably handle colder temperatures than that.

I tested a size medium and the fit proved excellent, with a snug feeling around the legs and hips that was neither too tight nor too loose. The legs are shaped with a few more panels so the bend at the knee is free of restriction when pedalling. None of the seams are intrusive and don't rub against the skin.

The bib straps are wide to spread the pressure over your shoulders and there's plenty of stretch in them. The mid section is higher so you get a bit more coverage around the kidneys. A short zip lets you easily take a 'comfort break' without first having to get undressed.

I'm not usually a fan of stirrups (the loops around the feet) but they're well executed in this case. The thin material dhb use means they're were virtually undetectable with shoes on and proved more comfortable than zipped ankle closures. And it means there's more coverage below the ankle helping to avoid the chill.

Inside the shorts is a high quality CyTech Race chamois. CyTech make chamois for just about everyone and it's easy to see why, they're incredibly comfortable. The surface is very smooth and it's extremely flexible so it can shape to the form of your body. I've down plenty of 2-hour rides and a couple of longer jaunts in these tights and found them nothing but extremely comfortable.

They cost £15 more than the standard Vaeon Roubaix tights on which these are based but if high-visibility is a concern for you, it's a price worth paying.

Verdict

Toasty warm tights with added high-visibility

road.cc test report

Make and model: dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights

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?

The Vaeon Reflex leg wear series is a brand new range for dhb in 2012. The garment follows the same build quality and fit philosophy as all other dhb Winter legwear but with the added key benefit of oversized 3M reflective prints. This makes the legwear a safe choice for low light commutes in ugly Winter weather. The fabric is the same Lombardia 235g Roubaix fabric as used in the the Vaeon Roubaix legwear range. The fleeced inside face traps a layer of insulating air between your skin and the cold outside air helping you to stay warm. (8-15deg Celsius depending on ride intensity).

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

Anatomical form Fit

Lombardia 235g Roubaix Lycra fabric

Breathable and Warm

CyTech Elastic Interface Race chamois (man)

Slim line foot loops

Oversized 3M reflective prints on thigh and calf

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

You pay £15 more for the 3M reflective bits but if you value visibility on the roads it's probably a price worth paying

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

Top notch

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort of the Rouabix fabric and impressive chamois

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   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, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

dhb Vaeon Reflex bib tights
dhb 2012
dhb
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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4 comments

Avatar
FMOAB | 12 years ago
0 likes

Didn't, Hazel O'Connor wear that outfit in 'Breaking Glass?

Avatar
Al__S | 12 years ago
0 likes

I have a pair of these that I'm loving; I just wish they did the same reflective design on the lycra tights and the colder weather ones.

Avatar
jsouthor | 12 years ago
0 likes

I bought a pair of these tights recently and agree with the points in this review. I have lots of dhb clothing and the quality (e.g. stitching and zips) is noticeably better on these tights than on past products.

I live in Switzerland and ride pretty much every day, all year-round. It was 2-3 degrees this morning and these tights were (just) warm enough for a 30 minute commute. I probably wouldn't go out in them at that temperature for more than an hour though. Windstopper panels on the thighs/knees would make a big difference.

The reflective details have survived the washing machine well so far, but for commuting use, even more reflective details would be a plus.

Avatar
nowasps | 12 years ago
0 likes

If any of the reflectives are the same as the rubbery grey coating they've used on previous shorts, it won't be there for long. It starts to crack and peel off after a few washes (in my personal experience).

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