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review
Base layers
OneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layerOneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layer

OneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layer

7
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Dec 10, 2012

0
£34.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Stretchy, fast drying base layer with enough warmth to see you through winter
Weight: 
191g
Contact: 
www.hotlines-uk.com
How we test

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The OneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layer is a really stretchy, fast drying base layer that provides sufficient warmth to be useful right through the winter.

The Intimo is mostly polypropylene with enough elastane in there to provide loads of stretch. It's cut long in the body and sleeves so there's no danger of any exposed skin when you're on the bike and you get quite a high neck to keep the cold air out.

Oneten have designed the Intimo with the arm and neck holes positioned to reflect your riding position. The neck hole is a little more forward than normal, for example. I wouldn't say it makes a massive amount of difference on something as stretchy as this, but it all helps. The fact that the body-mapped fabric is so stretchy and springy certainly means that the Intimo sits right next to your body without discomfort, and flat seams throughout are a definite bonus. Plus, there are no manufacturing/wash labels inside – all that info is stitched onto the hem.

The Intimo is a mid-weight as base layers go, providing considerable warmth for the cold weather. I've been using it when the temperature has been below about 10°C, although it'll largely come down to what you wear over the top.

The best bit, though, is that it deals with moisture really well. You can get anything damp if you really jack up the intensity, but this base dries very quickly so if you get it damp on the way up a big hill, it'll usually be pretty dry before you get down the other side - so you don't end up cold.

How does it get on with the old sniff test? Well, you wouldn't want to keep the Intimo on for long after you've finished riding but it's by no means a particularly serious offender on the odour front. A silver ion treatment keeps things down to a reasonable level and it smells fine after a wash.

Verdict

Stretchy, fast drying base layer with enough warmth to see you through winter.

road.cc test report

Make and model: OneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layer

Size tested: M/L

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?

OneTen say, "For ultimate warmth in cold riding conditions, the Intimo Seamless Mid Neck Long Sleeve Base Layer is the foundation of your winter riding wardrobe.

"Sharing the same fast-drying qualities of all Intimo base layers and still in a light, comfortable and great-fitting package, the Intimo Seamless Mid Neck ups the ante for harsher conditions with extra insulation properties and high-collar neck protection made of soft, comfortable fabric.

"The fabric features an innovative 3D-structured knit that traps a layer of warm, dry air next to the skin, keeping your core temperature cosy when the mercury drops. It works equally as hard when the heat is on, with rapid moisture wicking to draw sweat away from the body.

"One-piece seamless knitted sleeves feature the same innovative 3D ribbing while elastene stretch yarns give a fantastic on-bike fit and feel soft and comfortable to the touch, enhancing the 'second skin' feel of the Intimo Seamless Mid Neck."

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

Polypropylene is highly hydrophobic so it dries very quickly, shifting moisture outwards rather than holding it next to your body.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Flat seams, good body mapping, a cycle-specific cut... all very good.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Provides a good combination of warmth and moisture management.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Ability to dry fast while also providing a decent level of warmth.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing stands out.

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: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

OneTen Intimo Seamless long sleeve base layer
Base layer
OneTen
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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