Endura Thermolite Winter bib shorts

The Endura Thermolite Winter bib shorts are seeing almost daily use. I'm finding them both warm and comfortable for keeping me riding in autumn, but I have a couple of concerns about their longevity.

Thermal shorts are the business. They allow you to keep the tan topped-up gently over the winter and let's be honest, it just looks more Belgian wearing shorts than tights in the chillier weather, with or without knee warmers.

I became converted to thermal bibs through a review on here a couple of years ago and have been massively enthusiastic about them since then, so when the Endura Thermolite Winter Bibshorts landed on my step I was excited to get out and start putting the miles in to them.

I can confirm they are warm and comfy, having been out without any adornments down to about 11 degrees, and paired up with knee warmers down to about 6 degrees. They've kept the leg heat in well, and stopped any undue chills settling in and making early morning rides too uncomfortable.

They go a little higher up the stomach and back than summer shorts, keeping the midriff warmer, but making comfort breaks a touch more difficult.

The fabric has a Repel Teflon coating to provide some level of protection against rain. This works pretty well in drizzle and light rain, but if it's torrential it won't take long to get overwhelmed. The brushed fabric retains heat nicely even when wet.

The pad is a 600 series stretch unit, complete with anti-bacterial finish and gel inserts for comfort and improved blood flow. It's certainly very good, no discomfort after 100 miles. In the chillier weather it's unlikely to get much more use than six hours in the saddle; it stands up well during this time.

Wide straps ensure it stays comfortable over the shoulders and the high back keeps a little more warmth in. The silicone grippers hold the legs snugly, without being overly aggressive. With flat-locked seams (although they are not actually particularly flat) everything seems to be in order.

There are however a few niggles.

The shorts feature the nigh-on mandatory reflective decals, but after four washes they started to peel off. That may or may not bother you, but I think the visible bobbing of the reflective legs is a great safety feature. Without them I'm less inclined to use the shorts in low light - that is, most of winter.

The shorts are already starting to wear out at the front of the pad. It's more than just a little bobbling: a hole is starting to wear through. I've not changed saddle or position and I'm not seeing this on any other pair of shorts so there are certainly some concerns about the longevity of the shorts.

Speaking of longevity, a couple of threads started to come loose within about 10 hours of riding. Again not a massive matter, but it certainly doesn't bode well for the future.

Despite all this however, they are still a great pair of shorts: warm, weather resistant, and comfortable on the saddle and against the cold. At £69.99 they are not overly expensive for the comfort level. My only concern really is the longevity, which knocks the overall score down.

Verdict

Comfortable and warm, with good water repellency; slight concerns about longevity though