Mavic Sprint Bib Tights

With a comfortable insert, excellent fit and ideal insulation for cold temperatures, Mavic's Sprint Bib Tights are good winter legwear but the price puts them at the top-end of the bib tights market.

They work hard to justify that price tag. The Ergo 3D insert is claimed to offer 'all day comfort' with different density foam in six different thicknesses, which sounds complex but ensures there is basically more padding where you need it most, and less where you don't need it. It's a design that works, and works very well.

I didn't test the 'all day' promise but on one ride in excess of five hours they provided ample comfort, with nothing to suggest they wouldn't keep on providing ample comfort for another five hours. The insert just feels good, with the right thickness of cushioning that makes them as good as any competitor's insert at a similar price.

The tights are made from a Warm Tech fabric, which is quite thin between the fingers but provides decent insulation. Mavic have doubled up the fabric in a section that runs over the front of the knee and up the thigh, providing more protection from the cold in the front facing section of the leg, where you need it most.

It works well, providing good warmth for the legs yet breathability is good especially around the back of the legs away from the cold wind. I didn't notice a hint of overheating even during harder training rides.

Fit is where the Sprint Bib Tights definitely earn a few extra points. Some tights can feel tight or restrictive in certain areas, say around the knee joint or top of the thighs, but there wasn't a hint of restriction or tightness with these. They simply felt they were custom measured for my legs, so good is the fit. I tested a size medium for reference.

All the panels are sewn together with flat-lock stitching and they've proved to be very hard-wearing bib tights, even standing up to some off-road riding and getting caught in brambles. There are the ubiquitous reflective details to help you stand out on the road. A short zipper in the front provides easier access for comfort breaks.

The Sprint Bib Tights offer excellent performance in the cold weather and the fit and comfort is as good as any other bib tights costing this sort of money, and they're at least as good as any other similarly priced bib tights. The rather loud sprint logo might not be to everyone's tastes, but based purely on performance and function, these are top notch bib tights.

Verdict

Very comfortable tights good in the cold temperatures with an excellent fit, ideal for longer rides