Bontrager Velocis Stormshell Bib Tight

The Bontrager Velocis Stormshell bib tights are a waterproof, highly breathable and stretchy option for keeping you dry and comfortable when riding in wet conditions.

Bontrager describes the Velocis Stormshell bib tights as 'like a waterproof jacket for your legs', and that's exactly the right way to think of them. They're made mostly from the same fabric as the Bontrager Velocis Stormshell Jacket that Jez reviewed here on road.cc last November, and they're cut like a normal pair of bib tights. The idea is that you put them on over your existing cycling clothing (there's no seat pad included here).

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Let's start with the Profila Stormshell fabric. It's a 2.5 layer material meaning that you get a face fabric, the waterproof/breathable layer, and a printed protective layer on the inside.

It has a waterproof rating of 10,000mm which means it'll keep out moderate and even heavy rain. All of the seams are taped like they are on a waterproof jacket, and after several washes that taping is still looking good with very little puckering and no lifting.

The best winter cycling bib-tights and over-trousers

I've worn these lots in bad weather over the past few weeks and the waterproofing is really impressive. It's similar to that of a good waterproof jacket, which isn't surprising given the fabric used. Water ingress is negligible even when the rain is coming down hard, and as for mist, showers and road spray, there's no chance of it getting through.

In terms of breathability, the Profila Stormshell fabric has a 25,000g/m/24hr rating. That's high. Of course, every man and his dog says that their waterproof clothing is breathable, but out there in the real world these bib tights back up the claim. You will certainly get warmer when you put these on because the waterproof fabric is necessarily windproof too, but you'll stay remarkably free of sweat. It's genuinely surprising just how well these bib tights breathe.

I did a little experiment by using these on a dry day. I put on the usual bottom half clothing I'd wear for the 10°C temperature – a pair of roubaix bib tights without any windproof panels – wore these over the top and went for a mid-intensity ride for an hour. Yes, I felt warmer than I'd otherwise have been, but I didn't get uncomfortably sweaty. Not even close.

As Jez pointed out in his review of the Velocis Stormshell jacket, the seam taping doesn't breathe like the Profila Stormshell panels do, not surprisingly, so I had little damp lines on my normal bib tights where moisture hadn't escaped, but that wasn't really an issue. In general, these tights breathe extremely well.

Depending on the temperature, you might want to take the tights off when it stops raining to avoid overheating. That's a faff, to be honest, because you have to take your top layer off to remove the bib section, although waterproof zips at the ankles mean you can get them over shoes easily enough. Still, if you're out all day, spending a couple of minutes getting the tights on and off isn't a big deal in return for straying dry and comfortable. Rolled up, they'll fit into a jersey pocket.

In terms of fit, the Velocis Stormshell bib tights have a cut that's similar to that of most other bib tights so you can wear these over Lycra but not over everyday civvies. I found that the upper legs fitted as normal while the lower legs were a little bit baggy on me, but not so much that they flapped.

The fabric is stretchy, especially widthwise, so a close fit doesn't feel uncomfortable, and it hardly restricts movement. You can feel that you have the tights on on, and there's a swishing noise as you pedal, but they don't impede your cycling to any significant degree.

The straps are made from a micro-mesh fabric called Profila Dry. It's lightweight, perforated stuff that shifts sweat well and dries fast.

The ankles are elasticated for a close fit while gummy silicone on the inside holds the hems in place. A reasonable amount of reflective trim/print helps get you seen at night.

And the price? Well £139 isn't cheap, but if you ride a lot these tights will make coping with the British weather a much more pleasant experience so while they are a lot of money their performance justifies the price.

Verdict

Waterproof and remarkably breathable bib tights for keeping you dry when the weather is against you