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Tights & longs
Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights
HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight

Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights

7
by Ashia Fenwick
UPDATED Thu, Jan 05, 2017 15:46

First Published Jan 5, 2017

1
£125.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Warm and cosy with a lovely pad, but they are pricey and lack water resistance
Weight: 
299g
Contact: 
www.vulpine.cc
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The Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights are snug, warm and immensely comfortable for long rides on dry winter days – once you've managed to get them on.

On first inspection, they felt lightweight, soft and relatively thin, leaving me concerned that warmth would be an issue. However, I didn't find this a problem at all when riding, and the bodice-like bib section added extra warmth around the core for a really cosy fit. These are not waterproof tights, though, and on wet days the rain quickly seeped through.

> Buy these online here

They are made of an extremely stretchy material, with extra Lycra content for flexibility, leaving no unwanted sagging around the bum or crotch area when in the saddle. Size-wise, they come up fairly true to the Vulpine guide, but did carry a little extra length in the leg for me.

HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight.jpg

The pad isn't at all bulky and is easy to walk around in when off the bike. Despite its light weight, it is incredibly cushioning and comfortable for long days in the saddle. It also held its shape and lovely softness every time I put the tights through the wash, and I was thoroughly impressed.

HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight - pad.jpg

Inside, the tights are relatively fleecy, making them very snug to put on. However, unlike the pad, after a couple of weeks' use and several washes, the fleece lost a lot of its softness. The tights are still comfortable and warm, but less luxurious than I initially found them.

HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight - straps front.jpg

Instead of zips around the ankles, the tights simply have a rubber gripper around the cuff, which holds the legs securely in place. The lack of zips means there is no irritation when riding, but I also found them quite a faff to get on and off.

> Read our guide to the best winter tights and trousers

It might not be obvious from the photos, but the tights come in a dark grey colour rather than the black that most brands opt for, and I have to say I prefer black. They feature a nice reflective logo on the rear of the right calf, which is a nice touch, along with more subtle logos on each thigh.

HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight - logo.jpg
HOY Vulpine Womens Roubaix Bib Tight - logo 2.jpg

For £125, you can certainly buy bib tights much cheaper, though I'd be surprised if any had a pad this good. Having said this, you can equally pay a lot more for a lot less. They're currently on offer for £62.50, and for that I'd say you can't go wrong.

Verdict

Warm and cosy with a lovely pad, but they are pricey and lack water resistance

road.cc test report

Make and model: Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix 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?

Vulpine says: "Superbly cosy fleece lined bib tights with Italian pro level female specific CyTech pad and large rear facing calf reflectivity for long Wintery jaunts."

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

ANTI CHAFE

Flatlocked seams for against-skin comfort

THERMAL

Thermal roubaix stretch fabric

CYTECH PAD

Female specific CyTech pad with triple needle zig zag stitch for comfort

DETAIL

HOY circle gripper tape to hem opening

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
6/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Lovely and snug in the cold and a very comfortable pad.

Rate the product for durability:
 
6/10

After several washes, the fleecy lining lost its softness and started to bobble.

Rate the product for fit:
 
6/10

Legs a little long but stretchy and flexible for a comfortable fit with no unwanted sagging.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

Good: come up as expected from the size guide.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

Feel thin and light, but still very warm.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Chamois is light, yet brilliant for several hours of riding.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

These are nothing extraordinary and you can pay a lot less for some decent bib tights; at their current offer price of £62.50 I would highly recommend them.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washed several times on a cool cycle and chamois is still soft and comfy, but they lost a lot of their softness inside.

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

Very comfortable to ride in and stayed warm on chilly winter days. Ideal for long, dry rides in the cold as intended, but not so good in the wet.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Pad is lovely and they are very snug to wear in winter.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Lack of zips at the ankles made them quite a faff to get on and off.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Only if they were on offer.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe

Use this box to explain your score

Love the style and the pad was really comfortable – an 8 for both of those – but it's a high price considering they're not much good in the rain and lost their softness in the wash, so 7 overall.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 19  Height: 164cm  Weight: 56kg

I usually ride: Boardman Team Carbon  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, track

Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights 2017
Hoy Vulpine Women's Roubaix Bib Tights
Hoy Vulpine 2017
Hoy Vulpine
Ashia Fenwick

Ashia is a Maths student at the University of Bath and has been riding and racing bikes for the past 6 years after a track taster session at her local velodrome had her hooked. Most weekends, she can be found out racing, be it track, road, criteriums, time trials, triathlons, or cyclocross.  Whilst she is fiercely competitive and loves to race, she is still on the look out for anyone hiring a "full time cafe rider" when she graduates.

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