Santini Giove Bib Tights

Santini has come up with the goods with its Giove Bib Tights. They're superbly comfortable for all-day wear with excellent cold weather properties; if you're keen to ride whatever the weather then the price might not seem too eyewatering, though they're certainly not cheap. I also found the pad oddly small, but it didn't affect long-ride comfort.

• Pros: Comfort, windproof areas, effective water resistance
• Cons: Pad feels a little small

If you are going to ride through the winter then it certainly pays to have decent kit. Luckily, nowadays we are spoilt for choice with good stuff. On paper these Santini offerings look to be ideal, with windproof and water resistant material to the front and Roubaix style fleece on the back, and an all-day ride pad.

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Out of the packet I was a bit dubious of the size, a Large – Italian sizing is always interesting and I didn't think they would fit, but lo and behold they were spot on for my frame; even the bib straps were not tight on my shoulders which is usually the problem. The ankles were a little troublesome as there is no zip, but no big hassle to get on.

One thing I did notice was that the pad felt small – odd to describe, but although it's no smaller in area than your average pad, it's less padded out towards the edges.

In this funny winter of fluctuating temperatures, the tights have seen action in a variety of conditions from freezing through to around 14 degrees and everything in between. Personally I'll wear longs on any ride under 15 degrees (or at least shorts with knee warmers), so I'm a fan of tights and wear them lots. These, I'm pleased to say, have quickly become a favourite, mainly down to one thing – those windproof panels at the front.

The fleece-backed fabric used throughout the rest of the tights is warm but breathable and super-soft, but when the cold wind blows – and we have no shortage of that in the UK – they perform superbly. The windproofing starts from the top of the stomach and runs all the way down the legs to below the knee, just where it's needed. It does a fine job of keeping the chill off your thighs and nether regions, which I find suffer with normal tights.

In the rain they do an OK job of beading the water away initially, and when saturated they do at least stay pretty warm as long as you're working, so on a par with standard fleece material when wet through.

The pad is Santini's NAT offering. It's a multi-density design with a gel core, designed for rides up to seven hours according to the website. Despite the fact that the pad is quite thin and, as mentioned, feels smaller than usual, I certainly didn't have any issues with comfort, or with the rest of the tights. My longer rides were within the seven hours, and they were nothing but comfortable, with no bunching or rubbing seams to spoil things.

Otherwise, the tights are very subtle in their design with just a single reflective logo on the left leg, and washing is as simple as your usual kit: a cool wash with mild detergent. They have stayed looking good despite heavy use, with no wearing of the material or loose stitching.

> Buyer's Guide: 16 of the best winter cycling tights and trousers

Price-wise, they sit alongside other quality branded winter tights such as Castelli's Sorpasso 2s (£160), and the comfort they offer goes go a long way in justifying the cost. But you can spend a lot less – not surprisingly, Caratti's £55 Pro Windproof Bib Tights have sold out, and its Elite Windproofs (rrp £65) are in short supply, but a quick look at other tights we've reviewed in the last few months shows many good ones around and below £100. You can also spend more on Rapha and Assos...

Overall, I've been impressed with these tights: a great pair of go-to longs for the winter season.

Verdict

Warm, windproof and with decent water-shedding abilities, they are a winner for winter riding