Gore Bike Wear Element Thermo Lady bib tights. REVIEW

First published in Singletrack magazine issue 95

Gore Bike Wear: Element Thermo Lady bib tights. I hate riding in full-length tights but at this time of year, the weather often demands it. These lightweight bibs from Gore are perfect for teaming with waterproof overshorts. Double fabric over the knees keeps the worst of the wind off and though there’s no water resistance whatsoever (you’ll want the £130 Element Windstopper bibs for that), the brushed-back material is still pretty cosy even when damp. The mesh strip down the spine isn’t just there for show – it aids breathability and is noticeably effective at reducing the sweaty damp patch which is a common symptom of wearing a pack over lots of layers. The bibs themselves are soft, stretchy and don’t dig in where they shouldn’t, thanks to being nice and wide over the chest.

Now, on to the “patented zipper solution for an easy biobreak” – ‘biobreak’ meaning German for ‘wee behind hedge’, obviously – Gore isn’t the only company to make tights for women with a zip-off arse (apologies to its hard-working designers, but that’s what it is), but they were one of the first. The mechanism on these tights is both useful and irritating in equal measure. Useful, because only women will understand how unpleasant it is to have to strip down to your sports bra if you need a mid-ride wee; irritating, because the actual mechanics of wriggling halfway out of a crescent-shaped zip across your backside while trying not to fall into said hedge can be downright dangerous. That said, having stripped semi-naked in grim conditions one too many times in my life, I think the usefulness factor still wins out over the irritation.

Overall:

Ingenious solution to the undeniable problem of mid-ride wee stops for girls. Favours the flexible.

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Review Info