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review
Tights & longs
RH+ Shuffle bib tights RH+ Shuffle bib tights RH+ Shuffle bib tights RH+ Shuffle bib tights RH+ Shuffle bib tights
RH Plus Shuffle Bibtight

RH+ Shuffle bib tights

8
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Dec 20, 2013

0
£105.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Warm and comfortable bib tights for all but the coldest winter days
Weight: 
290g
Contact: 
www.veroli.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The RH+ Shuffle bib tights are a warm and comfortable option for all but the coldest winter weather, and they come with a very good seatpad.

RH+ use the same type of fabric here as they do for the £130 Distance bib tights that we reviewed recently. They call this an Icedry Gold 200 material – a mid-weight Roubaix-type fabric that's very stretchy with a brushed inner face. There are no windproof panels here but it's reasonably warm stuff and very breathable. Personally, I'm happy without any windproofing on tights down to about 3-4°C, although you might be different.

The Shuffle's seatpad is a really good one, contoured to put the cushioning where you most need it without adding too much bulk. It's not the densest padding in the world but you get a good depth to reduce the pressure under your sit bones. Lots of channelling relieves pressure further and adds to the breathability, while the fleecy face layer is comfortable next to your skin.

I actually got on better with this pad than with the one in the more expensive Distance tights over longer rides. I had no trouble at all racking up four hours and more in the saddle without any worries.

The panels provide anatomical shaping and although the seams aren't flatlock stitched like they are in the Distance tights, they're well positioned to avoid rubbing. Good ankle zippers allow you to get the Shuffle tights over your feet easily and anti-slip elastic inside the hem stops them from riding up. Reflective trim along the side of the zip adds to the visibility although, as usual when it's positioned there, you'll cover some of it if you wear overshoes.

Like all the other options in the RH+ range, the Shuffle bib tights come with stretchy microfibre braces. The material is a lot like the elasticated grippers that you get on many shorts and it hold the bib section in place comfortably. I wouldn't say the microfibre straps are a better choice than standard mesh, although they're on a par with them. They do the job well.

Those graphics on the white side panel aren't going anywhere, by the way. They're printed on so they're not going to peel off or crack over time, and that's definitely good news.

Verdict

Warm and comfortable bib tights for all but the coldest winter days.

road.cc test report

Make and model: rh+ Shuffle Bibtight

Size tested: Medium Black

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?

RH+ list these features:

*Preshaped anatomic structure

*Ultra-flat seams

*Stretch microfiber braces

*Anatomic waist cut

*Inserts with differentiated stretch

*Bottom leg with inner antislip elastic

*Bottom leg zipper with camlock

*Reflective applications at bottom leg

They're general winter bib tights, well made with some good materials.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

They do the job well. They've comfortable and warm enough for most conditions - until you need windproof panels to keep the cold air out.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I got on well with the seat pad – and that's crucial. The ankle zips are high quality too.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Being picky, the reflective trim on the ankles is largely covered when you wear overshoes so they could do with another tab somewhere higher.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? There's a huge choice in this market but I don't see why not.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? As above.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

They're warm, breathable and comfortable and that's what you really want. Yes, you can get bibtights considerably cheaper, but these use good materials throughout.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Shuffle
rh+ Shuffle bibtights
rh+
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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