dhb Aeron Deep Winter Bib Tight

dhb's Aeron Deep Winter Bib Tights are comfortable, well-padded, have impressive water-resistance capabilities and apart from some minor issues with fit I found them to be a great addition to my winter wardrobe.

The first thing that struck me when picking up the Aeron Bib Tights for the first time was the weight. Designed as a "Deep-Winter" garment, I was expecting something a lot chunkier but have to say that they were almost impossible to differentiate from an ordinary pair of bib tighs. They are thermal and waterproof and proved very good in both of those areas. Despite having worn these tights countless times in the cold and wet of a UK winter, they proved warm, yet breathable and almost completely waterprooof on every occasion.

Comfort

With a pair of tights like this, comfort is always going to be an important factor. They are thermal and waterproof which can often mean a thick or sweaty material. The Aeron Bib are surprisingly supple and breathable. After several rides in varying weather conditions, from wet, cold and windy to just below freezing, the only real issue that I experienced was, on 1 occasion, some soreness at the back of my knee where three seams meet and rub the skin. This was after a particularly long (5 hours) and wet ride so not too big a deal in my opinion.

The Best Winter Cycling Bib-tights and Trousers 

The chamois is described as being "a top-level 'Tour Air' Cytech Elastic Interface seat pad" and seems to be dhb's "one-size-fits-all" pad, It is apparently wider than a road-specific chamois' and marketed as being suitable for both road and XC mountain bike use. In practice the pad seems to live up to the marketing hype, the padding was ample and I never experienced any chafing or numbness in sensitive areas!

Styling

The Aerons strike a pretty good balance between function and fashion. They feature a fairly large reflective panel at the ankle of each leg which gives you a little peace of mind yet, doesn't look too "hi-vis-commuter" should you decide to wear them out on a group ride with a bunch of Rapha-clad clubmates. I have been using them on my commute during the winter months and have never had that "is this garment too dark?" worry whilst getting ready.

Fit

I don't consider myself to be much of a sprinter. Some might even describe me as lanky, so I was a little surprised to find that the fit around the ankles was slightly baggy while the fit around my thighs was verging on tight. This could be something to think about if you are lucky enough to be endowed with the thighs of Mario Cipollini. Having said that, Wiggle do offer a very easy-to-use returns service so it won't be the end of the world if you do need to make a return. I also found that the tights were about an inch too short in the leg for my liking but this was taken care of by my over-shoes overlapping them so didn't really effect performance.

Durability

The Aerons have been through the wash many times now and have been subjected to multiple foul-weather outings. Despite this, they are holding up admirably. The reflective panels are still bright and look like new, the dhb sticker doesn't show any signs of fading and the only sign that they have really been used is a faded washing instruction tag inside. The pad hasn't lost any of its thickness and the zips are all working perfectly. The build quality is top notch.

Summary

At £100, the Aerons aren't the cheapest deep winter-specific tights out there, but they are far from the most expensive and it is hard to justify spending much more when you can get this level of comfort, protection and durability at such a competitive price. I had never really considered dhb a real option for cycling clothing before, but have to say that the value and performance of these tights means that I will consider Wiggle's own-brand a real option from now on.

Verdict

Deep winter tights that will keep you warm, will keep you dry and are fairly easy-going on your wallet too.

road.cc test report

Make and model: dhb Aeron Deep Winter Bib Tight

Size tested: Black, 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?

Wiggle says this about their own-brand Deep winter tights: "For extreme winter conditions. The Aeron Deep Winter Bib Tight uses a performance stretch, waterproof, fleece lined fabric to provide outstanding warmth and protection from the elements. Features the Tour Air chamois for endurance distance rides". On the whole I would say that they live up to their claims, although, fit was a minor issue for me.

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

Braces:

45% Polyamide(Nylon)

42% Polyester

13% Elastane(Spandex)

Insert Braces:

67% Polyester

33% Elastane(Spandex)

Main:

70% Polyester

20% Polyurethane

10% Elastane(Spandex)

Rate the product for quality of construction:

 

7/10

Overall construction was pretty good although some slightly rough stitching in the left leg left my skin a little sore on a few occasions.

Rate the product for performance:

 

8/10

Really warm and snug with reflective detailing made these a really good option for winter commuting.

Rate the product for durability:

 

8/10

Rate the product for fit:

 

6/10

The only real issue for me was the fit which felt just right around the knees and thighs but we a little too baggy around the calfs and ankles.

Rate the product for sizing:

 

7/10

Rate the product for weight:

 

8/10

Rate the product for comfort:

 

7/10

As mentioned before, a bit of chafing around the left knee after 5 hours but nothing that would stop me using them.

Rate the product for value:

 

9/10

At £100, these aren't the cheapest winter bib tights available but they are comparable in performance with models twice the price.

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

After about 10 washes the tights are still looking great. Stickers intact, Reflective panels are still reflective. The washing instructions are starting to fade slightly!

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

The Aeron Deep Winter Tights performed very well in cold and wet conditions. Definitely a go-to product when the weather turns nasty.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Ample support above the waist made them very comfortable and the reflective panels on the ankles added a little bit of reassurance when riding in the dark.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Really good deep-winter tights that did a great job of keeping me warm and dry for as long as possible. The only complaints that I had were a small amount of skin rub after several hours of use and the slightly baggy ankles.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 34  Height: 6'2  Weight: 70kgs

I usually ride: Rose Xeon CRS Road at the moment  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

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