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Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight

8
£125.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Top quality bib tights especially suited to those long training rides thanks to an excellent pad
Weight: 
287g

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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According to Sportful these Bodyfit Pro bib tights are the choice of its pro riders for long early-season rides, and I can see why. They offer a quality fit, keep you warm and come with a very comfortable pad. The only thing I wasn't a massive fan of was the zips to get the bottom of the legs in place.

  • Pros: Excellent pad; flat shoulder straps don't feel bulky under layers
  • Cons: Zips can clash with those on overshoes; no windproofing

The off-season – that time of the year when many club riders and racers are out on the winter bike, turning the pedals over for hours on end to build strength and fitness ready for whatever competition and challenges they have planned.

> Buy these online here

The effort is usually a lot lower than in the summer; you tend to spend a lot more time in the saddle, and with less pressure on the pedals you are going to need a comfortable pad.

The TC Pro seat pad in the Bodyfit Pro is spot on for this. It's quite simple to look at, with very little in the way of layers and channels for pressure relief, but the padding it does have is very supportive.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - chamois.jpg

Out for a 100km gravel ride, I spent probably 95km of it in the saddle, helped by the lower gearing of the Shimano GRX groupset, and suffered no numbness or irritation whatsoever.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - rear detail.jpg

The padding is thick enough to soak up most of the bumps and vibrations without being overly so, in a way that it'd be bouncy and could cause hot spots if you didn't get up to release the pressure every so often.

As for the rest of the tights, comfort is a theme that runs right through them.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - side.jpg

Sportful uses a mix of fabrics for warmth and breathability. A heavier thermal fabric is used on the panels facing the wind, with lighter materials for those at the rear to allow some heat to escape.

I found the tights comfortable to wear between about 14°C and 5°C, as long as the breeze wasn't too bitter as there is no windproofing as such.

The overall fit is very good, and like all decent clothing it feels better on the bike than off it, because the tights are cut to suit a cycling position.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - rear.jpg

I had no issues with bunching behind the knees when pedalling, and the bib straps offer just the right amount of tension without digging into your shoulders. Their wide and flat style avoids pressure points and the lack of bulk means they go unnoticed beneath various layers.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - rear straps.jpg

Sizing comes up a little small in relation to a lot of other brands found in the UK, and if it was my money I'd probably go up to a large just for a little more manoeuvrability. Sportful's size guide is spot on, though, so if you stick with that you'll be fine.

The ankles are held in position by a zip on the rear of each leg and I must admit it isn't my most favourite of retention ideas. On their own they're fine, the zips stay closed and the legs don't ride up at all. The problem comes when you wear overshoes with rear zips, because the two can clash and catch on each other which I find really irritating. I'd much rather just see an elasticated cuff or possibly even a stirrup wrapping under the foot.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - zip.jpg

I do like the reflective band on each leg, though. They look quite subtle during the day, but are wide enough to be very noticeable when riding at night as your legs push the pedals, illuminated by following lights.

Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight - reflective.jpg

Priced at £125 the Sportfuls are in a crowded part of the market, but they do back it up with some very good quality. The stitching is tidy and robust and after hours and hours on the bike there is no wear to be found on the seams around the pad.

The dhb LAB Equinox bib tights are £130 and have quite a bit more weather resistance by using technical fabrics for windproofing and keeping light rain at bay. Liam did find the seam position of some of the panels a little odd, though.

> Buyer's Guide: 33 of the best winter bib tights and trousers

It may be over two years since I tested the Shutt VR Team bib tights, but they are still going strong, even if the water repellent treatment is starting to wane a little bit. What I was really impressed with was the pad comfort, and I'm happy to say that the Sportful Bodyfit Pros' matches this. The Shutt VRs are still available for just £99, though, the same price that they were back in 2017.

Even so, I'm a big fan of the Bodyfit Pros. I like the cut and the quality, but most of all I love the pad.

Verdict

Top quality bib tights especially suited to those long training rides thanks to an excellent pad

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful Bodyfit Pro Bibtight

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Sportful says, "A winter bibtight that provides maximum warmth and breathability at low temperatures, through the use of different materials in different locations. Made of high-stretch fabric to ensure excellent fit and outstanding freedom of movement during prolonged efforts."

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

Sportful lists these features:

Made of heavier thermal fabric in critical areas and lighter fabric in areas of higher heat production

Reflective leg band for 360° visibility

TC Pro seat pad

Lie-flat bib straps for maximum elasticity, breathability and comfort

Camlock® ankle zippers

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

On a size to size comparison to other brands like dhb, Lusso and so on, they come up a little small so it might be worth going up a size. Sportful's size guide is correct though so use that and you should be fine.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

No issues at all by following the washing instructions.

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

A really comfortable pair of tights to wear, especially on longer rides.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Excellent pad for long jaunts in the saddle.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

No windproofing on the front panels means your legs can get cold when riding into the wind.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

A lot of the tights around this sort of money, the dhbs for example, are offering water repellent treatments. Others, like the Shutt VRs, are doing it for quite a bit less too.

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 overall score

All-round good quality bib tights backed up by a very comfortable pad, though there are some cheaper options out there with better weather resistance.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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1 comments

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mookie | 4 years ago
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On the first picture I can see that seam is whirling from inside just to the front.

It would be the same issue I'v got on very badly sewn long sleeve on Sportful jersey. It was very uncomfortable and not much corresponding to the price.

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