Monton Men’s PRO 21 Winter Bib Tights

The Monton Men's PRO 21 Winter Bib Tights are great in many ways – the fabric is soft yet protective, they stay warm when wet, they breathe well when you're a bit hot and the fit is excellent. The chunky pad and its stitching really won't suit everyone, though, and they're very expensive.

I usually just find pads either more or less comfortable, and rarely find they cause actual chafing – but this one did. And I'm genuinely sad about that, because everything else about these is lovely.

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That's mainly down to the Miti Lombardia DWR fabric, which is four-way stretch for a hugging if not compressive fit that's extremely comfortable. It's very breathable given the useful level of wind protection, too.

The fleece lining feels great against the skin, to the extent that I was aware of it at times – particularly when the air was a little too warm (when all the tiny air gaps stop them feeling oppressive) and when soaked (it stays probably 70 per cent as warm and just as comfy).

Monton recommends these for 0-10°C, and I think that's spot on. At 12°C they felt like overkill, but as I said, they remain remarkably comfortable given the warmth they provide when it's wet and cold.

The mesh back and broad but thin elastic straps help by staying cool and not complicating your layering up top, while the reasonably low front is handy should you need to, erm, comfort break up a tree halfway round.

The legs are a good length and it's easy to stretch the doubled-over ankle cuffs on – these don't have zips and don't need them.

It's important to stretch them right down, though: there's a panel of some other fabric let in behind the knees, and it's a little prone to bunching. It seems worse when very wet, when it can rub if you're not careful.

I frequently have issues with bib straps (I've a long torso relative to my legs), but found these very secure yet extremely comfortable. I tested an EU size large and the fit is ideal (Monton helpfully gives both Asian and EU/US sizes simultaneously – this large is actually an Asian XL).

And so to the PRO pad again, which of course overshadows everything else. It's thick and shaped just like a saddle with a central channel, and steps down to a far thinner section outside that. It's firmly attached around the edges, but it's not sewn down flat – there's another step there to the main fabric.

Actually, I say it's shaped just like a saddle, but where a saddle nose curves to a close, it actually bends outwards and wraps around your actual saddle. I think either the bulk this adds, or the raised edges at the pad's outer seams, cause the chafing.

Monton says the pad is 'carbon fibre lined', but in all honesty I've no idea how or why. It looks and feels like a normal chamois.

On a (literally) brighter note, the whole garment looks normal (ie black) all over, but the reflective stitching down the legs really lights up usefully under lights.

Value

At £190 these are very expensive, and up there with premium offerings from the likes of Velocio, Castelli and Le Col. You can get very similar bibs for less though: the Pactimo Men's Alpine Thermal Bibs are £130 and have cargo pockets, though no wind or water resistance. Iwein found the Elastic Interface pad extremely comfy, though.

The Santini Lava Men's Winter Thermofleece bibs are also £130 and George found them 'relatively windproof' with, again, a comfortable pad.

Meanwhile, the Specialized Men's RBX Comp Thermal bibs are cheaper still at £100, once again usefully wind and water resistant, and the Body Geometry pad is a winner.

> Buyer’s Guide: 24 of the best warm winter cycling tights

It's worth mentioning that Monton is no stranger to heavy discounts, and at the time of writing the PRO 21s were also £100.

Overall

The sizing, shaping and fabric choice on these tights is excellent, and so is the performance in their stated temperature range. They really keep my legs extremely comfortable. It's just a shame the pad isn't going to work for everyone – especially if you're paying full price.

Verdict

Luxuriously protective fabric, a great shape and strongly constructed, but the pad may cause issues