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review

dhb Aeron LAB Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit

8
£190.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Comfortable and close-fitting speedsuit ideal for privateer racers, but a number pocket would have been great
Comfortable... for a speedsuit
Close yet unrestrictive fit
You still have to put pins through your expensive speedsuit
Weight: 
255g

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The dhb Aeron LAB Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit is one of the most comfortable that I've worn and makes a great plain option for privateer racers. There are no tight spots and the materials are very soft with a close but unrestrictive fit. I do feel like number pockets would have been a more sensible addition over the three small jersey-style pockets on the back, though.

As luck would have it, I got the dhb speedsuit in for testing in the summer of cancelled races. If you're wondering why that's an issue, speedsuits aren't usually the comfiest garments, often favouring a very close fit in an aero position over any sort of give. There are also often sniggers should you arrive for the group ride in such a garment. Speedsuits are best saved for races, where comfort and looks are trumped by going fast. As a result, I'm reviewing this from a racer's perspective.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - back.jpg

When I say that the dhb speedsuit is comfortable, I mean that it doesn't squeeze you like a sausage casing. There's quite a bit of give in the various materials used and this allows the speedsuit to conform to you.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - shoulders.jpg

One of my favourite features is the plain design. The minimal logos and all-black colour scheme will make this an ideal choice for the privateer racer. British Cycling has a rather archaic rule that racers above cat. 3 must wear club/team kit, but I've only ever seen this enforced in a select number of road races. So cyclo-crossers and lower category racers, you'll be fine in this.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - shoulder.jpg

With the popularity of the NoPinz pockets growing at all levels, I'm a bit disappointed to see this speedsuit go without some form of number pocket. They save you from pinning your race numbers on, which can easily ruin a speedsuit (or add ventilation holes, depending on your view) and I don't see a massive need for three rear pockets here. On the short sleeve version that is more of a day race suit, that's another matter, but here I think dhb has missed a trick.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - pockets.jpg

One thing dhb has nailed is the comfortable chamois pad, especially when tucked down in an aero riding position. I didn't find any creasing here and the material is very soft. Top marks for the Elastic Interface pad.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - chamois.jpg

The question of 'is this speedsuit a fast speedsuit?' can be answered with a simple shrug. dhb says that it has been in a wind tunnel where data influenced the placement of the seams, but there's no hard data on the product page. I can't say it was holding me back, but other speedsuits have hard data showing that they make you faster.

The fit is very close and I didn't find anywhere where this wasn't the case. Getting my hands through the wrist openings was a tad tricky due to the tightness and silicone gripper on the cuff. You just need to be careful to avoid tearing this if you're a bit late to the startline.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - cuff.jpg

The legs are cut quite long, presumable for our old friend aerodynamics. On me the material stopped just above the knee and was perfectly comfortable. The speedsuit I have here is a small and that's what I'd usually wear, so I'd say that the garment runs true to size.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - leg cuff.jpg

One feature that I love is the low-cut neckline. While this reveals the chest hair when stood up, it fits perfectly when you're tucked down in the drops, allowing you to do the zip up fully and leave no material flapping in the wind.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - chest and zip.jpg

The Vislon zipper is very good when you need to half unzip on a steep climb. Given the tension in the surrounding material, it locks into position impressively.

2020 dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit - unzipped.jpg

There's also a radio pocket should you find yourself in a race where they're allowed.

At £190, this is one of the cheaper long sleeve speedsuit/skinsuits on the market, but it's in a minority that don't feature a pocket for your race number. You've got a lot of speedsuit options, though we've tested none of the following: BioRacer's Speedconcept TT (£209), the Castelli Body Paint 4.X Speed Suit (£225), HUUB's 4Zero9 Speedsuit (£299), the NoPinz Aerocoach Flow (£334.99), Assos' Equipe RS Rapidfire LS Chronosuit S9 (£390) and Endura's D2Z Encapsulator (£429.99).

For a great day race option, Castelli's San Remo 4.0 is £250, or there is the short sleeve version of this dhb speedsuit at £180. I'd say these short-sleeve skinsuits would be better if you're road racing, with the long-sleeve options above better for time trials and cyclo-cross.

> How to get into time trialling: Tips for racing against the clock

If you're looking for a long sleeve speedsuit with a plain design for racing, dhb's Aeron LAB Race Line Speedsuit is a very good option. It is comfortable and fits well, but I wish a number pocket had been included in place of the standard three rear pockets.

Verdict

Comfortable and close-fitting speedsuit ideal for privateer racers, but a number pocket would have been great

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road.cc test report

Make and model: dhb Aeron LAB Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for

dhb says, 'Refined in the wind tunnel and victorious in the professional peloton, if you have a need for speed dhb's Aeron LAB Raceline Long Sleeve Speedsuit is the answer.'

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

dhb lists these 'top features':

Developed and worn by champions

Wind-tunnel tested

High-performance aerodynamic outer panels

Superlight, highly-breathable inner leg fabric

Custom Elastic Interface® seat pad

Vislon® zip from YKK Group

Integrated leg gripper

Radio pocket

Three rear pockets

Low neckline for aggressive race position

Information

Inserts: 76% Polyamide(Nylon), 24% Elastane(Spandex)

Main: 92% Polyester, 8% Elastane(Spandex)

Short Panel: 58% Polyamide(Nylon), 42% Elastane(Spandex)

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
6/10

Three standard rear pockets instead of a race number pocket feels like an oversight

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
6/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

Leg and arm lengths both seem right on this size small which is what I'd usually take for a speedsuit.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

One of the cheapest: you can pay £209 for BioRacer's Speedconcept TT, right up to £429.99 for Endura's D2Z Encapsulator.

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

In with the rest of my kit at 30°C and then line dried.

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

The fit is close, leaving no material flapping about in the wind.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Given the very close fit, it's very comfortable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

No dedicated number pocket, but there are three standard pockets. For a garment designed for time trials and short circuit races, this choice feels like the wrong one.

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

In terms of speedsuits, we haven't tested any. We have tested Castelli's San Remo 4.0 which is more tuned to road races. That's £250, but both are great options.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, very comfortable.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, it'd be ideal for cyclocross.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a winner on price and design, making it great for a privateer racer, but a number pocket would have been a sensible addition in place of the three rear pockets.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!

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1 comments

Avatar
pavlo | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think the point of this suit and it's posiiton in the market is somewhat missed in this review, but the sleeves are a confusing option!

For the fastest "speed suit" for TT use, you would not have an open "jersey style" front, let alone the pockets. I guess for a CX outfit this doesn't fit the bill either, but it's real niche as a fast road riding/racing suit.

I have a TT style speed suit with a number pocket, but I wouldn't ride it in anything but a TT. I also have the short sleeve version of this specific suit, and it's one of my favourite things to wear for fast road riding,. If you've never tried a suit like this, they are worth a shot, no pressure from the straps of bib shorts, no worry of the back riding up, lighter, aero and still practical as you can put a reasonable stash of things in the pockets. It's more of a competitor to something like the San Remo suit from Castelli, but long sleeves, hmmm?

 

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