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Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight

7
£155.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Comfortable, well made and reliably effective winter bibs – but watch the small sizing
Big reflective bands
Neat, strong stitching
Warm and comfy fabric
Rear thigh not the best place for reflectives
Legs are quite short
Sizing on the small and tight side
Weight: 
283g
Contact: 

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The Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tights give a tight but comfortable fit and good protection from winter chills. The sizing is on the small and tight end of the acceptable spectrum, which is something to be aware of, and for me the pad felt decent if not outstanding. They're a reliable source of comfort and offer both worthwhile reflectives and, if you want, colours other than black. You can also find more options in our guide to the best winter bib tights.

These are very well put together from a relatively thick fabric that's softly fleecy inside. The seams – flatlocked in most places, overlocked in others – feel very strong, and I never had any issues with any rubbing or digging in.

> Buy now: Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tights for £108.50 from Occhio

The warm panelling continues to a good height up your back to keep off draughts, though the bib straps and the sides are perforated for heat management.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - straps back.jpg

The main fabric rises to a similar height at the front, though it's still possible to take a comfort break with a few contortions.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - front detail.jpg

These are treated with DWR for some water resistance, and it works well against road spray and light rain to stop you losing heat. The windproofing is helpful too – it's not an impenetrable barrier, but it's very good. I used these between 3-4°C at the lower end and 9-10°C at the upper, and found them ideal. Nalini suggests between 0-10°C, which seems just right to me; I wouldn't want to go any lower than zero, though.

The straps are broad and fairly heavily sprung, and though I found them tight they didn't cause discomfort either over my shoulders themselves or by inflicting wedgies whenever I stood up. This could be because the sizing is on the small and tight side, so the legs and waist just stay put instead of dragging up.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - straps front.jpg

I tested a large (my usual size) and would say that, while the sizing is acceptable for that label, it's definitely down at the small end of acceptable. There's reasonable stretch to the fabric, but I use most of it – and no, not just on the post-Xmas bits, but everywhere. Once on they feel comfortable, though, and completely unrestrictive to movement.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - back.jpg

The legs are quite short, seemingly cut assuming you'll be wearing either boots or overshoes. It leaves an inch or two of vulnerable sock exposed if you're in regular shoes, and if you have long legs (mine are relatively short for my height) it could be an issue.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - side.jpg

The ends stay put and don't ride up, though, thanks to silicone grippers and that tight overall fit.

The broad bands of highly reflective fabric are nice to see (the logos are very bright too), though the rear of the thigh seems an odd location – they'd be more reliably visible to drivers behind you on the lower leg. Still, as they wrap right around you get good side visibility too.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - knee detail.jpg

Pad comfort is obviously highly personal, but I found this Granfondo Pro Man 120 Q-Skin perfectly fine. Not amazing, not uncomfortable; fine. It breathes well and caused no pressure points or chafing, but it did feel as if it was crushing down and losing some support after 90 minutes or so. On the upside, getting out of the saddle more does seem to help it reset.

2023 Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight - chamois.jpg

Value

Decent bib tights start around £75-£80 and go up to well over £200, so the £155 tag puts these Nalinis in the upper mid-range. They're up against the likes of the £160 Stolen Goat Black Alpine Bodyline Bib Tights, which might be better if you're riding in very low temperatures, though our tester says they do feel quite restrictive.

Alternatively, you could try the very good (I reviewed them) £138.59 Northwave Fast Trail Bibtights and get pockets (and similarly short legs), or the excellent, and very versatile, Albion Three Season Tights at £150.

Conclusion

Overall, I like these. The tight fit from the rather small sizing could have caused problems – it has for me with other bib tights – yet I actually found these reliably comfortable and effective. While nothing beyond the reflectives really stands out from the crowd, everything else just seems to quietly get on with working well.

Verdict

Comfortable, well made and reliably effective winter bibs – but watch the small sizing

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

Nalini says: "Ergonomic bib tight made of thermal comfort stretch material GREEN (obtained from the recycling of plastic materials) provided of a durable water repellent treatment that makes it particularly adapt to the humid winter days.

"It is proposed with two new trendy color variations for the many riders that are a little bored by too much black in cycling."

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

Technical features:

* Ergonomic bib tights with reflective fabric-inserts under the knees

* Recycled 'GREEN' thermal stretch comfort fabric with DWR treatment,

* Warm mesh back upper part with small opening for an improved comfort

* Reflective silver logos

* Thermo-shaped pad with high density foams and differentiated support areas, in bioceramic stretch fabric

Suggested temperature (°C) from 0° to 10°

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

It's on the slimmer and tighter side of the spectrum, but still comfortable and unrestrictive.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
6/10

Feels accurate, but at the small end of the acceptable range. If you're on the cusp, size up.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
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.

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

Very well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfortable, pretty good windproofing, warm, good reflectives, unrestrictive.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Short legs, quite small for the size.

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

These are up against the likes of the £160 Stolen Goat Black Alpine Bodyline Bib Tights, which might be better if you're riding in very low temperatures, though our tester says they do feel quite restrictive.

Alternatively you could try the also very good £138.59 Northwave Fast Trail Bibtights and get pockets (and similarly short legs), or the excellent, and very versatile Albion Three Season Tights at £150.

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

They're a good pair of tights, with no meaningful flaws.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 183cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, mtb,

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