Nalini New Warm Reflex Bib Tight

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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