Roadie's Ramblings

I have found my single favorite piece of winter cycling clothing: Giordana’s Forma Red Carbon Windfront Bib Tights. Make no mistake: These are full-on winter tights. They are too warm for temperatures above 40 degrees – shorts and legwarmers are more than sufficient – but these tights shine as the mercury approaches and then drops below freezing. In cold ride after cold ride I find myself returning to these superb tights, washing them nearly every night so they are fresh for riding the next day.

Giordana Forma Red Carbon Windfront Bib Tights (front)

Two things were immediately noticeable the first time I saw the tights. First were the bib straps with red backing material. These are the same straps that Giordana uses on their top-end summer shorts and they are incredibly comfortable. There is no binding, pinching, or migrating of the straps and they do an excellent job of keeping the tights in place.

The second thing I noticed was the intricate layup of panels on the tights with flat-stitch seams traversing the thighs and hips. Giordana uses a combination of Super Roubaix fabric on the sides and backs of the tights (for warmth and flexibility) and fleece-lined windstopper fabric on the front for weather and wind protection. The meandering seams create a clothing item that puts the flexible fabric exactly where it is most comfortable and the protective fabric where it is most effective. An additional advantage of this non-traditional stitching is a three dimensional construction that nearly eliminates bunching

at the knee and hip joints, hence the “Body Clone” designation

On the road the Forma Red Carbon tights are incredibly comfortable. Prior to using these tights I suffered the pain of thin summer shorts with legwarmers, used bulky heavy weight winter tights, or doubled up on shorts and leg warmers (another bulky solution with poor flexibility). The Body Clone concept works wonderfully as these tights certainly don’t feel “winter weight.” The bib straps keep everything nicely in place with no mid-ride “adjustments” needed. While pedaling there is no bunching or excess fabric – everything stays where it is supposed to just as when I first put them on.  In fact the only fit-related complaint I have (and I wouldn’t even call it a complaint, really) is that the ankle cuffs are maybe an inch shorter than I prefer. This is probably due to my build – long legs and short torso with medium tights – but with tall winter socks and high booties lack of coverage is never an issue.

Chamois preference tends to be very personal. I find the T-Select Gel OF pad to be very comfortable on long rides – four hours and more – with no chafing, hot spots, or saddle sores. On the first few rides it felt a bit thicker than I’m accustomed but I quickly got used to it and I now appreciate the extra protection, especially in winter when the roads feel rougher and less forgiving.

Giordana Forma Red Carbon Windfront Bib Tights (back)

Warmth-wise these tights are incredible. I never found their lower limit, because I won’t ride outdoors much below 20 degrees. Other body parts such as fingers and toes limit me in truly arctic temps, not my legs. Long windy road rides in the mid-20s when bottles freeze solid within an hour were no problem. The comfort range is remarkable as they are very comfortable all the way to 40 degrees.

When testing these tights I even did a few rides in the rain in the mid to upper 30s. I always use fenders in the rain to minimize road spray, but no clip-on fender on a racing bike will give 100% coverage. Where standard Lycra fabrics will soak up water the windstopper material repels light road spray and mist for a couple of hours. When the rain finally does penetrate it quickly warms against the skin much like a wetsuit. I don’t know if this is by design or serendipity, but it works. I did not use them in a downpour below 40 degrees for the same reason I generally don’t ride at all below 20 – other clothing items become the failure mode in such extreme conditions.

I prefer the use of layering systems for my torso, hands, and feet in the winter. In the case of my legs I now rely solely on the Giordana Forma Red Carbon Windfront Bib Tights. You deserve to give these a shot if you routinely ride in freezing conditions or worse. I promise you will not be disappointed.