Review: Gorewear Swiftride Thermo Bib Tights Women

Gorewear doesn’t give a specific temperature range for the Swiftride Thermos, but it does say they’re designed to keep you ‘dry and comfortable in cool to cold temperatures’.

I tested them in 4-8°C with no issues. They’re warm and comfortable thanks to the soft thermal fleece lining, but the lack of wind and rain protection means they’re not ideal when roads are wet and you’re picking up spray. On dry days, though, they perform really well.

The main body of the tights uses 85% recycled nylon and 15% elastane, while the back panel is 100% recycled polyester, so they pack in some green credentials.

The upper mesh parts of these tights are very comfortable. The straps are wide and distribute pressure evenly, sitting comfortably on my shoulders.

As well as the black on test, they’re also available in purple indigo and black/neon yellow.

Chamois

The chamois is Gorewear’s Active 2.0 seat pad which features a dual-layered foam construction and is designed for short to medium rides. When I first received these, I was apprehensive about how thin the chamois felt at the front, but it performed very well on rides of two to three hours, doing exactly what it’s designed to do.

At the front of the chamois, Gorewear has added a liner for protecting this area from windchill. It extends up from the chamois, and while it’s a nice touch, I’m not sure it’s an area I’ve ever really felt the need for extra wind protection.

Size and fit

The tights come in six sizes, ranging from XXS-XL. I usually sit between a small and medium in most cycling kit, and Gorewear’s size guide placed me in a medium for these.

The fit is on the generous side, mainly because the material is very stretchy. There’s no real compression, so if you prefer a more supportive, ‘held-in’ feel, you might want to size down. Personally, I liked the freedom of movement the fabric provided, it made them very comfortable on shorter rides, but it also meant I could have gone for a size small.

The high-stretch material did create a bit of extra fabric around the chamois area, and the straps are on the longer side meaning the chamois didn’t fit very snugly. For shorter to medium rides this wasn’t as much of an issue, but on longer rides, or if you tend to move around a lot, the fit isn’t quite as secure, and the chamois can shift slightly. That looser feeling could be down to sizing, though, and as mentioned above I could have benefited from sizing down.

I often struggle with leg length in bib tights, but the stretch here meant that wasn’t an issue. The high waistline is another nice detail, especially when paired with jackets or jerseys that have a shorter front, as it keeps everything covered and avoids any mid-ride belly button appearances.

Zips aren’t included on the bottom of the legs, but since the material has so much stretch, pulling them on and off was no issue at all.

Value

At £114.99, these are reasonably priced, offering a solid level of performance for short to mid-length rides, though there are alternatives at a similar price point that come with extra features. For example, the Nopinz Endurance Bib Tights Woman’s now cost £124.99, up £10 since Anna reviewed them, and include a hydrophobic coating – a feature the Swiftrides don’t have.

Premium options can cost a lot more, such as Le Col’s Women’s Pro Bib Tights, which now retail for £220, £10 more than when we reviewed them, but offer water resistance and an excellent chamois.

Check out more options in our guide to the best winter bib tights.

Overall

These are a reasonably priced, supersoft pair of winter bib tights, ideal for short to medium-distance rides, with some welcome touches like a high waist and longer legs. The generous stretch makes them easy to wear, but it does compromise the fit slightly, especially around the chamois.

Verdict

Warm and soft for short to mid-distance rides but the loose fit and no weather protection limits all-conditions performance