Best winter bib tights: Comfort and warmth no matter the temperature

The best winter bib tights will keep you feeling warm and comfortable on the bike if you're cycling in cold and wet winter weather. As we head into autumn and winter the best cycling shorts and best leg warmers do a great job of keeping you warm, but a pair of quality full-length bib tights achieve a better all-around level of winter protection and comfort. 

I've tested all of these bib tights in a range of weather, including some especially bleak and wet winter rides. There is a broad range to choose from here, some are heavierweight full winter options best suited to cold weather whilst others are thinner, lighterweight pairs that are a bit more versatile. The best overall spot goes to the Rapha Pro Team Winter tights for their versatility and protection. For the absolute maximum in quality, deep winter protection look to the Nalini Ergo X Warm bib tights.

Explore this buyer's guide for an in-depth look at our top bib tight picks for winter cycling. Read the how-to-buy section which has a lot of useful buying advice as well. If you are overhauling your winter wardrobe have a look at the best winter cycling shoes and best cycling overshoes to go with them. 

Quick list

Tom Wieckowski

I've been testing bib tights for Cyclingnews for over two years now and have been cycling on the road for over two decades. 

I test each pair of bib tights for comfort and fit not to mention across all of the types of riding that potential buyers may do, easy spins, long endurance rides and hard, intense riding. 

I pride myself on testing kit like the rest of the Cyclingnews tech team and head out in the rain and cold when needed to test products properly to provide the best possible advice. 

Best winter bib tights available today

Best overall

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The Rapha Pro Team Winter tights are the most heavy-duty offering from Rapha and are a really solid pair of winter bib tights. They feature the Rapha pro fit tailoring which means they are a little more form-fitting and sit close to the skin but without being super tight. 

The bib tights use a multi-panel design and the front panels have a heavier-weight wind-blocking design that also features a DWR coating to keep water and spray at bay. The fleecy internal finish extends right up to the top of the bibs to keep you snug and warm which I really like and the finish looks similar to snug Polartec power grid fleece that is also featured in the Rapha Pro Team base layer. 

Some additional stylish features from Rapha that stand out for me are the quality bib straps which are nice and wide to prevent pinching and are a little thicker than normal. There are two reflective tabs on the rear of the thighs, as well as a big white Rapha logo on the left-hand thigh and a reflective one of the same size on the right. The backs of the calves also have large white horizontal dashes which stand out whilst pedalling. None of the branding or logos have cracked or degraded at all in over a year of use and many washes. The chamois used in the tights is a size-specific Rapha Pro Team unit which has been really comfortable for me. 

The Pro Team is a stylish bib tight and they have kept me warm on winter chain gangs and long cold winter rides. Part of the reason they take the best overall spot is their versatility, they strike an excellent balance between being warm and protective enough for some very grim rides but light enough so that you can wear them in milder conditions and don't feel too hot. If you want a pair of quality winter tights that do everything they will fit the bill.

Best budget

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The RCR bib tights from Van Rysel take the best budget spot in the guide. They are an affordable pair of bib tights that do a lot of things well. If you want to spend less on your bib tights this winter, these Van Rysel ones are a great option. 

Part of the reason the the tights take the best budget award is because they offer a little more protection than just a basic pair of fleecy tights. They carry a little more weight and offer better protection from the elements thanks to a wind and waterproof membrane on some of the leg panels. Which did a decent job for me on a wet and rainy ride. Overall they will give you just a little bit more bang for your buck. 

I've been impressed with the tights fit, cut and overall comfort they do punch well above their weight. The only negative for me is the reflective strips on the front of the lower legs which aren't particularly neat and stick out a little, it doesn't affect comfort it just could be neater. Don't worry, if it really looked terrible or caused an issue, the tights wouldn't make the guide. 

The tights are also available in an 'embossed' version which is no different design-wise, but the material colours and finishing are broken up slightly, it's just a different finish. 

Best heavy duty protection

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The Nalini Ergo X Warm bib tights have been one of the top pairs of tights I've tested over the past couple of winters and bring lots of heavy-duty winter warmth to the table. If you feel the cold or just want the warmest tights, then look this way. 

Nalini has been making cycling kit for decades and the Ergo X Warm are the brand's heaviest-duty offering. I did a horrible three-hour ride where it rained constantly in the tights. It was cold and miserable but the tights performance was excellent throughout. Keeping me warm and comfortable, sections of the tights also repelled water very well for the duration of the ride and though it's a difficult thing to check, inner sections appeared to be totally dry when I got in.

Starting from the bottom, the tights feature large reflective panels on the rear of the calves. There's a very soft fleece lining all over which adds warmth and a 'snug factor' The tights combine heavier weight panels in key areas like the thighs with thinner more flexible sections in places like the rear of the knee, a key area to get right for me. The Randonne chamois pad was very comfy, and the bib tights extend right up the torso for maximum coverage. This is going to add a lot of extra warmth on long, winter rides. The back and chest panels are a lot higher than the Rapha Pro Team tights above. In spite of their heavier weight, the tights are very comfortable and very well tailored meaning you don't feel restricted on the bike which isn't always the case. 

The bib straps themselves fast in a way I haven't seen before and use interlocking magnetic buckles. Gives you the ability to easily 'pop' them open if you want to remove them that way for a nature break etc.

Best style

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The Rapha Pro Team Lightweight tights (formerly named the training tights) are some of my favourite bib tights in the right conditions. 

The tights are lightweight and incredibly comfortable due to their thin material. There's zero bunching or tight spots behind the knee and they are very comfy tights to wear. They aren't warm enough for the depths of winter, for that you will probably want a heavier weight tight, depending on what you are doing but for spring, autumn and milder winter rides they are incredibly comfortable and warmer than they look. 

The exception to this advice would be if you are riding harder, racing or working at a higher intensity and can wear a lighter pair of tights due to the heat you generate, which I sometimes do as well. 

They are available in two different colour options and their classy styling looks fantastic, I like the navy option pictured and like the Rapha Pro Team bib tights above, use a size-specific Pro Team chamois. 

Take a look at our in-depth review of the Rapha Pro Team Lightweight bib tights for more information. 

Best for showers

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The Fiandre NoRain bib tights by Sportful are lighter-weight tights, but their main selling point is the brushed NoRain thermal fabric which Sportful say has a DWR (durable water repellant) treatment, it does a solid job at repelling rain and road spray and you will see water bead and fail to penetrate the material. 

The bib tights are a little bit more specific and are really best suited to spray and light rain in warmer temperatures. Water beads on the fabric well, but won't stand up to a prolonged soaking or heavy rain and will wet out once overwhelmed. Think early season or race protection where you want to be fast on the bike but still benefit from some protection. 

The No Rain range from Sportful is fairly comprehensive and a lot of it matches which is nice, you can read our review on the accompanying NoRain jersey here. 

The Fiandre tights have received an update recently, we are yet to test the latest version but will update this listing when we do. 

Best cargo bib tights

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Swedish brand POC's Thermal cargo tights are worth a look if you want winter warmth and cargo pockets. There are also male and female versions of these tights.

The cargo tights as the name suggests have two cargo pockets on each thigh with the pockets themselves created by large mesh. You can comfortably fit two energy gels or whatever else you might want to carry in each one and if you prefer cargo pockets to a jersey pocket or are adventuring and want to carry more provisions in winter, the pockets could be right up your street. 

The tights have good thermal protection where it matters, mostly around the upper legs where the material is thicker and has a DWR coating. The lower calf areas are slightly lighter in weight as are the mesh bib straps.

The fleecy inner lining is very soft and comfortable and the reflective panel on the lower left calf is bright, it's the most reflective feature across all the bib tights here and is impressive in low-light conditions.

If you want a premium pair of cargo bibs, with two pockets that can tackle a bit of anything, these are worth a look. 

Best for fast winter riding

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The Attaquer race bib longs are a more lightweight pair of bib tights designed specifically for hard efforts or more intense riding in the cold when you want to feel light and fast on the bike and can get away with a little less bulk, thanks in part to the heat you generate. They are very comfortable, you can of course just use them for slightly warmer weather or if you just prefer a lighter weight tight. 

I've gotten on very well with these bib tights for the best part of a year and they are perfect for my local Saturday morning ride in autumn and winter which is hard and where I want to feel quick on the bike and wear a bit less. 

The Race bib tights feature thin, fleece-lined panels and the back of the calves feature a thinner lightly fleece-lined material Attaquer calls Thermal Speed Fleece, it's an aero-style fabric. We aren't taking these bib tights to the wind tunnel any time soon, but it's certainly comfortable, stretchy and lightweight. 

The bib straps themselves are also a highlight for me, they are wide and very stretchy, easily some of the comfiest I've used, and the leg cuffs are made from the same material. There are a few Attaquer logos dotted around the tights, on the rear of the thighs etc, so if you like a really plain bib tight they may not be for you. A women's specific chamois version of the tights is also available. 

They are on the more expensive side of the spectrum. I'd say if you're going hard or just want something light, stretchy and comfortable check them out. 

Also tested

The bib tights that I have selected for this guide make up a best-of-the-best group. I've tested over twenty pairs of bib tights over the last few months, all had pro's and con's but this section goes into a little more detail on what I tested and why some pairs of bib tights came out on top against similar options. 

I'll start with our best overall option the Rapha Pro Team Winter bib tights. These tights are very similar to the MAAP Apex winter bib tights and the two are certainly close competitors. Both are similar in weight and warmth and use Polartec Power Grid-backed material on several panels. The Pro Team Winter tights edged out the MAAP option because they cost slightly less, are a bit easier to put on provide a more comfortable feeling and fit at the rear of the knee. But both are similar bib tights and the Apex tights are also very capable. 

The Van Rysel RCR bib tights edge out the Galibier Energie 2 bib tights for the best budget spot for this winter. The finishing and overall style are a little better for me than the Galibier's and they offer a bit more winter protection thanks to panels having a DWR coating and being a bit thicker. They don't have a cargo pocket like the Energie 2 but this isn't really a deal breaker for me. 

The Assos Mille GT Ultraz bib tights are also a great option for winter and have a slightly more relaxed cut. For me though, the Nalini Ergo X Warm tights offer the same if not more winter protection and coverage, but can be found for less cash. They are also incredibly comfortable and well-fitting. 

How to choose

When it comes to shopping for bib tights my advice would be to invest in a heavy-weight pair of bib tights if you plan on doing a lot of winter cycling in the cold. If you tend to ride at lower intensities or generally feel the cold more, then definitely head in this direction. They will look after you and keep you more comfortable. The Rapha Pro Team or Nalini Ergo's would be my first choice for deep winter protection.  

Some riders prefer a lighter weight or thinner pair of tights, sometimes they can feel a little bit less restrictive. If this is you, or you tend to ride at higher intensities on hard winter rides or tend to run a little bit warmer, then a thinner, lighter pair of bib tights might be a better buy.