Is ‘Shrink it and Pink It’ outdated?

I commute 10 miles to work in central London. Half of my journey is suburban so I can usually pick up some decent speed without stopping and starting due to traffic. The last third of my journey is in heavy city traffic, with traffic lights, pedestrians and the other obstacles which really slows me down. While I warm up at the start of my commute I am often chilly when I get to the office.

Wearing bike specific gear for my commute is a relatively new thing for me. I’m used to wearing leggings or shorts and a vest and hoody and my trusty The North Face waterproof jacket when the weather is not playing ball.

However now that it is getting colder and darker I was really becoming less motivated to cycle to work. As my commute is my main exercise regime I was reluctant to give it up because of this obstacle, so I decided to invest in some proper winter cycling gear. The first thing I got my hands on was these Scott RS Plus As Bib Tights, and this was my first ever time wearing them!

The SCOTT AS RC Plus Bib Tights feature the traditional style of bib straps. The top half, as you’d expect is made of lighter thinner material than the legs, to help wick moisture away.  Meanwhile a fleecy lining keeps you warm. The use of fabric on the legs has been thought through, internally all of the panels have a fleecy lining, so your legs feel nice and cosy.

Although they are not fully waterproof, they do offer quite a bit of protection from the rain and they dry very quickly. As the tights are made from highly elastic Vuelta winter Lycra with fine fleece inside they are supper comfortable. They are also very easy to get on and off due to the lined leg zips at the bottom. The chamois is great and gave me comfort throughout my journey.

My reluctance to initially buying bib tights was mainly to do with body image – I expected myself to look like a Telly Tubby with sausage legs! I was vey wrong. I feel quite the opposite – they are very flattering. The sophisticated black and white cut design and flat lock seams made me look very sporty and any muffin top disappeared as it tucks you in! I have definitely been converted.

The SCOTT AS RC Plus Bib Tights combine performance and style and are an essential for winter cycling!

Price: £110, available from Westbrook Cycles.