These Northwave Venus Tights feel more premium than they are. They sit squarely in the ‘wanting to buy the second from the cheapest’ bracket of cycling tights, at the £60ish mark. And as someone who has only ever used price as her tights criteria in the past… well these ones have made me re-evaluate my previous buying philosophy. I think they’re a worthy step up from the entry-level options out there.
My legs have felt completely snug during an increasingly icy season and, importantly, the tights haven’t lost their fleecy feel (apparently down to Lombardia® fabric) even after a number of goes in the washing machine. They even managed to remain intact when I took a cobble-induced tumble.
I’m impressed with the Northwave Venus Tights, and I’m pleased about the prospect of wearing them during the dark days to come.
…But they don’t stay up. Full disclosure: I’m an oddly shaped lady with trim-ish legs compared to my bulbous belly and broad torso. But even taking my own oddities and the fact I may have slightly too large a size into account, I don’t believe that the waistband on this product has enough guts.
There’s a generous enough amount of material that you’ll never find yourself mooning the cyclist to your rear. But that unsettling feeling you get when your tights are an inch further down than they were when you set off is pervasive. It turns you into a paranoid puller-upper.
So I’d recommend affronting a member of staff in your nearest Northwave stockist by taking these leggings on a lunging circuit of the shop, numerous times, to ensure you don’t also fall victim to slippage.
If you’re lucky enough to not have an issue with gravity and the waistband, you’ll want to have a think about how these look. The pictures don’t do them justice: they’re actually pretty chic. I’ve worn them under a long top when going for a coffee after work, and I’ve had friends not realise I was wearing cycling tights at all. But then, those people happened not to notice the gigantic and, in my opinion, grotesque font in which ‘Northwave’ is written down the back of your leg.
But does that really matter when the Foxbat chamois pad makes me feel like I’m cycling on a soufflé? I’m not sure. A product full of contradictions, I’m happy to wear these because they feel so much nicer than the budget tights I’ve had in the past. But now that I’ve been enlightened, I’d be tempted to go another price bracket up to rid myself of style and waistband annoyances.
Verdict
A well-made product at a good price-point. They didn’t quite suit our reviewer, but they might be perfect for you.
Pros
– Snug
– Washes well
– Good quality chamois
– Look more stylish in reality than the photos
Cons
– Our reviewer found that the waistband slipped down
– What is with the Northwave font already?
Price: £62.99, available from Chain Reaction
More information: Northwave Venus Cycling tights
