Endura bib longs are an absolutely classic piece of kit, and it is hardly surprising when you realise that Endura are a Scottish company. If anyone should know about keeping warm on a miserable day, then Endura should.
The unique feature of these tights is the rubber fronted shin. This fends off the worst of the spray and mud from your lower legs, which normally results in very soggy flappy lycra hanging around your ankles. This shin protection is just as useful on a racing bike as a mountain bike, and they have replaced my calf-length neoprene overshoes for serious winter road riding. The shin isn't breathable, but then the front of the shin is hardly the sweatiest part of the body is it? On warm days you just get a slight stink as you peel them off! The rubber gaiter also helps to prevent water running into the top of waterproof socks.
Apart from the rubber shin, the Endura tights are made from very thick 'Roubaix' type lycra (with a thin fleecy backing), with a double layer over the knee, to protect from aching joints. The braces contain huge plastic quick release buckles, which I could never fathom, as they are easy to undo, but fiddly to re-do, why not simply peel the braces off sideways as you always did?
The seat is unpadded, but double layer. I prefer padded tights, but many riders wear tights over separate shorts. It would be nice if they made padded and unpadded version to suit individual tastes. The fit is snug in all areas - superb.
Are these tights perfect? Many people claim so, and they sell by the bucket load. In fact, they are by far the best winter tights on the market, but still have room for improvement. At £55 they represent excellent value for money, as they last around 4 years, but I would be prepared to pay £70 or £80 for such niceties as a padded seat, water-resistant membrane in the bum, and perhaps some windproofing in the (ahem) groin area. That said, Endura produced a windproof fronted version of these tights, but without the rubber shin they failed to be as popular.
Endura are producing some new tights for this winter - I can't wait, as mine are due for replacement!
Last Updated 21-12-2000
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