We tested five road bike clothing sets for the fall. Here we present all test winners and show our favorite outfits for mild or rather cooler days in autumn or spring across brands.
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In order to be able to react flexibly to different weather conditions, it is important to cleverly combine the existing racing bike clothing. In this way, extremely comfortable sets can be put together for most conditions without always having to have an absolute specialist for exactly the prevailing weather. That's why it can be quite worthwhile not to just buy colors and styles together at random, but to think about which clothing items you want to combine later on from the start. Of course, looks don't matter in terms of function, but who likes to drive around with clothes that don't match in color at all?
Test winner bib shorts: Gore Wear Long Distance Bib Shorts+
The Gore Wear Long Distance Bib Shorts+ impress as soon as you put them on and give no reason for criticism, even on long tours. At the same time, the trousers have a sporty, tight fit, but are still very comfortable. Nothing pinches, nothing gets stuck, just put it on, drive off and be happy. The fact that the bib shorts, which cost almost 200 euros, still looks really good and is excellently processed is the icing on the cake. The filigree leg ends with the glued-on, minimal but nevertheless very effective anti-slip strips are a real highlight. The high-quality appearance of the fabric rounds off the absolutely positive impression.
# Very fine fabric, excellent workmanship and a very comfortable pad - that means test victory for the Gore Long Distance Bib Shorts+.Test winner leg warmers: POC Thermal Legs
When it gets chilly, but not really freezing , then the time has come for the POC Thermal Legs. Fit, breathability, thermal performance, wearing comfort - everything fits together wonderfully and results in a coherent overall package that deservedly won the test. The knees are lightly lined with a thin fleece fabric, the rest of the leg warmers are quite thin and very breathable. This results in an alternative that lies between unlined leg warmers and thick winter trousers.
# The POC Thermal Legs offer a great combination of warmth in the right place and high breathability - also a great fit - test winner.Test winner Base Layer: Rapha Pro Team Base Layer
A base layer should be ours I think they fit snugly without constricting. The material should feel very comfortable on the skin and never get soaking wet. Ultimately, an undershirt is also perfect on a road bike if you don't even notice that you're wearing it, but the clothing never really feels wet. It is designed to increase comfort and keep the skin dry. That's exactly what the Rapha Pro Team Base Layer does in excellent fashion. The fact that it hardly provides any warmth is due to the material. Rapha also has significantly warmer undershirts on offer. Nevertheless, the Pro Team Base Layer is also suitable for mild autumn days, because it fits almost perfectly and simply feels great.
# Even if the photo shows a bit of fabric sticking out on the shoulder - the Rapha Base Layer fits perfectly and is very comfortable on the skin - the Pro Team Base Layer Shirt is also available as a long-sleeved version.Value for money -Tip base layer: Decathlon cycling underwear training
If you like it really warm from the inside out, you can reach for the base layer from Decathlon. The long-sleeved undershirt called Decathlon Bike Underwear Training fits skin-tight and creates a lot of warmth on cold days without getting sweaty. The fact that it is knitted almost in one piece and only has two seams at the base of the sleeves is a real hit given the low price of 14.99 euros. Function, fit and workmanship are really great and would probably be much more expensive over the counter from some other manufacturers.
# Great construction and workmanship, as well as a great fit and function - the Decathlon Base Layer deserves a price-performance tip.Heat output classification
As a reference to purchasing advice, here is our heat output rating. At the top there are parts for mild autumn days, towards the bottom it gets colder and colder.
Bib shorts:
Leg Warmers:
Base layers:
Jerseys:
Favorite outfit for mild autumn days (13-18 degrees)
The test winners Gore Wear Long Distance Bib Shorts+ and the Rapha Pro Team Base Layer are a must for mild autumn days. When there is a sporty program and good weather with sunshine, the Rapha Pro Team LS Training Jersey is my favorite. Paired with airy shoes are Rapha socks in matching colors or Gore socks that are very subtle. If you have poorly ventilated shoes, you should choose normal summer socks, otherwise your feet will quickly get sweaty.
With this combination you are not only functionally well dressed, but also far ahead in terms of looks. The Gore Bib Shorts are extremely comfortable and yet very sporty at the same time, the padding proved to be the most comfortable in the test. Rapha's undershirt and jersey have a very sporty cut, fit great and harmonize perfectly with each other. It's just a shame that a jersey pocket with a zip is reserved for the much more expensive Rapha Pro Team Long Sleeve Jersey. Otherwise, the much cheaper training jersey is fully convincing.
Favorite outfit for cool autumn days (7-13 degrees)
On cool autumn days, I prefer to wear the POC Thermal VPDs Bib Shorts combined with the Gore Wear C5 thermal jersey. Depending on the temperatures, combined with the windproof Gore Wear Windstopper Base Layer Shirt or the warm long-sleeved undershirt from Decathlon. Which socks you choose to go with them is ultimately a matter of taste. Personally, I tend to go with the black Gore Thermo Mid Socks in this combination for visual reasons.
The POC Bib Shorts are a real bench at these temperatures, and they are also very comfortable to wear. The Gore jersey is nice and warm and extremely breathable. In combination with the windproof base layer, even ambitious units with long climbs can be comfortably mastered. In combination with the Decathlon base layer you feel even warmer, but then you should also put a wind vest in your jersey pocket. Otherwise, it gets uncomfortably cool on a longer descent at the latest.
Options for even colder days (0-7 degrees)
With the clothing from our test, even cold winter days can be comfortably managed. Equipped with the Rapha Pro Team Winter Bib Shorts and Rapha Pro Team Leg Warmers in combination with the Decathlon Base Layer and the Gonso Marvao Jersey, the bitter cold can be endured well. Theoretically, the Rapha Pro Team LS Training Jersey could also be packed in between as a second layer.
Even colder? Here are tips for road cycling in winter
More on the topicAccessories for indoor training Part 3 Indoor racing bike clothing tested New Gobik Black Series racing bike clothing for wet and cold days 100% Altis Gravel helmet Light, safe and inexpensive!? Autumn racing bike set from Gonso in the test Good visibility and good for grown-upsThe Gore C5 thermal jersey combined with a light (wind) jacket is also a good solution. So you have the great thermal performance and breathability of the jersey and can react flexibly with the jacket to temperature or load changes. Alternatively, the Decathlon RC500 Shield cycling jersey can be combined with the warm Rapha trousers. However, the Decathlon jersey is not windproof on the arms and is thinner overall and therefore cooler than the warmly lined Gore C5. Since it's also cut wider, it doesn't fit that well under a jacket. So ultimately not a perfect option.
What do you think of our recommendations? Do you have any better tips?
Here you can find all individual tests of road bike clothing for autumn 2021
Test procedure
For the autumn 2021 road bike clothing test, we asked eight manufacturers for a sporty set consisting of bib shorts, knee or leg warmers, base layer and jersey. Matching socks could optionally be sent to the test. We preferred clothing with functional materials for the test. The manufacturers were otherwise free to choose the products. Three manufacturers canceled, POC, Gore Wear, Rapha, Gonso and Decathlon sent the products shown for testing.
All clothing items were used on several tours of different lengths (1-4 hours) in very different weather. Conditions varied from 18 degrees with sunshine to 5 degrees combined with fog. During the test period, all products were washed around 10 times in a standard washing machine on a gentle cycle.
Unfold standard test procedureWe request products for clothing and accessory tests from the manufacturers. We receive the products for the test period free of charge.
Expand tester profile Harald EnglertTester profile: Harald EnglertHarry likes to ride fast racing bikes and TT racers. Been addicted to triathlon for a few years. From short and hard interval training to tours lasting several hours, everything is on the program. Usually on the road with a training goal, but also like to go on a pleasure tour with buddies and friends. If there's time, I'm also out and about on a gravel bike or enduro MTB through the Spessart.- I mainly ride
- racing bike tours, triathlon races, training sessions on the roller trainer
- Geometry preferences
- Sporty, not too long
Comments
Harry_E
participated since 11/2020
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Autumn road bike clothing 2021 in the test: the test winners and favorite outfitsWe intensively tested five sets of road bike clothing for autumn. Here we present all the test winners and show our brand-independent favorite outfits for mild or rather cooler days in autumn or spring. View the full article: Autumn road bike clothing 2021 in the test: the test winners and favorite outfits What do you think of our recommendations? Do you have any better tips? Harry_E,Jodocus_Quak
participated since 02/2021
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I get along very well with the gloves from Decathlon, both fit and thermal performance, I have three variants: Unlined gloves from about 12-8 (only keep out wind, no rain), slightly lined gloves from 8-0 (keep out wind and cold , insufficient rain) and thickly lined gloves below 0 (I haven't been able to test them yet, as they are new). However, the feeling of warmth in hands and feet is VERY subjective, so my experiences cannot be transferred. As tops, I like the Castelli RoS series: Castelli Gabba RoS (short-sleeved, can be combined with arm warmers for colder autumn days), Castelli Perfetto RoS (long-sleeved, with base layers up to just over 0 rideable in winter) and Castelli Alpha RoS 2 (long-sleeved with sewn-in additional layer for very cold and frosty days). Jodocus_Quak,
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