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Oneten Tempo Bib Tights

7
£67.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Comfortable and well made tights for spring mornings, if a touch pricy
Weight: 
288g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Oneten's Tempo bib tights are perfect for weather we are seeing of late. Chilly starts giving way to warm sunny weather can be a wardrobe nightmare but the lightweight material of these makes the transition easier.

The lycra fabric may be thin but its backed with a Roubaix style fleece in places which really keeps your legs warm when the temperature is hovering around freezing providing it isn't too windy. An icy windchill does penetrate through them quite quickly and it's hard to get that heat back.

Their perfect range is around 5-12 °C; early spring and late autumn really. Should things get hotter or you're pushing the effort the breathability gets a little overwhelmed but you don't realise your legs are sweating until you go to take them off.

They're well-shaped and with no irritating seams you can wear the Tempos for hours in total comfort. The knees aren't pre-shaped like on some tights and while there is a small amount of bunching the material is so thin it doesn't cause any discomfort. The straps are very elastic and wide so there are no pressure points on your shoulders plus they are easy to get on and off.

The front panel is cut to about the mid stomach to keep the chill off, a shape I find more comfortable than the lower style of some Castelli or RH+ bibs I've tested.

The ankles have no other form of restraint than an elasticated cuff and while they don't move up your leg while riding they can be quite tight to get on and off. You can hear the threads stretching and breaking as you pull them over your heel each time. There are no signs of damage so far but it will be interesting to keep an eye on them over the long term.

Inside you get a Performance Air pad from Cytech, one of the largest suppliers of synthetic chamois in the cycling world. It's not the most technologically advanced pad being described as a chamois for every rider but you only really notice the lack of varying densities and channels on longer rides. The pad itself though is pretty thin which means the lack of an ergonomic shape isn't an issue because it's unlikely to bunch.

Overall the Tempos are decent bibtights but lacking a little for the price when compared to the likes of, say, DHB. Providing there are no long term issues with the tight ankle cuffs though they should last a decent while and they certainly look well built. The comfort and fit is great though and I'd say they'd be perfect for commuting or rides of a couple of hours or so before the thin simple pad starts to lose its appeal.

Verdict

Comfortable and well made tights for spring mornings, if a touch pricy

road.cc test report

Make and model: Oneten Tempo Bib Tights

Size tested: Black - Medium

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Tempo tights are marketed as being ideal for spring, autumn and winter although I'd suggest not the freezing depths of January though.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

* 76% Polymide, 24% Elastan

* Bi-elastic, Roubaix fabric on the lower and inside legs

* Highly elastic, deep cut bib straps with an open structure on the back

* CYTECH Performance Air chamois

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Slight concerns over the longevity of the tight ankle cuff.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They are decent tights with a comfortable pad and cut. Solid performers without offering anything ground breaking.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The comfortable straps.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Threads stretching and possibly breaking at the ankles.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Not really.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

I liked using the Tempos much more than I expected considering how thin the material and pad was; overall they are competent performers. The likes of DHB and others offer a slightly better product for the money though

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Kinesis T2  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.

With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.

He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.

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