Specialized Men’s RBX Comp Thermal Bib Tights

The Specialized Men's RBX Comp Thermal Bib Tights offer great comfort thanks mostly to the Body Geometry pad, but also the softness and warmth of the fleece fabric used for the main sections. I'd just like them to be a little more visible in the dark, though.

Apart from the bib section, these RBX Comp tights are made from a fleece-backed Lombardia fabric which feels great against the skin. It's soft and has plenty of stretch thanks to 16% of it being made up of elastane.

This means they move well with your legs and body as you pedal, without any feeling of restriction anywhere. Also, it means that the silicone grips at the ankles don't have to work very hard to keep everything in place.

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The fabric works in a range of temperatures; I'd say I was comfortable in them from about 13°C down towards just below freezing, all depending on how hard I'm working.

On rides into a chilly northerly wind, I found them to block the chill effectively and you also get the bonus of some water resistance. This is enough to stop light rain or drizzle getting through for half an hour to an hour depending on how heavy it is. It's certainly better than nothing.

I found the fit great, with the mutli-panel design resulting in all sections sitting smoothly against the skin with no bunching, apart from the tiniest amount behind the knees when pedalling, which is always going to happen. There are no seams in this area, which helps with comfort.

The bottom of the legs, as I mentioned, just has a silicone gripper, no zips or anything, and that's the way I like it as there's no risk of rubbing or clashing with zips or fastenings on overshoes.

The bib section is made from a lighter weight fabric and again I found it to be very comfortable. The sizing is spot on, with plenty of length in the body, so I felt comfortable stretching out from the hoods to the drops.

The fabric is also breathable, so you won't overheat while sticking to your chosen way of layering up.

The chamois used is the Body Geometry 3D Contour, and while it looks quite simple, no multi-density sections of padding or channels criss-crossing everywhere, it works brilliantly.

The foam is firm enough to provide a cushion between you and the saddle, but not so much that it mutes all feedback coming through from the bike. It's a good balance, and one that I like.

There is a single channel running down through the middle to reduce any numbness and I felt no bunching up or hot spots at all, even on my three-hour gravel loop that I've tested these on countless times.

Overall, the quality is good with tidy stitching throughout. It's not the neatest I've seen on a pair of bib tights of this price, but no one is going to notice unless they are really studying them up close.

The good thing is that they are looking to be very durable, especially in key areas like where they come into contact with the saddle. I've seen other pairs get a bit bobbly after just a few rides.

One thing I would like to see is some more reflective detailing rather than the token small tabs on the back of each thigh. It wouldn't need too be massive, just noticeable, say on the rear of the calf to be picked up by following headlights.

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Their rrp of £100 puts them in the same price bracket as the Orro Pyro Line Aquazero bib tights, which I think just have the edge on comfort, but they're well on a par with the £95 and great-fitting Altura Icon Thermal bib tights.

Conclusion

Overall, the RBX Comp Thermals offer a great fit and a very comfortable pad, plus their durability means they are well worth what could be seen as a fairly modest investment.

Verdict

Well-made, durable bib tights with a great pad and comfortable materials