Roubaix conjures up images of hard men like Sean Kelly spattered head to toe in mud and smashing his way over the cobbles of the Arenberg Forest in chilly early spring. So it’s a fitting name for DHB’s winter tights that Ride Velo took for a spin on, not quite the Hell of the North, but the South Downs, on a chilly November morning.
It was during that cold snap that had the less hardy hunkering indoors and snuggling beside the fire, but down here we’re made of sterner stuff than that. Actually it made a pleasant change to feel justified in donning some proper winter kit and seeing clouds of breath as we began our exit from Brighton’s Georgian elegance, through the Victorian suburbs and out onto the open stretches of Devil’s Dyke.
First impressions were that the ASV Race Roubaix Bib Tights are very comfortable as well as being easy to get into with a useful ankle zip. They fit well, the chamois pad does its job as one would hope, the shoulder straps don’t dig in and they’re a tight, stretchy fit without being constraining. What’s more they kept my pins snug and warm on this bracing day of frosty fields and clear blue skies. It was one of those mornings when the legs worked metronomically up the hills, the bike was gliding, the air was clear and it was a joy to be out on the open road. This was certainly more heaven than hell.
My top half was snug too with the DHB ASV thermal Gilet , another tight and stretchy fit. It’s cosy and warm with a fleecy inner lining that keeps the chill out. Three decent sized pockets at the back offer ample room for phone, wallet, Lucho Dillito snacks and more if you needed it. It’s definitely an item for colder days like this and I was thankful for its windproof properties as we flew down the long and thrilling descent towards Fulking.
As well as producing some comfortable and warm kit for bracing weather, DHB have created a stylish look for these winter essentials. Mine were the black/red combination which has enough of a ‘look’ without being brash. The gilet had a matching pattern. While not quite reaching the understated elegance of some of the more expensive brands out there, I thought (and I was told!) that the whole ensemble looked pretty good.
The tights come in at a very reasonable £80 which I would rate as excellent value for money when you’d be looking at twice that for a fancier brand. But the gilet is a staggering bargain at only £55! There is another company that purports to create “the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world” that offers something similar for a shockingly different price tag. I know which item I’ll be reaching out for the next time the mercury drops. And it’ll have a DHB label on it.
