Gore Power Windstopper Short+ review

We test Gore’s wet and windy weather bibshorts, to see if they’re ready for the winter

Gore power windstopper short+ cycling shorts
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Gore Power Windstopper Short+ bibshorts are a good bet for cooler, wetter rides. Their excellent windproofing and water repellent surface mean that you should be able to tackle your rides well protected from the weather, although they’re not flocked on the inside and so not as warm as some competitors. The pad is comfortable for longer rides too.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Excellent windproofing

  • +

    Good fit

  • +

    Reflectives

  • +

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Not insulated

  • -

    Quite expensive

  • -

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Despite being mid-thigh in length, confusingly the Gore Power Windstopper Short+ bibshorts are called bibtights by Gore. They’re made from Gore’s Windstopper three layer technical laminated fabric, with a windproof membrane providing very effective windproofing.

As well as this, they are DWP treated, so they are water repellent and cope well with wheelspray and the odd shower. They are also breathable enough that you don’t get hot when riding, or suffer from clammy sweat build-up.

>>> How to cycle in the wind

Gore’s seat pad is comfortable too, with enough padding for the long run. Gore says that it has a windproof front, and I found that cold breezes were kept off very effectively, although unlike the more usual Roubaix fabric there’s no internal flocking, so they don’t run quite as warm as some competitors.

Gore Power Windstopper Short

The Gore Power Windstopper Short+ bibshorts come with reflective logos

The bibs and the front of the shorts, where they overlap with top half garments, are made of a mesh material, so there’s no tendency to overheat there either and the bibs have just one seam on the outer edge, so they are unobtrusive under a jersey or jacket.

>>> 20 best cycling shorts

The Gore Power Windstopper Short+ bibshorts have quite long legs, so there’s plenty of coverage if you want to brave the cold in them. The bottom hem is just a wide turned over continuation of the leg fabric. It’s simple but effective, with just the right amount of give in the fabric to keep it in place without feeling uncomfortable. Overall, the shorts’ fit is excellent, making use of the fabric’s in-built stretch.

There is reflective Gore lettering on the legs and across the rear of the shorts, so you should light up well in headlights, if riding in the dark.

So overall, the Gore Power Windstopper Short+ bibshorts are a good option for cool, damp conditions. Couple them with kneewarmers or legwarmers and their breeze protection should ensure that you keep comfortable on your rides throughout the typical British winter.

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Paul Norman

Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. Since then, he’s reviewed hundreds of bikes and thousands of other pieces of cycling equipment for the magazine and the Cycling Weekly website.

He’s been cycling for a lot longer than that though and his travels by bike have taken him all around Europe and to California. He’s been riding gravel since before gravel bikes existed too, riding a cyclocross bike through the Chilterns and along the South Downs.