Santini Fashion Vega Bibtights review

Santini is not a brand we see cropping up in the UK regularly and riders often seem to bypass this Italian stalwart in favour of more in-vogue brands. But once you slide yourself into something like these Fashion Vega bib tights you can see that Santini knows a thing or two about getting kit right.

The Santini Fashion Vega bib tight has got all the basics covered plus a little more heaped on the side. Let's talk about the most important things first; fit and comfort. The tight features the usual multi-panel construction but where it works really well is at the knee where a simple but well shaped panel aids knee movement. Often tights with a shaped knee can end up being a little too tight or loose on some riders but the Fashion Vega had a spot on fit with no issues even on long wet rides.

The leg length suited me exceptionally well (I have long legs) and the fit around the waist and backside again was excellent without needing to size up or down as can be the case with some Italian clothing brands. In an on-bike position everything sat where it should be and hard pedalling failed to highlight any issues.

The best winter bib tights for road cycling

The upper bib section really impressed as well thanks to a narrow mesh back section and super comfy straps. The straps are some of the best I have ridden in being both wide and soft. They resisted the typical rolling that bib straps can suffer from and have a section of silicon on the inside face to hold them in place when riding.

The material used isn't the thickest fleece backed fabric I've encountered in a bib tight and I probably wouldn't opt for these in really cold conditions but it is very breathable and has a decent level of thermal protection so I would say the tight will work effectively for spring and autumn use as well. Santini has treated the fabric with its Acquazero water repellent coating so it does shrug off road spray and light rain but don't expect it to protect you from continuous rainfall. True to Santini's word, this treatment is still as good after several washes.

Adding to the comfort is the GITevo chamois pad. This apparently has a gel core for added shock absorption and I can certainly attest to it being very comfortable even on long distance rides. It stayed in place well and didn't feel too bulky when sat down or even when walking around.

As the name suggests, the Santini Fashion Vega has an eye on styling and to this end each calf panel features a perforated cover through which a contrast colour shines through. Santini offer three colours, blue, dark red and orange so you can match your kit nicely. A couple of reflective tabs also add a little safety to the final product.

Buy now: Santini Fashion Vega bib tights from Santini UK for £75.99

One thing I would probably change to make the Fashion Vega even better would be the ankle cuff. This is just a double layer of the main material so does have a tendency to ride up slightly if you have particularly slippery socks. Adding a little section of gripper material to the inside would, in my opinion, improve this feature.