Giordana

FormaRed Carbon Women's Bib Knickers

At 7000 feet, our winters are difficult. But, your winter might be more like our fall -- for your sake, we hope that's true. If you're in a more temperate climate, full bib tights are going to be overkill. Your legs need something that will keep them warm without overheating, keep them dry from the water on the road, and all the while provide the utmost in comfort and fit. We know that this sounds like your three wishes while you're rubbing a lamp, but each of these characteristics are embodied in the Giordana FormaRed Carbon Women's Bib Knickers.

Giordana's FormaRed bib knickers are constructed from a sophisticated blend of fabrics that share in the single purpose of keeping you warm. And as its name suggests, the bib knickers have a wind-resistant front panel to stave off the chills of riding. However, the name won't tell you that the bib knickers also use the SuperRoubaix AZ material to keep you protected from wheel-spray. The seat panel of FormaRed uses this thick, stretchy, and breathable material for its water-repellent qualities. Covering the quads is Giordana's bread-and-butter winter-weight fabric, SuperRoubaix. This material uses an interlocking, microfiber knit construction that creates a highly breathable and warming loft. But, Giordana didn't only place it on the quads for warmth, SuperRoubaix is also highly stretchable and provides a slight compression that dissipates lactic acid buildup. Rounding out the knickers' construction, the knees and upper-calves are made from the brand new SuperRoubaix Carbon. Sharing the same interlocking knit as SuperRoubaix, SR Carbon controls the stretch of the knit in order to isolate muscles for resistance to early fatigue. Additionally, the carbon fiber blocks out static and rogue atmospheric electrical interference for an increased anaerobic output. Altogether, the materials work in harmony to keep you insulated, protected from the elements, and riding at your best.

For fit, the FormaRed Carbon jersey uses a multi-panel design that's been designed to complement the female form. And when combined with the malleable fabrics, the anatomic design provides a complete freedom of movement. However, to preserve the fit while in movement, Giordana included a silicone gripper at the cuffs. Ultimately, though, the bib straps provide the most stability to the fit of the knickers. Combining strength with comfort, the uppers' straps flow between the breasts instead of over them. This solidifies the security of the fit and minimizes both abrasion and cumbersome adjustments while in the saddle. Also, the 'rear window' over the small of the back is constructed from the Naxos Mesh material. With the FormaRed uppers, security doesn't come at the cost of abrasion and sweat.

The bib knickers' chamois is one that Giordana touts as being the most advanced in the industry -- the W.Cirro O.F.. We don't deal in absolutes, but we can say that it's the first chamois we've heard of with Aloe Vera particles directly infused into the threads of the microfiber. Aloe is not only a natural bacteria fighter, but its implementation in the fiber provides a cooling effect that protects and heals during activity. Below the skin layer, the Cirro has a 4mm-thick pad of waffled-texture expanding memory foam. The texture aids in ventilation by moving moisture to the perimeter of the chamois where accelerated evaporation can occur. The final layer of the chamois is a thick section of hand-sewn open cell padding with recessed channels for pressure relief. These technologies amount to a chamois that won't get wet and nasty 100 miles into a ride, let alone 20.

To enhance visibility in low-light conditions, Giordana incorporated reflective treatments on the calves of the knickers.

The Giordana FormaRed Carbon Women's Bib Knickers are available in the color Black/aquazero and in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large.