The cold-weather Spinshift cycling kit

GOREWEAR’s Spinshift lineup of clothing offers premium quality and fit and relatively affordable price points. One of the latest additions to the lineup are the “Thermo” apparel which provide additional warmth for riding in cooler conditions without any bulk. For this review we have two of the items, the Thermo Bib Tights+ and the Thermo Jacket. There is also a Spinshift Thermo Long Sleeve jacket with some fun designs which could complete the kit. The Thermo Spinshift Bib Tights+ retail for $180 and features thermo-fleece and an Advanced Brand Core shammy. For additional utility, the bib tights have mesh side pockets and reflective element. At $220, the Thermo Spinshift Jacket is one of GOREWEAR’s warmest jackets with a densely woven fabric on the face for wind resistance and soft inner liner. Both the bib tights and jacket also have a PFC free DWR treatment to protect against light showers.

The GOREWEAR Thermo Spinshift combines a form-fitting design with premium materials and construction for cold weather riding.

THERMO BIB TIGHTS+

Designed to be a workhorse bib tight, the Thermo Bib Tights combine cozy fleece with DWR protection for cold and damp winter rides. GOREWEAR offers the bib tights in three colors: utility green, black / neon yellow and black. We have the standard black version which has an all black design with reflective GOREWEAR logos. The bib tights also combine elements from gravel or cargo shorts with mesh side pockets that add some additional storage for stashing snacks or keys. In terms of design, the bib tights have a multi-piece pattern that optimizes range of motion and next-to-skin fit. Separate panels along the arms and legs are placed to get a close fit with tight seams to keep out wind or cold weather.

For the straps, GOREWEAR has used a standard Y design with two separate straps on the front that merge together on the back. The straps have a nice thin elastic design with mesh material for additional breathability. One of the most important parts of bib tights is the chamois which is the main contact point between you and the saddle. GOREWEAR has used what they call the Advanced Brand Core seat pad with their GOREWEAR cup extension on the front for wind protection. It’s a nice multi-density foam design with a pressure relief channel down the center and a maximum thickness of 10.5 mm. The chamois is optimized for comfort and support on middle to long-distance rides.

THERMO SPINSHIFT JACKET

The Spinshift Thermo Jacket is one of the warmest jackets with a slim fit in the GOREWEAR lineup. GOREWEAR currently offers the jacket in five different color schemes: black, graphite, utility green, neon yellow and cargo blue. We have the cargo blue color which is an attractive solid light blue color scheme. As with other GOREWEAR apparel, the branding is very sleek with a black full length zipper and GOREWEAR logo running down it in white. The jacket is marketed as wind-resistant, water-repellent and breathable woven fabric. It’s constructed from 91% recycled polyester and 9% elastane with an innovative one-layer thermo-stretch fabric. Despite the claimed warmth, the jacket is quite thin with a nice soft fleece interior.

GOREWEAR has also integrated reflective hit points along the arms and rear to provide 360 degree visibility. On the front you have a full length zipper with the contrasting black zipper design. There are also black accents along the sleeves and hem which have a stretchy material to keep the wind out. The arms use a raglan sleeves which have a seam that runs to the shoulder for additional range of motion. On the rear you have a few large panels with seams at the sleeves and the rear panel extension where you want more breathability. There are three gusseted pockets which let you carry gear and food without the pockets sagging. For smaller items like keys or money there is a zippered fourth pocket on the right hand side. GOREWEAR has also added silicone grippers on the hem and a dropped tail for additional coverage.

RIDING IMPRESSIONS

Having reviewed the Spinshift summer kit and even the lightweight Breathe Spinshift jersey, we had high expectations for the Thermo Spinshift kit. We choose the medium size bib tights and jacket for our 6’1″ 165lb test rider and found the fit to be on point with a high-performance contoured fit. The fit is similar to the summer kit with a slightly looser fit on the jacket to accommodate layering. With the colder temperatures, the bib tights and jacket were perfect for morning rides and stayed comfortable even later in the day in 60 degree weather. We appreciated the bib tights which eliminate the need for leg warmers and have a nice windproof material that kept us warm even on cold descents. Similarly, the jacket provides a nice balance of warmth and breathability to help maintain temperatures on long climbs or fast descents. While the construction isn’t quite as nice as some of Velocio’s apparel, the lower price points of the Spinshift apparel more than makes up for it.

THE VERDICT

Overall, we found the GOREWEAR Thermo Spinshift Bib Tights+ and Thermo Spinshift Jacket to be a comfortable and warm kit for cold weather cycling. GOREWEAR has taken their same premium materials and high-performance fit of their summer Spinshift kit and added insulating materials and windproof treatments to help regulate body temperatures. We found the sizing and fit of the kit to be consistent with the summer pieces and were impressed with the comfort. Both pieces of the kit offer versatility with breathable materials as well as nice details such as reflective hit points for additional safety in low light conditions. The minimal solid-color scheme design and GOREWEAR branding along the zipper are also nice touches that help give the kit a premium appearance. As far as negatives, the only minor issue we found as that the jacket pockets are a bit narrow. That said, the GOREWEAR Thermo Spinshift Bib Tights+ and Jacket are great choices for cold weather cycling.

Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by GOREWEAR. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.