Further confirming that Navy is the new Black, Q36.5 release the only winter bib tight you'll ever need - the Dottore Termico - in Navy blue.
Strap in - this is a bit of a read!
In an age of Zwift and riding indoors throughout winter, there are still plenty of hardened riders out there who derive their cycling pleasure from going outside. Not only does riding outdoors in Winter deliver joy - regardless of weather - it creates an ability to suffer that yields mental strength you can draw on all-year round. Furthermore, it makes for better bike handling, particularly if you craft your skills in the toughest conditions. If you are such a rider then you will love the Q36.5 Dottore Termico thermal cycling bibtights. The only leg protection you need for the rigours of real riding!
We love the original version of these tights. Given their tech and operating temperature range, they were arguably the only tight you need for British Winter cycling. The new Dottore Termico Long Salopette L1 feature several refinements that simply take the tight to new levels : lower bulk, fewer seams and a broader operating range. The Q36.5 Dottore Termico bib tight combines everything a rider could possibly need; from protection against the elements; warmth and comfort, to performance enhancing muscular support and body temperature stabilisation; for the rigours of winter training and riding.
Read the
background on the brand and you will appreciate the Q36.5 approach to maintaining the optimal operating temperature of the human body whilst also simultaneously offering a targeted approach to muscular support and body stabilisation whilst riding. This focus means that Q36.5 clothing does far more than simply clothe the rider. The Dottore Termico shares the performance-tuned feel of the Dottore Bib shorts and extends that into sub-zero temperature suitability. This piece of riding equipment is a reflection of a very contemporary idea of winter training in which the rider does not ‘slow’ during the cold season so much as research their position, work on their cadence and continues to focus on their output. Gone is the thick, heavy, simple and relaxed feel of the traditional winter tight, in its place you now find what Q36.5 call a 'leg weapon'.
As with much of Q36.5 clothing, the immediately noticeable trait of the Termico bib tights is that of low weight and at 275g, the Dottore Termico is the lightest weight product on the market for its thermal range. This low weight however, is a side effect of unique, innovative fabric development and application and the emphasis should be placed - above all - on the unique feel of the tights. The feel is achieved through the re-utilization of the key concepts of the bib short range; from the revised bibs, to the lumbar support panel, to the vectorial elasticity and the use of proprietary Unique Fabrics.
The Termico bib tights are constructed from a revised proprietary fabric : UF Hybrid Shell PLUS (we'll get to the PLUS part) with the use of a second layer of perforated fleece that eliminates the need for compromising membranes.The outer part of the tight has been constructed entirely from this non-laminated double-woven fabric that is able to mimic qualities of a shell (laminated fabric with membrane) without many of the associated drawbacks such as limited breathability and long drying times, as well as performing the thermal functions of a fleece material.
The fabric is woven at right angles at such a high density that the finished fabric has technical values within range of materials that use membranes. For example it is twice as breathable as “Windstop” shell fabrics and over 20 times more wind resistant than typical fleece fabrics.
Q36.5 achieve this wind resistance through the density of the material and it is this novel approach that significantly increases the fabric’s versatility making it far more breathable than a shell and as a consequence, it performs better in high-intensity conditions where the rider achieves high body temperatures and significant levels of perspiration and dries significantly faster to help keep the rider comfortable in changeable conditions.
It is the inner side of the Bib Tight that has seen the biggest change in the Dottore Termico and what gives the fabric the 'Plus' suffix that I mentioned earlier. Before, the inside surface was 'brushed' to create a ribbed fleece pattern in order to help stabilise body temperature fluctuations as part of the design remit of Q36.5. The Dottore Termico however, uses a new environmentally sound and sustainable 'Heat Fibre' derived from the residue of coffee bean processing. This fibre increases the thermal ceiling of the tights by a full 1oC. That means that you will feel the same comfort as the previous tights when the temperature outside is a full degree lower.
To further refine the functionality, the threads that are used for the UF HybridShell PLUS fabric are treated for water resistance before being woven. Unlike the majority of manufacturers who apply waterproofing treatments to the finished fabric (usually with the inclusion of a resin or coating that 'seals' the fabric), treating the threads before they are woven allows them to maintain their ‘natural’ structure and this is a key element in helping the fabric maintain a high level of breathability. while additional internal panels around the knees and thighs are made from the same ribbed polyamide- polyester fleece used in the Q36.5 knee warmers. This strategic placement of additional thermal panels minimises additional weight as well.
The Termico has been created using Q36.5's second generation Body Mapping to develop patterns and their placement based on sweat rate in order to variably manage moisture over the body's surface. This approach reduces heat loss in order to maintain a more stable body temperature: Q36.5 call it “Anti-Condensation Development”. This process boasts a high absorption/ emission rate of moisture in vapour form before it has time to change into sweat due to condensation. It minimises the dangerous heat loss that condensation can cause in sub-zero and cold training conditions.
The cut and construction of the new Dottore Termico Winter Bib Tight is revised and simplified. The cut is the result of the evolution of Q36.5's ergogenic pattern design, using a minimum of seams that are all strategically placed. The most significant change mimics elements of the Elite and Gregarius Ultra bib shorts : notably the elimination of the central seams in the crotch area, thanks to an "anti-stress panel". A laser cut finish has also enabled the Q36.5 to rid the tights of many useless seams. The clever alignment of panels is designed to move with the direction of the pedal stroke, exploiting the vectorial elasticity of the fabric. This is a strategic design feature which can be felt by sensitive riders during the pedalling action.
Contrary to most traditionally knitted tights, the use of high density woven Polyamide also lends a far greater robustness to the bibtights without in any way altering the feel against the skin and with no weight penalty. Indeed, the durability for the weight is unmatched and the tights will continue to serve long after the competition are thread-bare. The use of a Dyneema panel in the undercarriage also removes the liklihood of wear from saddle contact - Dyneema being the strongest thread in the world - 15 x stronger than steel for it's weight!
If you ride in the UK, there is an extremely high chance that you will - at some point - get caught in the rain. The good news for riders in the Termica Invernale is that the fibres used in their construction undergo a water repellency treatment before being woven, this not only maintains their natural structure but improves their drying time making them a particularly sensible choice in wet weather.
In the case of these tights, Q36.5 used the fruits of its research to develop a new chamois produced exclusively with thermo moulding techniques. This new pad, the Super Moulded (SM), has the same dimensions as the FUSION and its foam padding has been calibrated according to the same scheme of variable densities and thicknesses in the perineal, ischiatic, genital and gluteal zones for an extremely sophisticated tuning of rider comfort. The chamois, as with rear part of the FUSION, uses a unique moulding technique to present smooth variations in thickness of padding (unlike the more common striated multi-thickness thermo moulded pads on the market), markedly improving the contact with the rider’s skin and thus reducing irritation. The Super Moulded insert is, like the FUSION, an extremely high-performing chamois designed for a solid and substantial feel and all-round riding support: from more upright ‘endurance/sportive rider’ and climbing positions to the ‘road riding’ position which places pressure on the perineal area, all the way to the extreme angles of a Time Trial position.
A true winter piece, the Dottore Termico bib tights are designed for use in cold conditions, they will perform optimally from -5oC upward, with Q36.5's Body Temperature Stabilisation Guarantee in place, but will likely serve well below it too. For the UK rider, the Dottore Termico bib tight is likely to be the only tight you will need (warmer temperatures of 10-15oC will likely be served by the Dottore Hybrid Bib short and the rider's choice of knee or leg warmers) and their unique, robust construction will mean that they will still be in use years down the line, long after the competition have dissolved! These are low volume bib tights that offer maximum freedom of moment, ensure warmth despite their light weight and minimise heat loss that condensation can cause in sub-zero training conditions. Tested and guaranteed at over 110rpm!