The “Aeron” monicker gives the impression that they are particularly aerodynamic. I don’t know if this is actually the case, but even if it was, would the advantage be  significant? What I did notice is that the lycra used in the knicks has a very slick feel to it and there are two side-effects of this.

Firstly, it becomes very easy to move around on the saddle. Speaking for myself, I consider this to be a benefit enabling me to shift my weight around and avoid pressure spots. For others, this may be distracting but you probably already know which camp you belong to. Secondly, in winter the wind whips through them like they’re not even there; they are almost unwearable in temperatures below 7 degrees. I suppose, however, that if this was a summer review I would be waxing lyrical about how cool they are. Again, neither good nor bad, just details you don’t get from a picture on the internet.

The cut of the bibs are great. For the size of the shorts, the braces are nice and snug – designed for the riding position, not the coffee shop. Otherwise, all the panels followed my body’s contours nicely and they didn’t bunch or pull while riding. One other nice thing is that they don’t strangle my thighs, yet still stay where they’re supposed to.

Finally, the chamois is really nicely done. There are thicker ones in the Aeron range, however the high density makes this one very comfortable. It’s a good size, too – wide enough but not too big. Again, it’s designed to be comfortable on the bike, not necessarily at the cafe.

I highly recommended these knicks and would probably go so far as to extend that endorsement to the rest of the Aeron range, based on the quality of the chamois and the fit of these.

View online: Aeron Race Cycling Bib Short

They are a simple, velcro 3-strap shoe with a fibreglass/nylon sole. dhb go to a lot of trouble to claim the internal (i.e. invisible) structure of the sole gives excellent stiffness and power transfer. I didn’t cut them open, but I’m always sceptical of such hoopla.

To address the issue, the shoes just don’t flex – certainly not enough to be noticeable. And call me a troglodyte, but to date I haven’t come across a cycling shoe that did flex enough to be noticeable, even while sprinting at up to 1300 watts. Until I find a “flexy” shoe, I’ll remain convinced that most riders simply feel what they want to feel.

What is important, however, is the fit and feel of the shoes. Having no buckles, it’s a little difficult to get strong, symmetrical tightness on both sides. It is what it is and while a ratchet would be convenient, it’s still a perfectly tenable arrangement.

As you can see from the photos, these shoes weren’t designed with airflow in mind. Being winter, this hasn’t bothered me at all – indeed, even in summer I rarely have a problem with hot-foot. However, if you normally do require good airflow, you may find these shoes a little claustrophobic.

I found the shape of the upper quite interesting. The shoes feature a big wide tongue that spreads the pressure from the velcro straps across a large area. In addition, the shoe’s upper wraps tightly around the ankle and the top of the foot, giving a snug feel. However, for my foot at least, it was a little too snug. The sides wrap around so tightly that they dig into the front of my ankle as it flexes (see image below). The solution? Well, you could just get used to it (as I did after a while) or you could make sure you don’t go too big in size, as I believe this was a contributing factor. Either way, it’s something to be aware of.

Some feet may find dhb R1.0 shoe upper too large and find this presses into the ankle

All in all, the R1.0 road shoes represent good value for money. There are few competitors at this price point and the trade-offs are fairly par for the course. If you want, for example, to upgrade to a ratchet system, the R2.0 is available at around $110. However, if you’re happy with a shoe that looks nice, seems to be well-built and won’t cost the earth, the R1.0 will do nicely.

View Online: dhb R1.0 Road Shoes

This year Wiggle told me to “harden up” and provided a pair of dhb Vaeon arm and leg warmers so there would be no excuses. If you are on their website and looking for cycling wear, chances are that you will come across the dhb brand of gear that is cheaper than more well known brands and may catch your interest. dhb are a brand for the price conscious cyclist and though it isn’t advertised as such, is a “home brand” from Wiggle.

Both arm and leg warmers boast some neat feature; they are anatomically cut to follow the movement of your elbows and knees, have nice big gripper panels, and they have reflective details for early morning visibility. Overall, everything feels really well constructed; there’s great attention to detail on the seams and they fit and flex to your body perfectly. The fabric has a slightly brushed feel on the inside and a slick, aero finish on the outside.

Part of fitting well is staying in place and to this day the Vaeons have refused to slide down no matter how long the ride. I put this down partly to the well-designed arm and leg grippers, and partly to the anatomical shaping. Whereas simple “tube-shape” warmers bunch and pull each time you bend your arm or leg, this is not the case with the Vaeons.

There’s not much to dislike, really. In fact it shouldn’t be hard to get right and dhb have taken the time to make sure they did get it right. If anything, these aren’t the warmest arm/leg warmers I’ve worn, if only by a little bit. The trade-off, however is that I can wear them longer, even when the weather warms up; they never seem to get sweaty.

It’s hard not to make this sound like just a simple ad, but these arm/leg warmers really do hit the mark. If you’ve always gone for the sock-with-the-end-cut-off style, you really won’t be disappointed by upgrading. And at the moment, being $21.27 for the arm warmers and $24.63 for the leg warmers, they truly are great value.

If you’re looking to ride in sub-5 degree weather, you might try something a little thicker (or a jacket!) but otherwise, they’re perfect for cold mornings that get warmer quickly.

Link: dhb Vaeon Robaix Arm Warmers

Link: dhb Vaeon Robaix Leg Warmers