Santini Eureka Thermal BeHot H20 bibshorts review

Santini makes a range of kit in its BeHot Acquazero fabric, including these bibshorts. It says that the fabric generates heat as you move. We’re not too sure that we buy the heat generation pitch, although if it’s true, it’s more likely to work in these bibshorts and the brand's tights than in its arm warmers, where your limbs are relatively static.

Definitely useful is the water repellent Acquazero treatment, which helps keep rain and road spray at bay. The fabric is also fleeced on the inside, so there’s insulation for cooler-weather rides. The shorts fit a long way up the upper body so there’s a warm layer over your stomach, while the mesh bibs avoid overheating around your upper back.

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I like the versatility of fleece bibshorts: they add a bit of warmth to spring and autumn rides. Santini quotes a temperature range of 5°C to 15°C, although you’d need to be quite hardy to go much below 10°C.

But add a pair of knee warmers and you’ll be comfortable in lower temperatures, while a set of leg warmers converts the shorts into winter tights which are good to about 0°C. You have the added bonus of a double layer of fabric over the thighs to keep those hard working muscles warmer.

The Eureka bibshorts come with Santini’s GIT Evo pad. GIT stands for Gel Intech and there’s a perforated silicone gel core buried under its foam padding and shaped microfibre surface. It’s a comfortable pad, which Santini says is good for rides of around seven hours.

Watch: How to dress for spring riding

Santini’s leg grippers are wide with silicone printing to keep them in place. They’re not as stretchy as some though, so they can feel a bit tight when you first put the shorts on. There are also reflective tabs sewn into the rear leg seams.

Santini makes the Eureka shorts in no less than 10 sizes, ranging from XS up to 6XL (although UK distributor ZyroFisher doesn’t import them all into the UK), so there’s bound to be one that fits. They’re a good option to add a bit more ride comfort on cooler spring days.