Louis Garneau
I bike daily and average about 5000 miles annually, in the winter, I bike about 750 - 1000 miles even in the cold.
The solano tight is well designed to protect the front of the legs whilst letting moisture out the back. The knee is a bit stiff to articulate, but after riding a bit it feels okay. Off the bike, I feel a bit restricted in terms of movement, but perhaps that is size-related.
I previously used my other tights (not cycling tights) which were meant to be worn underneath as a base layer and those provided no wind protection so my knees (and legs) would be cool (not to be crude, but some external parts would be cold, especially when riding down to 10' F). The tight is a huge improvement over those tights (referencing earlier comment, no uncomfortable coldness in sensitive areas). Now that my legs are warm, the next thing I need to improve is my hands and feet.
I get out of the tight carefully to avoid stretching it around the ankles and it also turns it inside out which lets it dry better. A zipper would be nice to make that easier, but if you need to dry the tight anyways, just get out of it carefully and slowly.
I have only worn this one season and so far they seem durable and well made. I hope to get many seasons from this tight.
In terms of sizing:
I am 150 lb and 5'9" and am wearing the small tight. The small fits, but I think I am at the limit of the small, I think the medium would fit better. I am happy to have purchased the Solano tight to keep myself warm in the winter.
I've been using the LG bibs and shorts for several years and find them to be a great fit. I have a 31" waste, 5'10" tall, 135lbs, and small is just right - tight when first putting on, but immediately forget about them when starting to ride. I hate rubber grips on my legs, so these bibs using just compression are perfect and super comfortable (I'm a mountain biker who doesn't shave legs). Used recently on a 22 1/2 hour mountain bike epic and my rear end was probably the only part of my body that was still feeling okay. I get about 2 years out of them with 2-3 uses a week and being washed after every use (warm water and air dried). There seems to be changes to the pad material occasionally. The latest (7/2021) version has the nice smooth material that doesn't pile after washing. A couple of others did, but are still comfortable. No idea if my resistance to fatigue has increased over 10%.
I have both the Louis Garneau Men's Tri Power Lazer short and the Pearl Izumi Tri short and they are both excellent for any distance rides. Being this review is for the LG short I'll say they are definitely the high quality product that Louis Garneau is known for. I have done many metric C rides in these with no discomfort whatsoever. With a Brooks saddle, the thinner pad is very comfortable for any mileage ride. I don't do triathlons so can't attest to comfort when wet but for my use they are perfect.
