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Van Rysel Cool Weather Cycling Leg Warmers

9
£14.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Great performance and fit, and one hell of a bargain
Good quality for the money
Nice fit
Thigh and ankle grippers not too tight
Good water resistance
Seam behind the knee can irritate
Title is misleading
Weight: 
100g
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Van Rysel Road Cycling Cool Weather Leg Warmers are very well priced considering their quality and the use of good materials – and you get a DWR coating too. The seam at the rear sits behind the knee which can be a little annoying at times, but the extra panel does at least give them a bent shape, which reduces material bunching.

First off, let's clear up some confusion. On Decathlon's website (the company behind Van Rysel) these are called Cool Weather Leg Warmers, but they aren't; they're knee warmers, and as such, they're very good. Van Rysel does Cold Weather Leg Warmers, which are in fact long enough to be leg warmers.

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

> Buy these online here

Created, like most warmers, from a fleece-backed Super Roubaix style material, they are soft against the skin, and while not particularly windproof they do trap plenty of warmth.

In fact, the material is of a decent weight, and I've been comfortable in them down to around 5°C and could go lower if it wasn't for the exposed skin at the bottom of my legs.

2021 Van Rysel Road Cycling Cool Weather Leg Warmers - top cuffs.jpg

They also come with a water repellent treatment which works very well indeed, even around the seams. It will keep light rain and/or road spray out for a good hour – less if the rain is heavy. Decathlon does say that it needs to be reactivated every five washes, which can be done by ironing the knee warmers (less than 140°C), tumble drying them, or using a waterproofing spray. I did the tumble dry thing after 10 washes and the water repellency did seem to be improved by the process.

Rather than just being a single section of fabric sewn into a tube, with a single seam, the Van Rysels are made from three panels, one for the front and two at the rear.

Splitting the rear panel into two, one above the other, gives the knee warmer a naturally bent shape which makes for more comfort as it reduces the bunching of material when pedalling. The only downside is that you get a seam sitting right behind your knee.

That said, it didn't irritate that much; I only started to notice it on rides of three hours or more.

To keep the warmers in position, Van Rysel has used a 30mm-wide silicone gripper at the thigh and a 50mm gripper at the calf.

2021 Van Rysel Road Cycling Cool Weather Leg Warmers - gripper.jpg

I had no issues either end with anything moving, and as they're quite wide you don't get any pressure points either.

2021 Van Rysel Road Cycling Cool Weather Leg Warmers - cuff.jpg

To help with fit, Decathlon has a size guide on its website based on thigh circumference which I found to be correct. Options are XS/S, M/L and XL/XXL

Value

Priced at £14.99, the Van Rysels are a bit of a bargain considering the quality, and how impressive the water resistance is. You get a two-year warranty too.

Emma was impressed with the warmth and cut of the Specialized Therminal knee warmers, but they don't offer any water resistance and are basically double the price of the Van Rysels.

> Buyer’s Guide: 20 of the best arm and leg warmers

I'm a fan of Lusso's Repel range, and so was Mike, rating the leg warmers very highly. The knee warmers use the same material, but again they cost nearly twice as much as the Van Rysels, at £27.99.

Conclusion

The mid-knee seam is the only little niggle for me, but as I said, it never really became a big issue as it has with some warmers. Other than that, though, considering the quality and performance here, I almost can't believe the price.

Verdict

Great performance and fit, and one hell of a bargain

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Van Rysel Cold Weather Cycling Leg Warmers

Size tested: M-L

Tell us what the product is for

Decathlon says, "Our new spring/autumn knee warmers come with improved non-slip technology and are shaped to fit your knee.

"Carry on using your summer cycling shorts and add these knee warmers for warmth and a feeling of incredible freedom when riding. The new silicone-covered elastic bands hold them in place."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Decathlon lists:

DESIGN TRICKS

A good knee warmer is one that doesn't slide around, doesn't chafe, and keeps you warm!

The Super Roubaix fabric is soft, warm and stretchy for maximum comfort. We've opted for a water-repellent version to protect you from light drizzle and so that you don't have to ride in soaking-wet kit!

The seam should sit behind your knee on the top part.

NO SLIPPING!

There's nothing more annoying than your leg warmer, arm warmer or knee warmer slipping around!

To deal with the issue once and for all, we've positioned double-sided 3 cm silicone-coated elastic at the top. One side grips your skin while the other grips your shorts!

At the bottom hem, there's a 5 cm silicone-coated elastic band that sits on your calf.

CHOOSING YOUR SHOE SIZE

Your thigh circumference is a good criterion to use for your size.

XS/S: thigh circumference between 48 and 52 cm

M/L: thigh circumference between 52 and 60 cm

XL/XXL: thigh circumference between 60 and 69 cm

Water repellent

What is water-repellency? It is when water runs off the outside of the fabric to protect you from brief showers. Please note that this product is not waterproof. The idea is to stop the knee warmer becoming saturated with water.

The water-repellent treatment should be reapplied regularly (every 5 washes). To reactivate the fabric's water-repellent properties, you have 3 options: iron the product (less than 140°C), tumble dry it (suitable temperature and length), or use a re-waterproofing spray

WHICH WAY UP DO THEY GO?

It's not always easy to know which way up your knee or leg warmers go.

Here's what to look out for:

- As mentioned above, the double-sided silicone band goes at the top

- The seam goes behind your knee  3

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Following the washing instructions, no problems.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

A really good set of warmers that keep your knees warm and dry.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Water repellency is impressive.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Seam behind the knee was noticeable on longer rides.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Cheap! As I mention in the review, Lusso doesn't make expensive products and its knee warmers are well priced but the Van Rysels undercut them by a fair amount. It's the same with Specialized's – not massively expensive given the performance, but twice the price of the Van Rysels.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

If you don't get annoyed by seams behind your knees then these warmers are near faultless, especially considering the price.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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