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review

Alé Nucleo Gilet

7
£50.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Very lightweight gilet that does a great job of keeping the wind out, but a bit basic for the money
Weight: 
65g
Contact: 

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The Alé Nucleo Gilet is simplicity itself; there isn't much to it but it does a surprisingly good job of keeping the wind out, plus it packs away tiny when you don't need it.

  • Pros: Windproof and packs away small
  • Cons: Pricey for how little you are getting

The Alé is made from a mix of polyester (92%) and elastane (8%) and that, erm, pretty much sums it up. Well, you get a zip too, but that's about it.

Ale Nucleo Gilet - collar

The front of the gilet and the top and rear of the shoulders are made from a solid fabric that works as a wind blocker – ideal for when you head out early in the morning or are descending for a long time. It works well in temperatures down to about 10°C with just a summer jersey and a baselayer underneath.

Ale Nucleo Gilet - riding

It isn't the most breathable of fabrics but that is taken care of by the large mesh panel on the back. You can work pretty hard without getting too hot, as warmth escapes out of the back, or if you are climbing you can undo the full front zip to let the cool air blast right the way through.

Ale Nucleo Gilet - back detail

The material is really soft, and with the whole garment only weighing 65g you barely notice you are wearing it. Should you need to take it off you can scrunch it to a size smaller than your fist and bung it in a jersey pocket.

The cut is pretty race orientated so there is very little fabric flapping about, and I also found the sizing to be pretty generous – unlike most other Italian brands.

There are no rear pockets because of the lightweight fabric used, so you'll need to reach under the elasticated hem to get stuff out of your jersey's.

Ale Nucleo Gilet - detail

The rear is dropped by a fair bit, which stops it creeping up your lower back when hunched in a racing tuck.

Ale Nucleo Gilet - back

Value is the only aspect where things don't look so great: it looks quite pricey at 50 quid for something so simple. Lusso's Skylon Gilet offers pockets and some water resistant panels for £39.99, for example.

That said, at £99 the Neon Velo Lightweight Gilet makes the Alé look a bargain and it's also heavier.

> Buyer's Guide: 8 of the best cycling gilets

Overall, there are cheaper gilets out there, but the quality of the Alé is impressive; with that and its performance, it goes some way to justifying its price tag.

Verdict

Very lightweight gilet that does a great job of keeping the wind out, but a bit basic for the money

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: Alé Nucleo Gilet

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

It is a lightweight gilet that is great at blocking the wind while the mesh panel allows the air to escape.

Alé says: "Lightweight micropack Extra length rear Full zipper rubber gripper rear reflective strips performance fit high collar mesh back"

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

From Alé:

Full Zip

Dropped Tail

92% polyester / 8% elastane

Mesh rear panel

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sizing isn't as restrictive as some other European brands.

Rate the product for weight:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

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

I was a little worried about it getting damaged in the washing machine because of how thin the fabric feels, but it has been washed plenty of times without issue.

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

As a lightweight windstopper it does the job.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

You barely notice you are wearing it.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Quite pricey for such a simple gilet.

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

Prices vary a lot when it comes to gilets; you can get some very good ones with more details for less, but there are some similar to the Alé that cost double.

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

A decent performing summer gilet that is well made and easy to stash. You can get cheaper, though.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 40  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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