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Galibier Roubaix Knee Warmers

8
£16.80

VERDICT:

8
10
Very warm, seamless and comfortable, at a great price
Weight: 
60g
Contact: 

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The Roubaix Knee Warmers from clothing brand Galibier are very simple but massively effective for those days when the temperature can't make up its mind. They are comfortable, stretchy and cracking value for money.

  • Pros: No irritating seams, great price
  • Cons: No water resistance so not as versatile as some on the market

Galibier has often delivered decent products at very sensible prices and that is exactly what it has done here with these Italian made Roubaix knee warmers: £16.80 is impressive. Probably the closest we've tested to these are the Alé Seamless knee warmers, which use the same Dryarn fabric and are created the same way: knitted into a tube to remove the need for any seams that can cause irritation. They cost £25, which is still cheaper than most.

> Buy these online here

Most knee warmers we see are around the 40 quid mark, like the Morvelo Stealth Stormshields, for example, but then again those are aimed more at the extreme weather end of the market.

The Dryarn material is a polypropylene/Lycra mix and it does a great job of keeping your knees warm, blocking out the wind. It's been pretty mild recently and I found them perfectly comfortable from around 5°C to 14°C. If you are working hard they can get a little bit clammy from sweat, but slow the pace a bit and they dry quickly.

Galibier Roubaix Knee Warmers 2.jpg

As soon as the outside temperature warms up they are easy to whip off over your shoes thanks to how stretchy the material is, and they take up very little room in a jersey pocket.

As I mentioned above, these Roubaix warmers are knitted as a tube, removing the need for any seams running from top to bottom, and it's a design I like very much. Comfort is top notch and thanks to the knitted bands top and bottom they stay in place no matter how hard you are pedalling. They also look to be slightly shaped to fit the bend of your knee, plus the knit of the fabric feels thinner behind the knee too to reduce bunching as your leg bends. For added protection the knit is bulkier over the front of the knee.

> Buyer's Guide: 30 of the best bits of cycle kit to keep you warm in winter

They come in a couple of sizes, and the L/XL tested here I found to be spot on. Galibier says that they should feel compressive rather than restrictive and that was exactly what I got.

Galibier Roubaix Knee Warmers 3.jpg

The overall finish and construction looks to be good, with only the odd stray thread here and there. A neat touch alongside the knitted logos on the front of each leg is that they have also knitted the washing instructions into the bottom cuff, meaning there are no issues with annoying tags.

On the whole these are great knee warmers for warding off cold breezes without breaking the bank.

Verdict

Very warm, seamless and comfortable, at a great price

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Roubaix Knee Warmers

Size tested: L/XL

Tell us what the product is for

Galibier says, "Our Roubaix Knee warmers are made from a soft Dryarn™ fabric. This is a technical Polypropylene / Lycra mix material material with excellent moisture moving capabilities designed for the athletic industry. It draws perspiration quickly away from the body keeping you warm and dry but it is also tightly knit to provide wind protection and warmth.

The tubular knit of these warmers gives the fibers varying densities that follow the contours of the rider's muscles and joints. This results in an extremely comfortable fit that provides an unrestricted range of movement. The weight of these warmers makes them the perfect transitional season piece well suited for cooler weather that doesn't quite call for a heavy winter warmer.

Dryarn™ fabric keeps you dry and warm

Light and soft elastic cuffs that adjust to the body for a snug fit

Embroidered galibier logos on the front.

Zero seams. Hems are four needle flat-stitched for durability and comfort."

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

Galibier lists these features:

Lycra fabric stitched in 5 stitch patterns to provide pressure free warmth and windproof.

Double thickness 4 way stretch on the knee area

Italian Fabrics and construction

Galibier detailing

4 needle stitch construction.

 

Sizing

.....if you think you are small/ medium you are.

Compressive, but not restrictive. High stretch fabric

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

Stick with the sizing you'd normally use for any other brand I'd say.

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

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

Thrown in the washing machine with the rest of my kit on a 30 degree wash and they came up clean with no shrinkage issues.

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

Easy to get on and off and great at blocking the wind.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Very warm considering how thin the fabric is.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing to really dislike to be honest.

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

Very well priced indeed, coming in at nearly a tenner cheaper than other similar products we've tested.

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

They offer really good performance and quality especially for the money, a clear 8.

Overall rating: 8/10

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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1 comments

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Freddy56 | 5 years ago
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Ordered, arrived, delighted., thanks

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