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Chrome Cycling Gloves 2021

6
£32.00

VERDICT:

6
10
Decent dexterous gloves with a strap that's quick to adjust and comfy padding, but a short cuff that limits versatility
Reliable touchscreen-friendly fingertips
Quick adjustment strap
Comfy, well-placed padding
Short cuff
Tight thumb fit
Removing irritating label voids warranty
No buckle for storing the pair together
Weight: 
52g

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 Chrome Cycling Gloves are stylish, dexterous, and padded, with a lightweight mesh upper for warmer transitional season riding and touchscreen-compatible fingertips that work reliably. These aren't the lightest, breathable, full-finger summer gloves, though, and with such a short cuff they're not suited for chillier rides either. The fit around the thumb won't suit all, and beware, don't cut off the irritating label as that'll void your warranty.

A knit type fabric (polyester Lycra) is used for the back, while the palm and fingers are made from a perforated synthetic PU leather fabric. The fabric itself is fairly lightweight so you still have all the dexterity you need to take keys out to lock up your bike, for example.

> Buy these online here

There's some padding on the palm and around the thumb; it's not overly bulky but it's enough to keep things comfortable on endurance rides.

The fit around the thumb wasn't quite right for me. I found it slightly too tight and this is exaggerated by the unforgiving material used here; unlike the fingers, the fabric around the thumb isn't stretchy at all.

2021 Chrome Cycling Gloves - thumb material.jpg

The buckle strap system on these Chrome gloves isn't something I've seen on cycling gloves before, and it's great. The quick release adjustment tab really enables you to tighten these up swiftly and securely. Thanks to the weighted Chrome logo on the end of the strap it doesn't jump about annoyingly when you're swinging your bike side to side either.

2021 Chrome Cycling Gloves - fastening strap 2.jpg

The cuff is very short so there's always a gap to the sleeve. While these aren't intended to be winter gloves, a slightly longer cut here would increase their versatility for the nippier weather you are likely to see in the transitional seasons.

2021 Chrome Cycling Gloves - fastening strap 1.jpg

They seem best suited to early autumn and late spring riding. As temperatures dipped to just below 10 degrees, my fingers were beginning to complain, especially on downhill sections.

All of the fingertips are touchscreen compatible; I found I was able to go about basic tasks such as replying to a message or checking my location on Google maps on my smartphone without losing my patience and ripping the gloves off.

Silicone grippers are included on the thumb and two fingers next along, though these didn't provide as much reassuring grip as I would have liked for shifting and braking in the wet.

2021 Chrome Cycling Gloves - fingertips.jpg

The Chrome gloves are missing some features I tend to find really useful in gloves. There isn't an integrated buckle, for example, that allows you to pair the gloves together to help prevent losing one post-ride; this feature is particularly useful when shoving them in your bag if commuting. Nor is there a loop for attaching the gloves to a bag to keep them tucked away and in place.

Reflective detailing is included, albeit in minimalist fashion. The thin adjustable strap is reflective, and so when you extend your arm out to indicate you're a touch more visible across this area.

2021 Chrome Cycling Gloves - back.jpg

Available in fully black or grey upper with red detailing (which I had on test), these look stylish, like the rest of the products in Chrome's urban collections.

Value

Priced at £32, this matches its performance fairly well. Bontrager's Circuit Windshell Cycling Gloves are slightly more expensive at £39.99, but these have a longer cuff for better coverage and warmth into colder weather conditions, and grippiness-wise they also really impressed.

> Buyer’s Guide: 25 of the best winter cycling gloves

Altura's Firestorm Gloves are also £39.99 and also have a generous length of cuff as well as outstanding reflective detailing, though the lack of padding could count against them.

Conclusion

Overall, Chrome's Cycling gloves are a good transitional season option, featuring a handy quick-tightening system. But with such a short cuff they're not as versatile as some, and I'd hazard there's a fairly good chance you won't get on with the fit around the thumb, especially as the fabric isn't stretchy in this area.

Verdict

Decent dexterous gloves with a strap that's quick to adjust and comfy padding, but a short cuff that limits versatility

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Chrome Cycling Gloves

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Chrome says: 'Just like everything we do at Chrome, we built our Cycling Gloves to be tough, stylish and functional. Lightweight mesh up top for ventilation, a reflective Chrome logo and adjustable strap at the wrist, comfort padding on the palm and thumb for the handlebars and some touchscreen friendly fingertips. That's the Power of Glove."

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

Chrome lists:

TOUCH SCREEN SENSITIVE FINGERTIPS

BREATHABLE STRETCH MESH FABRIC UPPER

REFLECTIVE ADJUSTABLE STRAP

PALM/THUMB CUSHION

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
6/10

All good apart from around the thumb – the fit is tight here compared to the rest of the gloves and the lack of stretch in the material exaggerates this.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

As expected.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
7/10

Padding is well placed and keeps things comfy. However, I found the label irritating, and removing it will void your warranty.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

If you don't mind the short cuff, they're a little cheaper than similar options.

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

Hand wash only – all good.

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

The closure system is great – it's quick to use and tightens up the gloves so they are very secure. The padding keeps things comfy across endurance rides and the touchscreen-friendly fingertips work reliably. However, the cuff is short so these won't work so well on cooler days or changeable conditions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Quick adjustment strap.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The short cuff and fit around the thumb.

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

Cheaper than Bontrager's Circuit Windshell Cycling Gloves and Altura's Firestorm Gloves, both £39.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No, the fit around the thumb didn't work for me.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, as you can return them easily.

Use this box to explain your overall score

These are stylish, dexterous padded gloves with a lightweight mesh upper for warmer transitional season riding and touchscreen-compatible fingertips that work reliably. However, with such a short cuff they're not suited for chillier rides. The cut is also quite tight around the thumb, and the rigid material used here is not forgiving.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Road bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel riding, indoor turbo and rollers, track

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