James C.

Shoes are a personal thing, one size does not fit everyone! My foot is too wide for typical Italian shoes (think Sidi) but not wide enough for the wide versions. The Northwave fits me perfectly, not too narrow and not too wide.
The closure works great but differently from most wire dials. Twist the dial to close it, but pull up the small silver lever to release. Press down on the lever and it tightens one click at a time, easy to do when riding. Once I figured it out, it became second nature.
Overall this shoe is a very nice shoe and great value.

This glove is minimal to keep hands cool, provides excellent vibration damping, and is very comfortable. I was skeptical at first because it is the first glove I have ever worn that did not cover my thumbs. Bottom line: it works amazingly well.

Many gloves promise no more numb hands. Of course, glove performance varies a lot rider to rider. However, this glove is the first that actually delivered 100% on that promise for me.

This glove fits the same as other Castelli gloves.

Wide, thin, and warm. However, the description is inaccurate as there is no extra layer over the ears and this is a one size fits all product and there is no hook and loop closure for size adjustment.

I purchased this helmet to use with sunglasses and it works very well in this manner. I had not used a helmet with a shield before and thought it looked funky. One ride, I decided to put the shield on and what a revelation - the shield works great, a marked improvement over sunglasses for 3 reasons:
1. Visibility is much better, especially looking up at the road from the drops.
2. When wearing a cap under the helmet to cover my ears, there is no need to keep pushing sunglasses back as the normal ear perch is covered.
3. The optics of the shield are excellent, magnifying every detail in the texture of the road.

Aside from the shield, this helmet is very comfortable and includes MIPS, a great plus as most aero road helmets do not.

I can not measure the aero but it is very quiet, usually an indicator of less drag causing air turbulence.

I have a Giro Valegro helmet I use in the very hot Texas summer but I use this helmet for everything else and love it.

This is an amazing jersey. I never thought I would see a jersey that was comfortable yet skin tight, cool in Texas heat, and highly visible (in Yellow Fluorescent). I am not able to judge the "aeroness" of the jersey but I can assure there is nothing flapping in the wind. Be sure to size up if in doubt.

I was very critical of the discontinued Giordana Sahara bibs and the replacement, the ProLyte bibs, fixed all the shortcomings and more.

The Pro Lyte bibs are cool and wick well without being almost see through like the Sahara. The Pro Lytes are more comfortable, shocking considering the Sahara bibs were very comfortable already.

Giordana's best bibs ever, and that is saying a lot since Giordana bibs are already at the top.

This jersey is beautiful, extremely well made, includes thoughtful touches such as fabric protecting neck from the zipper, aero cut (so size up), breathes very well, and made to last with durable fabrics and construction. My go to jersey in warm conditions.

Pros - This jacket is very well made and the hi vis orange stands out on the road.

Concerns - I realize perceived performance of winter apparel is very subjective. Depending on the individual, topography, and exertion level, needs vary widely. The issue with this piece is the ventilation is way out of balance for me. The front panels allow very little ventilation, even for a membrane fabric, reminding me of the old time impermeable rain jackets. The back panel ventilates very well. The result is a cold back and a soggy clammy front, regardless of which base I try to mitigate the problem.

The newer membrane fabrics by other manufactures seem to solve this issue by promoting a better balance of ventilation, front to rear.

I have owned Garmins for a long time, including 520, 820, and a 1000, and previously found their support very helpful on the few occasions I needed it. However, recently I purchased the 1030 which is a good unit, much improved over the 1000, except that my 1030 began to not connect with my Garmin (ant) speed/cadence sensor and my Wahoo (ant and Bluetooth) heart rate sensor. I called Garmin and they suggested changing both sensor batteries which I did. Both sensors continued to only sporadically connect with the 1030 but both sensors connected with the 1000 perfectly. I called Garmin again and they told me that since my hearth rate sensor was not Garmin, they would not address that problem. Additionally, since my Garmin speed and cadence sensor was not the latest model, they would not address that problem either. That both sensors connected perfectly with my Garmin 1000 was not relevant according to them.

I have multiple bicycles and also have multiple sensors. All the sensors work with my Garmin 1000 and Stages computers but not the Garmin 1030. In my mind, being required to buy new Garmin heart rate and speed/cadence sensors before Garmin would address my 1030 problem was an unacceptably expensive run around.

I called Competitive Cyclist and they immediately refunded my 1030 money. My learning is buy a cycling computer from Competitive Cyclist that supports and works with all sensor brands (appropriately ant/Bluetooth) and be wary of Garmin support which is no longer reliable.

As the first Stages cycling computer, there was no implicit need to pile improvements on improvements but rather take a fresh look at what cyclists really need. Tired of bells and whistles on top of bells, finally Stages Dash provides what I really want if I am to spend money on upgrading.
1. The horizontal display is very easy to read with multiple data windows that can be sized individually. It can be flipped vertically for traditionalists.
2. There is complete control of what data is shown and where it is displayed. This lets the focus be on what is most important to you, not what the manufacturer thinks is important to the most people.
3. There are buttons for everything. I thought touch sensitive screens were an improvement but I have not been able to get any Garmin touch screens to work with any winter touch enabled glove. Having to remove a glove to operate a cycling computer in the winter is a true pain.
4. The Stages Dash is astonishingly easy to set up. It is intuitive, almost to a fault. The only time I had a problem was when I over thought it and did not follow the easy to understand instructions. Every cycling computer I have owned always took a few trial runs to get everything to work. The Stages Dash worked flawlessly right out of the box.
5. For anyone who thinks this is only for Power users, it works great without a power meter too. Power is a plus with this cycling computer, not really the only reason to get it.
6. The price is right. The Dash is a great value given its' cost compared to other computers that offer much less, especially considering the robust Stages Link analytical tools.

This is really a rain cape, not a proper jacket because it does not have any pockets in the rear (or front).

These are the warmest cycling gloves I have ever owned. They fit well, easily brake and shift, and are very durable.

An awesome jacket because the new membrane and insulation technologies are amazing. On a 3 hour ride that started at 35 degrees and ended at 60 degrees, I was warm at 35 and fine at 60. All I did was to unzip a few inches as the temperature climbed. There was absolutely no moisture (sweat) build up during the ride. I have never owned a jacket before that had such a wide comfort range. I did not wear a base layer as the jacket lining is soft, comfortable, and very capable.

Sizing is typical Giordana, very similar to Castelli. Size up if you are not sure.

This glove bridges the gap between cold and warm weather gloves: when it is too cold for no fingers and too warm for full finger wind proof gloves: high 50's to 70 degrees. I have used them extensively for a year and they are durable, comfortable, and fit great.

This jersey is amazingly versatile: aero fit for normal people, aero fabric on strategic areas, well vented fabric on appropriate areas, and reflective fabric on the back. This is the best summer jersey I have ever owned.

The new "Copa Mondiale" shape of the chamois does not provide adequate coverage and room to perform properly. I understand the idea of cooling airflow but a swift breeze around certain parts of my anatomy does not offset given the coarse and irritating surface of the fabric covering what is normally covered by a soft chamois in other bib shorts. More chamois coverage please.

These are the most comfortable gloves I have ever used. I have had Assos, Giro, Castelli, and Sportful gloves and these LG Course Elite gloves are the winners. They fit great, have the right amount of padding in the right places to eliminate numbness both on the hoods as well as the drops, while breathing very well to minimize heat. The closure is "mini velcro" so it does not catch in the wash but I always close it before washing anyhow. I have used these gloves a lot and they show no signs of wear anywhere. Well made.

I purchased a 44.5, the same size I wear in Sidi and Mavic and the fit is perfect. There is a bit more room in the forefoot than Sidi but about the same as Mavic. The way the BOA closures are located provide a very even foot pressure with no hot spots. These shoes are light but seem to be well made. The hot and cold weather footbeds are a meaningful plus.

This is a very light weight vest for days when a jersey alone is not enough. The front fabric breathes a little so there is no sweat build up as is the case with wind stopping fabric. The back is a thin mesh that breathes very well. The back is open over jersey pockets so they are readily accessible, a great idea.

This is an excellent road shoe. The Dial closures adjust the fit very precisely. The shoe is very stiff. Compared to similar shoes, they are light. The padding is just about perfect thus this stiff shoe is also comfortable.

The zipper aero cover is unique. While I can not attest to an aero benefit absent a wind tunnel test, it does smooth the part of the shoe that sees the most wind. The cover also firms up the top closure of the shoe making the fit more consistent. Additionally, it covers the Dial closures so they do not catch on warmers or rain covers. The Dial closures and the zipper cover have seen a lot of use and have been durable and reliable.

Mavic yellow is high visibility, a benefit on crowded streets.