howheels

I've been using Fizik bar tape for several race seasons now and had settled in on the Performance Tacky Touch tape. I decided to give this new Vento Microtex Tacky tape a try, and I have to say that it's a noticeable upgrade. The tape has way more grip, even in wet. As a plus, there are no perforations in this tape, so it should be a little better in preventing sweat from reaching the bars while I'm on the trainer.

As with the previous version, the Vento tape is thin, especially if you wrap it tight like I do. This is perfect for cyclists with smaller hands, or who dislike bulky cushy tape. On the other hand, I found there was enough left-over tape to double-wrap the tops if you prefer a bit more cushion.

My only gripe with this tape, which is not disclosed in the product description or photos, is there are white FIZIK logos on the tape opposite to the embossed logos you see in the photos. Actually, you can see them if you click on the Celeste photo. If you change wrap directions at the hoods (like you should be doing), you're going to have to make decision if you want to see the white logos on the tops or the drops. I put mine on the tops and obscured the logos with my greasy hands until you couldn't see them any more. Black tape FTW!

After 20 years of road cycling I finally caved in and bought my very first base layer. After 2 rides in this, I have to admit that I've made a huge mistake and regret every one of those years that I haven't owned one. So far I've only ridden in temps between 40-65 degrees F, wearing only this base layer and my regular summer jersey on top. The result is immediately noticeable. The first descent out the door at 6am is actually tolerable. I can ride hard all day and I'm still dry. That means I'm not cold even when I stop. I don't quite understand how this works because I'm a sweat hog.

I'm a featherweight rider (5'7", 138lbs) and bought an XS. The fit is snug everywhere, but the wrists are a tad looser than I would like. Because of this, they tend to creep up my arms wile riding, leaving a 1" gap to my gloves. This will not be an issue with a long-sleeve jersey or arm warmers on top. It seems like other popular brands (like Craft) tend to stop at size S, so I think Giordana is a prime candidate for petite riders who tend to wear size XS garments. The price is reasonable despite being an Italian premium brand.

I do not find the fabric to feel itchy at all, despite wearing it straight out of the packaging. In fact after 150 miles of riding I didn't even notice I had it on at all.

This glove fills a nice niche in the 45-65 degree range. They're perfect for when my hands would otherwise be frozen when I roll out the door, but not so warm that I'm overheated half-way through the ride as it warms up.

I used them for crit practice this morning in the soaking rain (53-60 degrees). They performed well, but they soaked through after about an hour. Even so my fingers were not cold until I stopped riding. I'll try spraying them with Scotchgard the next time to see if they perform any better. For this reason I'd say these gloves are 5/5 in dry conditions, and 4/5 in wet.

The rubberized strips on the palms grip the hoods well in the wet, but I noticed no additional grip on my wet bar tape (Fizik Performance). The palms have zero padding, which may be a plus or a minus depending on what you're looking for. I'd personally prefer a little more padding for longer days, but they are perfect for short commutes and even crits.

These gloves are relatively thin, feel quite dexterous, and have reasonable responsiveness on my touch screens even in wet.