Clothing and Accessories

On test: Gore Bike Wear Contest II

Details

Parent Category: Clothing and Accessories

Category: Gore

Published on Tuesday, 11 January 2011 06:03

Written by Luca Salvatelli

A great clothing for winter season, high breathability and thermal comfort

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In the new collection Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Gore Bike Wear, we tested the new Contest II, consisting of jacket and bib.

Contest II Jacket

Contest II jacket is made with a Wind Stopper fabric, a woven triple-layer Gore, with the outer impermeable to wind and water, while the interior allows a rapid absorption of sweat and its transport outside. The middle part allows for a better thermal comfort. The jacket has a breathable stretch tight with the back and stretched neck. The zip is long, while there is a front and a back pocket with zipper. Several reflective material inserts. It is available in yellow, red, white and black in sizes S to XXL. In size L has a weight of 478 grams, as observed with our instrumentation.

Contest II Bib

Bib Contest II is characterized by the adoption of the pad Contest, made with stretch fabric and densities vary according to the different areas of support. Also in this case the fabric used for overalls is the Wind Stopper. The shoulder straps have elastic and can be adjusted in length, have Velcro closure. A front zipper makes dressing, as well as the zip down the trousers. Also here are several inserts in reflective material to enhance visibility passive. It's available in black or white in sizes S to XXL. In size L has a weight of 390 grams, as observed with our instrumentation.

The road test

The clothing Gore Bike Wear Contest II is fully implemented, with stitching and special care. Excellent adoption of Wind Stopper fabric, expensive, but the technical features truly superior to other similar products. The weight of the jacket and overalls is not very low, but aligned with other products that have a similar thermal comfort of Contest II. The fit of the jacket and overalls is excellent, close-fitting, but comfortable. Perfect long zip jacket and excellent resolution of the adjustable straps of the overalls. For on line purchases better to consult the tables with anthropometric measurements of Gore Bike Wear to find the right size to buy. For example, the size L of this item is slightly larger than L other proposals from the competition. The proportions are still correct. Good accessibility of the pockets. Excellent fabric with a soft and comfortable interior. The pad is compact and does not interfere with pedalling. It offers good comfort for medium distances up to three hours. For longest rides, sensitive individuals who use or saddles very hard it is preferable, however, turn to other products Gore, in particular the model Alp-X or Xenon, more specifically for long distances. On the move is appreciated, however, the reduced thickness of the bottom and its ability to absorb vibration, and also does not impede the movements of the legs. Best, then, its ability to absorb and evaporate sweat. The breathability of the fabric Wind Stopper is really good and is positioned at the very top of the class. So even in the toughest climbs the sweat can evaporate easily, while the inner fabric keeps the skin dry well, quickly absorbing the sweat and transferred out of the fabric. Excellent and water resistance to the wind. This not only allows better thermal comfort, but also prevents the rapid cooling of the body in the downhill, where it is well protected from cold winds. Again we are faced with behavior at the top of the category and due to the excellent technical features of the Wind Stopper fabric. The excellent anatomical cut, high neck and proper closure of the jacket and overalls then allow a perfect thermal insulation of the body from cold and wind. With a good long-sleeved shirt, or thermal underwear, ride comfort is excellent with temperatures near zero degrees Celsius and above 10 degrees centigrade, jackets and bib are absolutely sufficient. With temperatures consistently close to zero degrees Celsius and below, however, is preferable to choose the other Gore Bike Wear clothing more suited to very low temperatures. Wind Stopper fabric, then it is also water resistant, therefore, in the presence of short, light rain is wet there. In the presence of strong and persistent rain, however, water penetrates through the seams are not taped. Up to 30-40 minutes, however, even in pouring rain, you can stay dry. In the presence of intermittent rain and purposes, however, the coating is excellent, because water can not penetrate from the same seam. A complete then very valid, appropriate agonists as amateurs. Gore Bike Wear catalog is placed not at the top of the range Winter, thermal insulation and type of pad used, nonetheless is a very complete and valuable than many competing high-end, to witness the very high quality level of the whole Gore Bike Wear collection. It has no defects and between the positive and highlight the excellent fabric used because of the quality of the seams, its most valuable is the high breathability of the fabric and totally waterproof to the wind. These two features, a perfect antithesis betrayed them, leading to a significant thermal comfort. The pad, of medium thickness is perfect for around three hours out, as well as the optimal temperature range is between 5 and 15 degrees centigrade. The price is about 129 Euro for the jacket and about 100 Euro for the Bib; absolute competitive prices, especially considering the high quality of fabric used.

Positive aspects
Look
Quality and performance of the fabric Wind Stopper
Quality of the stitching
High breathability
Thermal Comfort

Negative aspects
None

Read more:
Gore Bike Wear
Website: www.gorebikewear.com