Assos Winter Glove System

keithc440

Anyone tried the Assos Winter Glove System and would they recommend it ?
Liked the look of a pair of the Assos Early Winter gloves I looked at today but the other items where not in stock.

olr1

Glove system?

Glove?

System?

What's that then? Is it like a normal glove only about three times more expensive?

FFS.....

olr1

Having done a quick Google, it's a glove that you wear over another glove.

That's two gloves then.

For £90.

Two pairs of gloves for £90.

For some reason, all the gear no idea, and more money than sense are phrases that spring almost unbidden to mind.

keithc440

It's 3 for £99 and I've wasted more than that over the years on gloves that don't do the job and fall apart. I

Garybee

olr1 wrote:

Glove system?

Glove?

System?

What's that then? Is it like a normal glove only about three times more expensive?

FFS.....

That made me laugh. I'm not one for marketing bull***t either, so many people seem to buy in to the assos brand though. I read cycling weekly's review of those gloves...sorry...glove system :roll: ...and was amazed to see that they're not even waterproof. I can think of a lot better ways to spend £100 than that.

PhilofCas

keithc440 wrote:

It's 3 for £99 and I've wasted more than that over the years on gloves that don't do the job and fall apart. I

oh well, if it's 3 pair then get me some too.
(don't take this as a personal attack Keith, please see sense, go to Aldi and get a pair for less than a fiver, they're not bad you know, if want to pay more than you need to, then spend about £20, please resist marketing drivel and save yourself some money, why not treat your wife/grilfriend/mum/children with the difference).

PhilofCas

just seen the 'early winter' in your post, why don't they go the whole hog and do a pair for every month of the year (i ought to work in their marketing dept.), quick website view - in fact they nearly do!, there's 8 different temperature ratings!!

IShaggy

How's about the Lewis Kit Winter Glove Layering System, at £25.00:

http://www.lewiskit.com/index.php?cPath=59

You can buy a lot with the £65.00 saved - such as a good pair of winter bibs or windproof jacket - or even a pair of Assos socks or a Rapha handkerchief

giant_man

Being a true Assos fan of old, I'm sure they're very nice but even I wouldn't pay 100 quid for some gloves.

TheGreatGatsby

ok so I have bought this system kind of. I have the liners, the ALS insulator and then the early winter glove over the top not the weird crab claw thing. However this set was bought in my never ending quest to find a set of gloves or combination that would stop my hands from going numb on cold mornings. Did they work...?

...well no actually they don't I still get numb fingers. Considering this is the most expensive glove set I have ever bought that hasnt rectified the problem I feel that if you suffer from bad circulation to your fingers then no amount of glove wearing system will rectify it no matter how expensive. Thats my conclusion for myself obviously and somebody else may feel differently about the Assos stuff. Its not to say it isnt good cos it is - its comfy, dry and to a point warm - but I think if you suffer cold fingers, ou suffer cold fingers.

Gats

Lagavulin

If its the same product that was in Cycling Plus, there are upto 3 layers, and from what I understood, none of them are waterproof. If that's true its bizarre.

Philip Davis

Ah, such cynicism.

the Assos glove system is simple a very clever idea - three gloves that can be worn together as a layering system, or individually according to the weather. Its damn expensive as a one off purchase, but if you compare it to the cost of buying a range of gloves for different conditions it actually compares favourably (as someone who suffers a lot from cold hands, i'm always looking closely at good gloves).

I've found the only solution for my cold hands, especially when cycling on tour, is to layer - but its always really difficult to get different types of glove that will fit into each other. So I'm very tempted by the Assos gloves (I've tried them out and they seem great, but haven't invested yet).

Its a red herring to complain that they aren't waterproof. Very few gloves actually are (despite what the manufacturers claim). The assos mid layer is a neoprane type design that is designed to soak up water and create an insulating layer, so keeping your hands warm when its wet. Thats whats important, not that the glove keeps every drop of water out.

cougie

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/7 ... oves-13252

This may be of use.

Failing that - what about motorbike gloves ? I've heard of riders putting them to good use.
Assos prices are just getting silly now.

robbarker

Try some 5mm neoprene diver's gloves- something like these:

http://shop.divebooty.co.uk/86.html

Hotblack Desiato

Philip Davis wrote:

The assos mid layer is a neoprane type design that is designed to soak up water and create an insulating layer, so keeping your hands warm when its wet. Thats whats important, not that the glove keeps every drop of water out.

So what is the base layer for then?

To soak up the water let in by the mid layer?

Sounds like a load of bollocks to me.

Philip Davis wrote:

Its a red herring to complain that they aren't waterproof. Very few gloves actually are (despite what the manufacturers claim).

Gore will replace any of their waterproof clothing that develops a leak. I've had several items replaced over the years without question.

.

pjh

Keith ... tis your money and your choice

If you like them and they work for you then buy them .... there's too many folk round here that delight in raging against so-called marketing hype whether the products are good or not!

Cunobelin

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=111

I use these. My first pair is some 5 years old, and apart from some cosmetics, are still fine. Mainly as the twist grips on the recumbents are atthe heel of the hand, and hence not reinforced on these gloves.

Not waterproof, but still warm when wet, and suitable for almost all but the very coldest weather.

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PhilofCas

pjh wrote:

Keith ... tis your money and your choice

If you like them and they work for you then buy them .... there's too many folk round here that delight in raging against so-called marketing hype whether the products are good or not!

I wouldn't say 'delight', it's just given me a right giggle reading 'Assos Winter Glove System, followed by ' Assos Early Winter gloves', then olr1's response:

Glove system?

Glove?

System?

What's that then? Is it like a normal glove only about three times more expensive?

FFS.....

A bit like Peter Kay's 'garlic bread, garlic...........bread', nice one olr1.

My hand's were warm as toast this morning in ALDI Gloves (Note the lack of any other words other than glove, £4.99 and still going strong).

£100!!!!!!!!

FFS indeed.

Philip Davis

I still think peeps here haven't got the point - its not £100 for a glove, its £100 for three gloves, but in effect more than three as you can layer them as you like in different combinations. Nobody argues about mixing a base, mid and outer layer for your body, so its seems wierd to complain about a company taking this approach for your hands, and then complaining about the price, when in reality if you buy the number of 'regular' gloves to cover the range of conditions the Assos ones do, then you would easily pay as much if not more.

Its probably not necessary for UK/Ireland conditions, where despite complaints it rarely gets seriously cold, and we don't have so many big mountains with big climate gradients. But if you tour abroad (like I do) it seems ideal. I've tried layering with gloves as a solution (and it partly works) when going from extreme cold to damp and mild conditions over the course of a ride and it partly works - partly cos its damn difficult to get gloves designed for this. On my last Tibet trip i was wondering if anyone would come up with the idea of a proper layering system for bike gloves and.... someone now has done so.

Wish they were cheaper of course, but you pay for quality - I had a close look at them in Condor a few weeks ago and they look very good quality, fit like a glove so to speak.

And waterproof gloves are pointless - who wants dry hands? The point is that they should keep your hands warm when its cold and raining, and the layering system does exactly that.

I'm not here to defend Assos (I hate the pretentiousness of their marketing) but people really should take the time to look at a product before slagging it off.

Cunobelin

I will defend Assos!

I bought two pairs of Assos bib tights in a closing down sale a few years ago. They were expensive at the tome (about £20 more than the Lusso equivalent).

However when it comes to comfort, durability and effectiveness thay are in a totally different league. They have also neither pilled or had the lycra fail like the Lusso ones.

For a lower weight they are warmer, even in the wet, and with teh windproof patches the cold winds are also less biting.

With any other tights I have layered with a pair of 3/4 lengths to keep the knees warm, and worn a pair of waterproof over trousers to keep the wind and rain off, but with the Assos I don't bother.

They are excellent quality more effective and durable and I would consider replacing them.

giant_man

Philip Davis wrote:

I still think peeps here haven't got the point - its not £100 for a glove, its £100 for three gloves, but in effect more than three as you can layer them as you like in different combinations. Nobody argues about mixing a base, mid and outer layer for your body, so its seems wierd to complain about a company taking this approach for your hands, and then complaining about the price, when in reality if you buy the number of 'regular' gloves to cover the range of conditions the Assos ones do, then you would easily pay as much if not more.

Its probably not necessary for UK/Ireland conditions, where despite complaints it rarely gets seriously cold, and we don't have so many big mountains with big climate gradients. But if you tour abroad (like I do) it seems ideal. I've tried layering with gloves as a solution (and it partly works) when going from extreme cold to damp and mild conditions over the course of a ride and it partly works - partly cos its damn difficult to get gloves designed for this. On my last Tibet trip i was wondering if anyone would come up with the idea of a proper layering system for bike gloves and.... someone now has done so.

Wish they were cheaper of course, but you pay for quality - I had a close look at them in Condor a few weeks ago and they look very good quality, fit like a glove so to speak.

And waterproof gloves are pointless - who wants dry hands? The point is that they should keep your hands warm when its cold and raining, and the layering system does exactly that.

I'm not here to defend Assos (I hate the pretentiousness of their marketing) but people really should take the time to look at a product before slagging it off.

Assos' marketing hype isn't nearly as pretentious as Rapha, and I would gladly pay £150 for a n Assos jacket or bib shorts or tights, because I have always bought their kit cos it's quality, simple as that, but I don't believe in their gloves. Never have, never will. As for your comment about who wants dry hands, who wouldn't? Silly comment.

pjh

Philip Davis wrote:

I'm not here to defend Assos (I hate the pretentiousness of their marketing) but people really should take the time to look at a product before slagging it off.

You kind of made my point ...

I don't mind people criticising any product/s based on its particular merit ... or not :?

But it's annoying when people criticise a product 'just because' it's made by Assos (for example!) I've bought one or two bits of Assos gear and as far as I'm concerned ... it's really excellent

oldwelshman

Whilst I do not mind paying for good shorts and bibs, there is no way I would pay £99 for some gloves that are going to get covered in snot anyway
I pay £5 and have 4 pair of gloves from Tchibo, and when really cold wear a pair of inner gloves.
On Saturday it was minus 5 and I was fine with them so reckon I saved myself £90.

pjm-84

Out of 5

Assos Bibs =
Assos 851 tights =
Assos 851 Jacket =
Assos Climajet Vest =
Assos Socks =
Assos winter gloves - 2005 (no longer made) = 0 / 5 :x

Mapman

Cost and value are often different If i can i save up to buy Assos shorts ,worth every penny at over a hundred smackers But the gloves i reach for are Aldi £2.99 (the other bloke was ripped of at 4.99 ) Almost the best gloves i have tried ,and i have a bagfull of castelli and specialised that are not as good as Aldis that were 10 times the price

PhilofCas

Mapman wrote:

Cost and value are often different If i can i save up to buy Assos shorts ,worth every penny at over a hundred smackers But the gloves i reach for are Aldi £2.99 (the other bloke was ripped of at 4.99 ) Almost the best gloves i have tried ,and i have a bagfull of castelli and specialised that are not as good as Aldis that were 10 times the price

B*stard, maybe our ALDI is posherer than yours

pjm-84

Sorry forgot to mention Assos chamois cream x 10

alan_sherman

I like the idea of a layer system - and think this is the way to go for cycling (and motorcycling) kit.

For gloves:
When warm you have the grippy mitt with shock protection, when it gets colder an overglove to give some warmth, then a windproof layer and waterproof stufff on top.

You could do the same for jerseys too:
Wicking base layer, long sleeve intermediate layer to go under jersey but with clingy arms, windproof jacket to over the top and then a waterproof jacket to go on top of that.

Designed as a system it could work together really very well.


However the drawback with this is that when you remove a layer and stuff it in your back pocket out on a ride, you might just lose it. That is why I recently bought some cheapish gloves :shock:

caw35slr

I read about these in Cycling Weekly. My days as a motorcyclist would suggest that there is no glove, system or otherwise, that'll keep my hands warm all day, but I have been known to wear 3 layers trying. The only things that really worked were unsightly (but effective) bar-mounted muffs and/or electrically heated grips (IMHO one reason why so many year-round motorcyclists are on BMWs).

That aside, it was CW's verdict that had me falling off my chair. They reckoned that the 3-layer Assis system would have been perfect if the outer layer was waterproof!

I conclude that it doesn't rain in Switzerland in early winter.

giant_man

Exactly! 100 quid to get your hands wet is not my idea of value for money.