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B'Twin Bike Gloves 720

8
£17.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Good looking, tidy mitts, let down by an odd design and position of terry wipe and palm padding
Weight: 
56g

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White cycling gloves. They look the part, but I've always wondered how they will stay that way. To me, there's the risk they go the wrong side of looking smart and end up looking, well, grey. These B'Twin 720 cycling gloves also come in a slightly safer black, but I got white. They did look smart with the red piping and black trim, for about three rides, and then the inevitable fade to grey happened.

The gloves supplied were a medium, and while I've not got enormous hands I did find the 720's a little snug. They are fabric mitts, with good stretch across the back of the hand and a small Velcro wrist-cuff. The palm is leather with five areas of padding, and small finger loops on the back of the middle and third fingers to help in taking them off. There is a small area of terry material on the side of the thumb, presumably as a sweat wipe.

Despite being a touch small they generally didn't cut into my hands much over short rides, but after five or six hours I found the inside of my thumb got slightly sore where a seam was under my hand when riding on the hoods.

The padding is semi-effective. I have noticed that the wear pattern on the gloves (very obvious with a white leather finish) is between the two largest areas positioned on the flat and heel of the hand. Again, this is from long periods riding on the hoods.

This isn't a specific criticism of the B'Twin 720s, and would undoubtedly apply to other white gloves, but the colour just didn't work well for me. The fabric in particular has gone grey, with the back of the thumb area particularly bad. I think this is primarily because the area of terry material isn't as large or absorbent as I am used to. It is a narrow band along the side of the thumb, rather than stretching across the top as much as my usual mitts. As a result, when I use the back of my thumb/hand to wipe sweat away it gets wiped on fabric of the mitt rather than the terry strip.

As a result, it didn't take long for me to wipe some sweat off my face, soak the back of the mitt and rapidly turn it grey. I would hate to think what colour it would go if I dropped a chain and got any grease on the fabric. The leather palms have also started to show marks, particularly at the unpadded space that I seem to put pressure on.

These mitts look good – I like the red piping trim on the back of the hand – and with a black colourway some of the issues I have with the 720 are less relevant. Fit you can work round – try before you buy if you possibly can and consider a size up if they feel too snug. The padding position and the narrow terry wipe are slightly frustrating, though, but don't detract too much from the good value they offer.

Verdict

Good looking, tidy mitts, let down by an odd design and position of terry wipe and palm padding

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road.cc test report

Make and model: BTwin Bike Gloves 720

Size tested: Medium, White Red Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Decathlon (manufacturer/supplier) aren't clear on the market, but they feel like road cycling summer mitts, and they say they are for 'regular to intensive sports cyclists looking for a highly durable and comfortable pair of gloves for long rides. Leather palm/adjustable cuff/Technogel cushioning.'

The mitts have held up well in terms of construction and have all the things they say it does.

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

Leather palms are a nice touch for gloves at this price, discrete finger loops and small Velcro wrist strap.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

They seem well made, with stitching showing no signs of fraying.

They were largely comfortable, but the wipe was too small.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

There are no signs of the gloves coming apart and any wear is cosmetic.

They don't seem overly bulky or heavy.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Other than a bit of cutting into the inside of my thumb when riding for 4-5 hours they were quite comfortable, if a little on the small side.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

At just under £20 they are well priced for the quality of the materials and padding. With a larger terry wipe they'd be a notch higher.

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

They work pretty well, although some of the design (palm padding positions, terry wipe) could be better.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The leather palm material and design of the colourway were both well done.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

White gloves just don't stay white for long on a hot, summer ride.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? For the cost, yes. I'd go a size up and get the black.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Great value and appear well made. Small issues with them are details that don't let the overall package down too much.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 182cm  Weight: 69kg

I usually ride: Specialized Allez Sport 2008  My best bike is: Moda Tempo 2010

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, Triathlon

 

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8 comments

Avatar
Nick T | 9 years ago
0 likes

Whenever anyone asks what's the point in gloves I always picture my friends palms after a relatively innocuous fall, and the see through plastic plasters he had on top of the peeled back skin from knuckle to wrist, for the 2 weeks of soreness while unable to hold or carry anything, or work.

Avatar
Beatnik69 | 9 years ago
0 likes

I bought a pair of these a few days ago and pretty much concur with the review. The snot, sorry, sweat patch is actually suede not terry towelling, but they do look pretty smart and go well with my white Triban 3.

Avatar
Paul J | 9 years ago
0 likes

I don't know about others, but when I crash I will instinctively try brake my fall with the palms of my hands. Having an extra layer of leather(-like) material there very much helps avoid very inconvenient abrasion wounds on your hands. Which I like.

I've crashed at low speeds without gloves, and suffered for days with hand wounds because of it. I've crashed at high speed (120+ km/h) with leather gloves and my hands (at least) were fine.

The downsides to gloves are near non-existent, for me, compared to the benefits. I rate gloves above helmets in fact :). (Though, I'm glad I had a full motorcycle helmet on for my fast crash  3 ).

Avatar
EarsoftheWolf | 9 years ago
0 likes

The 5 star rating system on this website often confuses me due to a lack of consistency. If I'd read the review without seeing the rating I'd have guessed at 2 1/2 stars, maybe 3 max. What exactly makes this a 4-star product?

Avatar
truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes

As a fat man I find that I sweat like a fat man. And at the end of the day it's easier to stick a pair of gloves in the wash than the handlebar.

Besides, my wife warns me that the bar could damage the washing machine.

Avatar
usernameforme | 9 years ago
0 likes

@Joeinpoole if you've ever come off your bike and scuffed your palms you'd be really appreciative of short finger gloves. I'd rather rip a set of gloves than rip my skin off. I wouldn't race without gloves.

Avatar
truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes

Looks like a conjuring trick.  1

Avatar
Joeinpoole replied to truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes
truffy wrote:

Looks like a conjuring trick.  1

I'm certainly mystified as to why cyclists buy 'gloves' without fingers. They remind me of the 'driving gloves' that motorists used to buy in the 70's to wear with their sheepskin coats.

I've been cycling for nearly 50 years and I still haven't got a clue what problem these things are supposed to resolve.

Are young peoples' hands so delicate and soft nowadays that they need yet further protection from the incredibly insulated and padded handlebar tape that we enjoy today? In the 70's it was just glorified electrical tape. Hmmph.

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