Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Ale Crossover Gilet (Mens)

9
£75.00

VERDICT:

9
10
A winning mix of Italian style, quality materials, fit and performance
Weight: 
99g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

My word, aren't there a lot of windproof gilets out there these days? You have to do something special to stand out for the crowd. For my money, Ale has achieved this with the excellent Crossover Gilet.

In the old days you stuck a newspaper or an OS map down your shirt to keep the wind off on the descents, but in this age of GPS you have to go high-tech and in fact, the Crossover fits better in your back pocket than a copy of L'Equipe. At the size and weight of a burger, this is a gilet you can forget about until you need it.

> Find your nearest dealer here

When you do pull it out, the great news is that it doesn't come out looking like an old bin bag. The stretch fabric is remarkably resistant to crumpling so it always looks good when you are wearing it. Another bonus is that it doesn't crackle and flap in the wind. I had one gilet that was so noisy I had to wear it under my jersey to shut it up! The Ale only fluttered on the fastest descents, when the wind got under the shoulders a little; but for the most part, the tight stretchy fit keeps everything draught-proof and snug.

Ale Crossover Gilet Mens SS16 - riding.jpg

To keep the weight down, Ale has dispensed with pockets. Instead, it has put in some slits in the back that allow you to access your jersey pockets underneath. These have a baffle over the top to keep the weather out. I honestly didn't find the slits any more convenient than simply pulling the back up, and once or twice I managed to drop things on the floor trying to locate the pockets, so I didn't really bother after that. 

Ale Crossover Gilet Mens SS16 - pocket.jpg

I suppose the slits do offer a little ventilation too. That's just as well, because while the product description mentions a mesh-panel on the back, mine looked the same all over. Nor did I ever find the inside pocket which Ale claims you can easily store it in. I wonder if someone cut and pasted the wrong marketing spiel?

Ale Crossover Gilet Mens SS16 - back.jpg

You get a double thickness of material at the neck and, while the zip does not have a baffle, I didn't find it scratchy when done up. The zip is weatherproof and let in no draughts.

Ale Crossover Gilet Mens SS16 - collar.jpg

Under the arms the fit is close without being tight, thanks to a softly elasticated hem. The waist is also elasticated and has a silicone grip all round. The cut is short enough at the front to allow a longer jersey to show below the hem, but that's only obvious off the bike.

Ale Crossover Gilet Mens SS16 - side.jpg

The hems, while not flatlock, are double stitched and the Italian manufacturing quality looks good. The sizing, as usual with Italian goodies, is not generous but I found a large just right for me so don't go mad on the upsizing.

> Check out our guide to the best gilets

The Crossover Gilet comes in black and fluoro yellow, ideal for day wear, or black and white for reflectivity at night. Either way it looks purposeful and is a pleasing garment to pull on, with performance to match.

Verdict

A winning mix of Italian style, quality materials, fit and performance

road.cc test report

Make and model: Ale Crossover Gilet (Mens) (SS16)

Size tested: Large

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?

Says Ale, "A brand new windfront vest that is suitable for many professional and amateur cyclists all over the world. This gilet is made of a super lightweight and technical material for the protection of the cyclist in every condition."

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

Features:

* Compact, windfront and lightweight 3 layer material

* Easy to store in the inside pocket

* Central mesh panel on the back of the gilet

* An opening in the back of the gilet to reach the jersey pockets

Actually, this is the marketing blurb but the "inside pocket" and "mesh back" seem to belong to another garment, not that this seemed to impact on the performance.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

No flat stitching on the seams but this didn't seem to be a problem in wear. Otherwise, very well made.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Yes, I found this really good in use - quiet, comfortable, wind resistant and a good fit. It looks good too.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

It's hard to see how much could go wrong with this. The stitching is double all round so even when stretched over your paunch it shouldn't burst.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Snug and stretchy without being tight, this vest keeps out the wind without flapping or rustling.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

I sometimes have to size up to XL on Italian brands, but the Ale fitted me perfectly in large.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

100g on my scales, maybe not the absolute lightest but for the quality and protection it's amazing.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10

"Gasp! My 24 hour girdle! Oh - I've got it on!"

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

£75 sounded quite a lot to me for a vezzie, but looking through road.cc reviews I see most seem to fall between £40 and £100 so it's well within that range... plus an extra couple of points for being so good into the bargain.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Straight in with the usual sports wash, no issues.

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

Very good - close fitting to keep out the draughts without flapping; the stretchy material looks good even when you've just pulled it from your pocket, the high-vis is striking without making you look like a crossing patrol.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Rustle-free, non-crumpling, snug fit, good looks, good construction.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really but Ale's marketing blurb didn't seem to match the product.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

A top vest that performs as well as it looks. The black-with-high-vis highlights make you look like you're out to burn up the roads, not dig them up.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 50  Height: 6'2  Weight: 73kg and rising

I usually ride: Cannondale CAAD10   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking

Latest Comments