The H.O.V Pant is part of Sugoi’s new commuter and urban cyclist orientated line of clothing. Made from a lightweight super stretchy soft shell fabric, they are a low key alternative to more obviously cycle specific legwear, whilst still offering genuine ride comfort.
The first thing I noticed about the H.O.V was how great they looked, like casual stretch jeans, shortly followed by surprise at how long the legs were. The company claims a 32 inch inside leg, but I’d say even that is conservative. Suffice it to say, they were a little on the long side for me, but the fit otherwise was comfortable and the waist easily fine tuned using the belt loops. Waist adjustment tabs are always a nice addition, when present, but the casual trouser styling of the H.O.V doesn’t have these, although a belt is a good alternative in this case.
When riding, there was none of the binding on the thighs often experienced with long pants, the stretch fabric allowed for great freedom of movement. The soft shell fabric itself is designed to wick moisture away from the skin quickly and efficiently, whilst also giving some external protection with wind resistance and a durable repellent treatment. It performed well in use, shedding road water and seeing off showers nicely, yet leaving me feeling surprisingly dry on the inside. The trousers are better suited to cooler conditions though, with the wind resistance and thermal properties of the fabric making them quite warm in use.
The seam free construction of the crotch makes for a more comfortable ride, whether you wear liners underneath, or just the trousers on their own. There are four pockets, which are good and deep, although it would have been good to have one of them with zip closure.
A nice touch is the ability to roll up the right leg, securing it with a press stud, to avoid chain issues. Here there is a reflective print on the inside that shows when the leg is rolled up, for added safety. There are other reflective accents on the pants, but I’d have liked to have seen a bit more in a black commuter pant.
The H.O.Vs are a good option for those who don’t like to look like a cyclist when they’re pedaling in the cooler months.
Verdict
Great comfort and looks, but strictly for the tall athletic type. More reflectivity would have made them an even better commuter pant.
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Sugoi HOV womens pant
Size tested: M
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes- if my legs were longer
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
About the tester
Age: 37 Height: 1.65m Weight: 67kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,
Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling.
Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other.
She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting.