Madison Sportive PU Thermal Overshoes

Madison's Sportive PU Thermal overshoes are a great option for wet weather riding, with the added thermal benefits providing some much-appreciated insulation at times.

Although described as a mid-weight overshoe by Madison, they don't struggle when the temperature gets down to low single figures.

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Featuring a fleece lining that fits snugly to your shoes in tandem with an unvented, taped waterproof top layer, these overshoes are surprisingly warm in all conditions bar freezing or below.

That unvented top, which features seam taping on the inside for maximium waterproofness, is very good at keeping your feet toasty warm and dry. I noticed zero water penetration during the several rides when the UK weather came over all wintry.

The smooth upper surface also, Madison claims, gives a slight aero benefit. While I can't confirm or deny this – I don't have access to my own wind tunnel – it makes sense considering the overshoes were developed in tandem with the Madison Genesis professional team, who are probably always looking for every performance benefit they can get.

The Sportive overshoes are augmented by strong rubberised toe ends and heel structures, which serve to strengthen the covers when you need to dismount. The downside of this is that fabric flexibility is at a premium here, so fitting them over your shoes is an effort, but you can get around this by leaving the cleat part of the shoe covered between rides, only releasing the sturdy Velcro strap and unzipping the quality zip so you can slide your feet out.

Left half-fitted like this makes for easy donning and removing each time you go out, so long as you've made sure to vent the shoes by peeling the heel structure back to your straps, laces or Boa dials. Otherwise, completely removing and refitting the overshoes is quite tough – so tough in fact that I worried about pulling the Boa dials clean off my shoes each time.

But with that toughness comes a sense of security; you always feel like your shoes (mine are pristine white Fizik R5Bs) are protected from dirt, and therefore your feet are too.

Flexibility around the ankles is good – you never feel restricted – and that's thanks to an elasticated cuff which also features a silicone gripper on the inside. This, working in harmony with the decent zip and Velcro fastening system, means the overshoes stay fitted and secure at all times. Reflective tabs and Madison branding add visibility.

> Check out our guide to gear and kit to keep you dry when the weather's not

Sizing comes up as you'd expect, with each size (small, medium, large and extra large) catering for a range of shoe sizes. As a size 11-11.5, I got on well with an extra large – so would recommend following Madison's sizing guidelines, which is all the more important thanks to the solid and tight fitting around the body of the shoe and cleat area.

Being able to rely on good overshoes is a must in UK weather, regardless of the season, and while you'll probably put these away in the summer, they're good for anything other than sub-zero temperatures. At an RRP of £19.99, the Sportive overshoes represent a good investment for the UK's changeable conditions.

Verdict

A great investment for the UK's changeable conditions