Shimano S-Phyre Winter Gloves

I expected excellent performance from these Shimano S-Phyre Winter gloves and they truly deliver. The dexterity is sublime, they're perfectly warm at 2°C and the grip from the palm is perfect. At £99.99, they're certainly expensive, but they work flawlessly.

• Pros: Warm, allow great dexterity, liner included
• Cons: Expensive

For me, gloves are an annoying thing that I have to wear sometimes. If I can get away without wearing them, I will. The times I have to wear them are for racing, with the increased risk of big crashes, and the cold winter months; numb hands aren't fun. Gloves must fit perfectly, allow full control of the handlebar and not cause my hands to become clammy. Otherwise, I'm an unhappy little cyclist.

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Taking these Shimano S-Phyre gloves from the smart packaging, I noticed the first feature I like. The gloves are very light. They come in two parts with the main glove being made of a flexible PrimaLoft windproof back and a faux leather palm. There is also a liner glove which at first inspection doesn't look very sturdy but has proved itself to be comfortable, robust and warm.

Pulling the gloves on, the fit is very close but my large was true to the size guide and comfortable. Shimano says it has designed these with a "3D pre curved" fit. The gloves certainly hang in a curved position when not worn, and conform very well to the hands when in the hoods.

The wrist section is tall and designed to be worn with the S-Phyre jacket. These items really do match up well, but the gloves also work well with other jackets. The close fit at the wrists really helps here, sealing out the wind.

Dexterity is the next priority on my list. Out on the bike I was very pleased with the natural feel you get at the levers. This is the closest you can get to riding with bare hands in any winter glove I've worn. The thin yet robust palm really helps here. It's constructed with three thin layers giving just enough cushioning while allowing natural movement.

Taking these out for the first time, I was met with super-cold conditions: 2°C and strong winds from the coast. I was using the gloves with the inners and I had comfortable hands all day. The gloves were neither cold, nor did they make my hands sweaty.

They're windproof too, and are also advertised as water resistant. In reality, they will stand up to the occasional shower, or quite a bit of road spray, but water will get in. Thankfully, when it did, my hands didn't freeze and the gloves dried pretty quickly, allowing my hands to stay warm. These won't be very good in persistent rain.

The forefinger and thumb both get a conductive surface on the tips. This worked really well with my iPhone 6s and relatively well with my Garmin Edge 820, although the latter is always a bit hit and miss.

The gloves have stood up very well to washing. I'm careful to keep them away from the tumble drier, and they dry quickly when hung. They've also seen a little cyclo-cross action on a very muddy day. It's not what they're designed for, but they survived without an issue so I'm confident of their durability. I've also had no issues with the stitching.

That brings us on to cost, because at £99.99 you'll want these to last. At this end of the price range, the competition comes from Rapha. Its £70 Pro Team gloves have a similar construction, but according to Dave's testing they're for milder conditions; for colder days you'd be looking at the Deep Winter Gloves, and they're £110 (plus merino liner for £40). I love the fit from these S-Phyre gloves and for me that warrants the price, but it's close to being silly money.

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A much cheaper option, half the price in fact, would be the Sportful Sotto Zero gloves, if you can actually find them for sale anywhere; they're sold out just about everywhere, it would seem.

Overall, if you want the best fit from a winter glove that performs perfectly, the S-Phyres are a very strong option. I'd buy them, but I am incredibly fussy when it comes to gloves. There are very good options for quite a bit less, though, so I suggest you try before you buy.

Verdict

Near-perfect performance but with a hefty price tag