Lusso Active Aero Leg Warmer

Lusso has been expanding its Active Aero range and these leg warmers join the arm warmers in taking the chill off while providing a bit of a wind-cheating advantage. With their thin construction they are more suited to spring and autumn use, making them ideal for those early and late season races.

• Pros: Shaped for a comfortable fit, material is very soft
• Cons: Not warm enough for full winter use

The Italian made Aero fabric is what gives the warmers their name. The fabric is 75% nylon, 20% Lycra and 5% polyester, but the clever bit is that it has thicker strips separated by thin ones, designed to keep the turbulent air attached for longer and thus reducing the drag on your legs. How much effect it has is hard to gauge, but I know plenty of riders who'll seek out every tiny gain they can, and thanks to the warmers' lightweight construction I can see the benefits for those road racers, cyclo-crossers and time triallists who are competitive in the chillier months.

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If you want something for the deepest of winter weather, these aren't your best option. The material of the narrow strips is quite thin so it can let windchill in much more noticeably than the rest of the fabric. If you are heading into an icy northerly breeze you are going to feel it.

Quality is very impressive, and it is always great to see that Lusso can produce such high end products in Manchester without sky high prices. All of the stitching is neat throughout, with the whole product having a great finish.

> Buyer's Guide: 16 of the best arm and leg warmers

The leg warmers are made with one seam that runs from top to bottom at the back of the leg, then there is another which runs around the back of the knee which creates the bent shape to suit your leg when on the bike. I'm not a fan of anything that can rub during a ride, and normally prefer the vertical seam to be positioned on the inside of my leg. Thankfully, there was no such issue as both seams are quite unobtrusive and soft. They shaping thing definitely aids comfort too.

The material has plenty of stretch and with the shaping you don't get any bunching of material anywhere.

The bottom of the leg doesn't use anything special for retention but I never had any issues with them riding up, and the 45mm gripper at the thigh keeps things in place too.

Value-wise I don't think they are overpriced. True, some other warmers on the market for the same price are thick enough to wear throughout winter, those like the dhb Aeron Rain Defence leg warmers, for instance. You could easily spend a lot more, though – the Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal warmers are £59.99.

On the whole, the Lussos may not have the massive thermal qualities that others out there do, but they bring something different to the game for the fast riders who don't want to be restricted, at a reasonable price.

Verdict

Not the warmest but an excellent fit and lightweight fabric makes them ideal for the racers