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review
Lusso Kaleidoscope Active Aero Socks£19.99
VERDICT:
Cool, comfy, 'stylish' and marginally faster than normal socks – expensive though
Weight:
37g
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 meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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If you want some loud socks that'll make you go a few seconds faster then Lusso's Active Aero Socks are a comfortable, cool pair. The price makes them a rather expensive statement though.
- Pros: Standout colours and designs, faster than regular socks
- Cons: Expensive, aero gains are marginal
When every gram and watt counts, socks don't escape the attention of those looking for time savings. That makes these Active Aero socks perfect for racing.
On that note, pros like Chris Froome have been using something similar and I've even been seeing socks like these pop up at the local 3rd cat races. It's not a surprise when riders have aero helmets, skinsuits, deep wheels and even computer mounts.
Lusso put its socks through real-world testing. It got an ex-pro to ride at 290w for 5 miles. Both times the test was run, the rider was slightly quicker while wearing the socks.
When I braved a ride out in these, I first noticed that my ankles felt cooler thanks to the Lycra material. I couldn't see any difference in speed but then the difference would be tiny anyway. What I can say is that they're comfy to wear above 20°C for more than a few hours in the saddle.
You'll also be glad to know that these conform to UCI, British Cycling and CTT rules, so you'll be legally cheating the wind in TTs too.
But what if you couldn't care less about going fast? Well, the socks come in an array of loud and bright designs. They're quite comfy, though the silicone gripper at the top of the socks feels a little odd at first.
The foot portion of the sock is lightweight and highly breathable, although it doesn't feel as nice as my go-to DeFeets. The upper gets vertical lines indented into the material. That's what makes the socks faster as it acts a trip layer.
At £19.99 these are very expensive for a pair of socks, although I'll leave that up to you to decide if the aero gain is worth the cash: 3.5 seconds for £20 isn't all that bad. You can actually spend more than this on aero socks, too. Castelli's are £32 and Bioracer's are £22. Galibier's So Watts socks might be the best buy at £11.77 but I really like the added flair you get with Lusso's version.
So if you're looking for slightly faster socks and you want to add a bit of colour to your kit, these are a comfortable option that work well.
Verdict
Cool, comfy, 'stylish' and marginally faster than normal socks – expensive though
road.cc test report
Make and model: Lusso Active Aero Socks
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
From Lusso:
"The Lusso Active Aero Socks were created to meet the demand for aerodynamic cycling trip socks."
"We tested the Lusso Actvie Aero sock against a standard 4in non-aero cycling sock and found improvements. In our test we used an ex elite rider riding at 290 watt with a power meter, on a TT bike, Lusso skinsuit and Aero helmet. The test was held on a 5 mile course on two separate test days and on both days an improvement was made over the standard cycling sock, resulting in 3 seconds faster the first day and 4 seconds faster on the second day."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Lusso:
Features:
* Italian Aero Fabric
* laser Cut Gripper to hold in position on leg
* Lycra support zone at arch.
Size Guide
UK EU
Small 4-5 small 36-39
Medium 6-8.5 medium 40-43
Large 8.5-11 Large 43.5- 46
Rate the product for quality of construction:
6/10
The join between the aero section and the foot section is a little bulky, but everything seems to be holding together.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Well, I can't feel 3.5 seconds faster on the bike but it's all about the aggregation of those marginal gains...
Rate the product for durability:
5/10
I've noticed a pulled thread at the hem of the socks. It doesn't seem to be getting worse but I'd save these for race day.
Rate the product for fit:
6/10
The foot part doesn't have much shape to it, but once on it's fine.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
No issues with medium socks and my size 42 feet.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Lighter than Castelli's more expensive Aero socks but the same weight as my more comfortable DeFeet Cyclismo socks.
Rate the product for comfort:
6/10
Comfortable, but the silicone gripper on the top of the socks feels a little odd.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
Expensive at first glance, but I'm going to rate these on their £/time saved and against other aero socks rather than against normal socks. These are mid-pack and according to Lusso's (limited) research, they work.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Wash as per usual and I'd avoid tumble drying. Do that and they'll be fine.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well. They're comfy enough to wear on longer rides.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
For proper wattage nerds, getting 3.5 seconds for 20 quid is a great deal.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The price is high when I could do a bit more training to get faster.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
More expensive than normal socks but about mid-pack in the aero sock world.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yeah, sort of. The design I tested was very loud so I'd have been more comfortable in a less-shouty pair.
Would you consider buying the product? I'm not taking racing seriously enough to warrant specific socks, so no.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? A TT friend, yeah.
Use this box to explain your overall score
While the scope of people willing to wear them will be relatively small and the price quite high for socks, I can't overlook the fact that these save 3.5 seconds for 20 quid. Add to that the number of styles available and you've got a very good pair of socks.
About the tester
Age: 24
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!
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10 comments
A fine 1000th post Rapha.
This place has gone to the dags!
Aero socks? Is it April 1st already?
Faster socks - wow just what I need on my morning commute, but before I get the card out I need to know are they UCI approved and do they come with a certificate of calibration......... or should I wait until the Chinese copy turns up on Aliexpress, only I don't fancy paying through the nose for unproven claims that are pulled out of the ass by some moran working in marketing.
Paging road.cc - we need more Rapha kit, the bile is contaminating reviews of other brands.
No-one is forcing you to wear them. Although their marketing dept may be involved, Lusso claim to have tested them against a standard 4″ sock:
£20 for 6-8 seconds in a 10 mile TT is better value than many other components and you won't know if the Chinese copy has the same benefits.
"moran"
its moron you moron.
On the other hand you could just peddle a bit harder you lardy arsed idiot and then you wouldn't need magic socks nitted from unicorn farts.
*pedal & knitted x
and it's arse, you arse (whole).
Stop being an oblivious moran.
"nitted".