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review
Gloves - mitts
Ana Nichoola Bow Peep GloveAna Nichoola Bow Peep Glove

Ana Nichoola Bow Peep Glove

8
by Lara Dunn
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Aug 6, 2011

2
£24.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Pretty and practical glove option for shorter rides.
Weight: 
36g
Contact: 
www.ananichoola.co.uk
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Designed with recreational, urban and novice cyclists in mind, the Bow Peep glove from Ana Nichoola is both pretty and functional- a rare combination.

Made from synthetic leather, it's designed to offer comfort and cycling style for shorter rides, with a padded palm featuring cross-hatching of grippier material, pull loops to make the gloves easier to remove, and a crochet back and thumb for style and ventilation. The Velcro fastening at the wrist is topped off with a girly contrast colour bow.

It's a good looking glove, curiously but not unsuccessfully reminiscent of a feminine version of a 1980's weight lifting glove with a dash of driving glove chic. Available in grey and white (with pink bow) or plain white (with blue bow) it's not a look that will appeal to everyone, but it is unique in the normally functional world of the cycling mitt. In wear, it's extremely comfortable, with good levels of padding and a supremely ventilated back due to the crochet design. The seams at the inside of the thumbs, where the crochet back joins the palms, are a little on the intrusive side but for most styles of riding and for the lengths of ride the glove is designed for, this is not going to prove too much of a problem. I'd probably not wear them on a dropped handlebar bike though, favouring the company's higher performance Kestrel glove for this purpose instead. The pull loops do slightly ruin the aesthetic of the glove, but they don't functionally get in the way and are very handy for prolonging the life of the gloves by making them easier to remove.

Sizing is slightly on the generous side, with a size small fitting my hand perfectly when i'd normally take a size medium in most gloves.

Machine washable on a gentle cycle (appropriately enough) these are a practical and fashionable way of keeping hands a little more comfortable on recreational rides. Not a bad price either considering they're well made and a little bit different.

Verdict

Pretty and practical glove option for shorter rides.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Ana Nichoola Bow Peep Glove

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Aimed at novice riders and commuters with an eye on looking good while they ride.

Does just what it says.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Artificial Leather 37%

Cotton Crochet 25%

Polyester 14%

Foam 9%

Lycra 8%

Velcro 7%

Padded palm with cross-hatching of grippy material

Pull loops to assist removal of gloves

Velcro fastening

Machine washable.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Really well made with good attention to detail

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Good levels of comfort on shorter rides and if considering looks as part of performance for these, then performs well in that respect too.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Machine washable so should remain wearable for long time.

Crochet back is slightly prone to snagging, particularly on rings.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Reasonable weight.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

Very comfortable for the shortish rides for which they are intended.

Some issues with thumb seams for longer rides or on drop bars.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Good value for an attractive and comfortable glove that's a bit out of the ordinary.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performed very well for its intended purpose.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Style, comfort

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes. Very much.

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely. And for friends too.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A little bit different- a stylish and comfortable alternative to other entry level gloves.

Overall rating: 8/10

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,

Ana Nichoola
Lara Dunn

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. 

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2 comments

Avatar
The _Kaner | 13 years ago
0 likes

No need to get crochet-y...lol 16

Avatar
nbrus | 13 years ago
0 likes

Might be ok for kids ... looks too silly for an adult to wear... get rid of the bow and extend the knitted fabric up to the wrists and it would be a much nicer and more practical option. These are cycling gloves, not fancy dress ... they would look good with the rest of Bo Peep's outfit, though that would not be practical for cycling. 16

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