It’s time to dance that fine line between having hands that are too warm or too cold and the Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves are built to strategically navigate the fringes of rideable temperatures. With gel inserts and excellent tactility, the Cyclone Gel Gloves have enabled cold rides without being overly bulky.
Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves Features:
- BioViz® reflective elements for low light visibility
- Hook and loop closure for perfect fit
- 3D shaped gel pads for comfort
- Ax Suede Uno synthetic leather palm
- with 4-way stretch offers improved fit, breathability, and bar feel
- Three-layer softshell back of hand
- Touchscreen pads on thumb and forefinger
- MSRP: $45
Sweet spot of gloves
Let’s be honest… it takes a special individual to really enjoy riding in temperatures below 40-degrees. Of course, I do venture out in those temperatures, but usually only to test cold-weather gear. Since Zwift came along, product testing is about the only thing that will get me to ride outside in frigid temperatures. When temps are between 40-50 degrees, you need just the right equipment to enjoy the ride — and gloves are a huge part of that. Enter the Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves that are purpose-built for comfort in that temperature range.
As much as it clutters the gear closet (and dismays your significant other), it pays to have specialized apparel for certain times of the year. For Utah, the Cyclone Gel Gloves are perfect for morning rides October to December and again in March and April. Morning temps hover around 35-45 degrees during those windows. Also, the Cyclone Gel Gloves can also be used for daytime rides in the middle of winter.
Slipping these on is a great experience. The construction offers just the right warmth without being overly-bulky. With fleece-backed softshell material on the top of the hand and brushed-back Ax Suede Uno palms, your hands aren’t feeling the elements, but they are feeling the cockpit. As per usual, these gloves have seen road, gravel and MTB use. I’ve enjoyed them for all types of riding, but they are a little better-suited to road and gravel.
I have been able to reliably shift and brake with both SRAM eTap aXS and Campagnolo Ekar. Of course, eTap is bonkers-easy with even the thickest of gloves. Ekar is good, but still a little challenging to hit that shift paddle. The nice thing about Campagnolo is that, unlike Shimano mechanical, the brake levers are fixed. (Gloves of any sort are always challenging with Shimano’s mechanical offerings.) That said, shifting and braking has been on par with the best cold-weather gloves I’ve tested.
Of course, gloves today need to have touchscreen sensitivity and Pearl Izumi has nailed it here. Even though these aren’t the tightest-fitting gloves, the touchscreen pads on the thumb and index fingers works wonderfully! I’ve been amazed by just how well it works — always.
Keep in mind that these gloves will shed light moisture, but they aren’t necessarily rain-specific gloves. Water penetrates through the seams pretty quickly if ridden in really wet weather. They will maintain warmth, but do get soggy. As is usual, the thumb features a nice soft material to wipe your brow or… umm… snot.
For mountain biking, I’ve been comfortable in these gloves down to about 35 degrees. But, for the consistently higher speeds of road and gravel riding, I’d say about 40-degrees is the low end of that comfort. Of course, you could wear them in colder temperatures, and you will likely be okay, but you won’t be comfortable.
The cuffs are neither low-profile nor full-gauntlet. It’s kind of an in-between style that can fit on top of less-bulky jerseys and jacket cuffs, but they can also slip underneath jackets. Really, it depends on the layers you’re wearing, but the Cyclone Gel Gloves will happily work in either fashion and provide gap-free coverage. I have been testing the Wahoo Elemnt Rival for almost a year and do wear it on almost every ride and the cuffs also play well with a sports watch.
The gel padding is nice for added comfort. It’s not bulky or awkward, but does make for a smoother ride. The overall fit and feel of the gloves does work well for road/gravel riding, but for the more extreme movements of mountain biking, they stretched out a little too much.
As temperatures rise or rides get lengthy, you will feel a little moisture on the back of your hands. They do breathe about as well as any other gloves in this category and never become swampy or saturated from perspiration. The upper temperature range is in the mid-50’s. Durability has been good so far with little to no signs of wear.
The Good
- Excellent tactility
- Good thickness and warmth within their usable range
- Touchscreen sensitivity is awesome
- Cuff is just right over lighter layers or under heavier ones
- Gel pads add comfort
- Affordably-priced
- Reflective elements
The Bad
- A little waterproofing would be nice
The Bottom Line: Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves
The Cyclone Gel Gloves have been really great for cold (but not freezing) mornings or afternoons. With the comfy softshell back and tactile Ax Suede Uno gel palms, these offer a great mixture of warmth and comfort for temperatures the 40’s. I’ll add that the cuff choice is great and adds to the versatility and touchscreen sensitivity is superb.
Buy Now: Available from Backcountry.com
