Hands-on Review: Roeckl Cycling Gloves

Most (race)cyclists will understand what I mean when I say that your hands and feet are the most challenging parts to keep warm and dry on a cold and wet day on your bike... I'll review my new Roeckl Rhede gloves which might help you in your search for the ultimate cycling glove.


Roeckl Rhede Gloves

 Introduction

Since year and day I'm searching for the ultimate gloves for riding my bike in very cold conditions. (up to -10 degrees celcius. Till now I have been partly succesful with my good old BBB winter gloves but last year I pulled them off during a ride and took the lining out of the gloves. I was unable to get the lining back in with the result that I had to drive back with my hand half in and half out of the glove. Not something I suggest you to do.

So, as the temperatures dropped I bought some nice thin but relatively warm Northwave NRG Pro gloves. Quite good till 5 degrees celcius. However, having no real windstopper capability, not being waterproof and having actually no filling, these puppies don't dig it when it gets really cold.

Nortwave NRG Gloves

My search continued on the internet and I found some gloves from the brand 'Roeckl'. This brand is well known for its high quality products. They focus solely on gloves and offer a wide range of products specific for use in cycling.

Roeckl Gloves

Material
The Roeckl Rhede Gloves are made from windstopper material and seem to be quite thin. Don't be fooled, they will keep you warm and dry for long. The windstopper material does not work as well as the goretex material in the most expensive versions. The lining is very soft and feels premium. The base of the gloves fits snugly around your arm and is quite long which is great; I always have problems bridging the gap between the longsleeve shirt and the gloves. Another great thing is that you actually wash these gloves in a washingmachine at 30 degrees.

Fit
These gloves fit great! They are soft and thin and give good grip in all circumstances. There are no hot zones where they give stress on you skin.
Note that measuring your hands is very important when you want to order gloves online. The first time that you see the measurement numbers you might wonder what they mean. You can use this link as an indication for the size you need. This remains an estimation as no hands are alike. I personally need a size 9.
Buying too small will lead to gloves which limit your blood circulation. This is uncomfortable but will also lead to cold hands.
Buying too big can be uncomfortable but will also lead to cold hands; air is a good isolator but too much air will take a lot longer to warm up.

Use
I have used these gloves now in several occasions in weather from +8 degrees till -8 degrees. They have not let me down yet and unlike cheaper gloves they are thin, giving great bike control. They are easy to clean and they have the relatively long extension making them warm also behind the hand.

Conclusion
Roeckl has made some high performing gloves capable of handling more extreme temperatures on the bike. They are especially capable of handling cold dry weather due to their windstopper material. If you need even better protection from water/rain, I suggest taking a look at the even better but more expensive Roeckl Remo GTX. I want to stress the fact that it does not matter how good the glove is if you have the wrong fit. Too large or too small is not an option: There is only one right size for you.

Score

Quality: 3/5

Durability: 5/5

Price/Performance: 4/5

Gadget factor: 2/5

You can find these gloves at futurumshop against often very competitive prices.