Shimano S-Phyre winter gloves review

Shimano says it has studied for decades how the hand-to-glove-to-shifter interface should function and from that study has designed and produced the new £99 Shimano S-Phyre winter gloves.

The new S-Phyre gloves have a seamless 3D pre-curved design, which should offer a conforming fit for comfort when riding on the hoods.

Largely the Shimano S-Phyre winter gloves do a great job in terms of fit with the usual size small I use fitting the palm, wrist and around the fingers well. The wrist has a nice cuff length and slots under or over most long-sleeve jersey or jacket designs.

Something that winter gloves often struggle with is feeling bulky and they usually hamper dexterity, sacrificed for warmth and protection. I've ridden the Shimano S-Phyre winter gloves down to a dry 2°C without the inner liner glove (which comes supplied) and was fairly comfortable for a two-hour ride. Anything longer and the liner will be needed.

While on either the tops or hoods, the shaping of the glove is comfortable, with limited bunching of unnecessary fabric or cushioning – thanks to the pre-curved shape – meaning dexterity is good despite a high level of inbuilt warmth. However, the seams around the fingertips are annoying and this is the only part of the glove that doesn't supply a good fit. I didn't notice this too much while operating the gears or brakes, but when trying to handle items from my pockets or using my phone it became an issue. The thumb and forefinger do have a touchscreen-friendly patch, however, so once you have the phone in your palm you're fine.

Something to note is that these gloves are not waterproof – at all. Although they'll deal with a light spray they'll quickly soak and you'll lose all your warmth very quickly.