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On Test: Gore Bike Wear Part 2, November 21, 2006
Gore Bike Wear's winter warmers
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As the fall season arrives (and, inevitably, turns into winter) and the temperatures begin to cool, Cyclingnews Technical Editor James Huang supplements the Gore Bike Wear Power Bib shorts and Xenon jersey with its Thermo knee warmers and Helium vest, and then packs on the layers with the Windstopper arm and leg warmers and Gore-Tex socks when things get really ugly outside.
Leaves are starting to turn
Ah, fall. With it comes crisp morning air, the occasional stiff breeze, nature's panoply of bright cheery colours… well, that's what they tell me, anyway. Somehow the week of Interbike managed to span nearly the entirety of the transition from green to brown, but at least I haven't missed Pumpkin Pie frozen custard at Good Times. Yum!
Gore's Helium vest and Thermo knee warmers were added to the wardrobe once the pumpkins started appearing on people's doorsteps. Gore's proprietary fabric technology was put to full use in the Windstopper-equipped vest, which offered up ample protection from the wind up front, but with plenty of ventilation courtesy of the mesh back. As with the Xenon jersey, Gore adds generous amounts of reflective material for good low-light visibility.
The overall fit was quite good with the dropped tail and high-cut collar, but the body could have been a bit trimmer as I experienced some mild fluttering at higher speeds. Ironically, Gore's now defunct Concurve Windstopper vest included a pair of cinches around the midsection that would have been useful here.
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At first glance, it would seem that the Helium vest was a bit lacking in terms of storage with only a pair of zippered slash pockets up front and nothing out back. However, instead of rear pockets, Gore designers simply added a pair of slits at the rear of the vest to allow access to your underlying jersey pockets. It took a bit of getting used to, but proved to actually be quite natural after a bit. Why add more pockets when there is a set of perfectly usable ones already there?
There isn't much to say about the Thermo knee warmers, other than that they did their job admirably with an excellent fit and a comfy brushed interior. Bunching behind the knee was minimal at worst, and the gripper elastic did a good job at keeping them up where they belong.
Does Good Times sell hot chocolate?
Gore also included its Windstopper arm warmers and leg warmers, as well as a pair of Gore-Tex socks for when it got really chilly. The warmers, in particular, are quite impressive pieces, consisting of a three-layer fleece laminate and windproof front panels, all sewn together with flat-lock seams. Windstopper isn't the stretchiest material out there, so both the arm and leg warmers are specifically formed as left- and right-handed and are pre-curved for a better fit. Gripper elastic adorns the upper hem of both sets, and the leg warmers also include a pair of long ankle zippers with reflective piping to facilitate egress/ingress. Similarly, the socks are specific for left and right, and are cut to about mid-calf.
Wow. To put it bluntly, the Windstopper pieces are warm with a big fat capital "W", complete with blazing fire and marshmallows. Sub-freezing temperatures were no match for these things, which somehow manage to shield your skin from frigid winds yet also keep you warm with minimal bulk. That being said, the curious thing is that Gore doesn't offer anything in its clothing quiver that really mates up well with these. Ideally, these should be paired with a pair of thermal-weight shorts and a similar short-sleeved jersey (or at least a vest, which Gore does obviously produce) to reap the full effect. To be fair, the leg warmers go up almost ridiculously high, though; almost to crotch level on my stubby trunks, in fact, but that still leaves the pelvic area rather unprotected.
At already mentioned, Windstopper isn't incredibly elastic, and the fit of Gore's warmers (quite literally) leaves some room for improvement. My medium-sized set were loose up at the top of the arm, around the knees, and down around the ankles. This didn't present any major problems down below, but it was occasionally a challenge to keep the arm warmers up where they belonged. Maybe I should do some more curls? Moreover, Gore's use of rather old-school gripper elastics was a bit maddening given the newer, and gentler, options out there. If nothing else, the grippers on the leg warmers should be turned to the outside so as to lock them on to the shorts, not the skin.
Down below, Gore's namesake Gore-Tex socks were quite toasty in spite of their lack of insulation. As is often the case, merely blocking out the wind is surprisingly effective at retaining warmth, but these things were still only sufficient down to about the mid-40s (°F). The fit was quite good, though, and the socks are easily thin enough to fit in your standard cycling shoes. The interior surface is just a bit rough, though, particularly around the seams, but it didn't present any problems during testing.
So what'd I think?
Overall, Gore's collection of cycling clothing was quite impressive, offering excellent function across the board along with some subtly innovative details, such as the clever pocket access on the Helium vest and the specific left-right fit of its Windstopper warmers. Although the Windstopper arm and leg warmers could stand a bit of modified tailoring, their tremendous ability to retain warmth makes me somewhat inclined to overlook that flaw and just relish in their toastiness. Bring on winter
Price: Helium vest: US$85.99; Thermo knee warmers: $39.99; Windstopper
leg warmers: US$59.99; Windstopper arm warmers: US$45.99; Gore-Tex socks: US$39.99.
Pros: Perfect fit and insulation on Thermo knee warmer; Gore's three-layer
Windstopper fabric delivers tremendous warmth; Helium vest is compact and effective
Cons: Somewhat sloppy fit on the Windstopper warmers, old-school gripper
elastic
Cyclingnews rating: Thermo knee warmers: 
;
Helium vest and Gore-Tex socks: 
;
Windstopper leg and arm warmers: 
Also see: Gore's Power Bib shorts and Xenon short sleeve jersey
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- Gore Bike Wear's Helium vest utilizes its excellent Windstopper fabric.
- High-cut collar provides further protection against stiff breezes.
- Instead of pockets, Gore designers include a pair of slits which allow access to the existing jersey pockets that lay underneath.
- Thermo knee warmers work well on cooler days and fit perfectly with minimal bunching and good coverage.
- Gore's three-layer laminate Windstopper leg warmers are incredibly warm, particularly considering their lack of bulk.
- Gore-Tex socks shield from water and wind and provide a margin of warmth even without the benefit of insulation.
- Old-school gripper elastic gets the job done, but isn't nearly as comfortable as newer methods.
- As with the leg warmers, Gore Bike Wear's Windstopper arm warmers provided plenty of warmth, even on sub-freezing days.
- Windstopper isn't incredibly elastic, so Gore makes its warmers in specific fits for left and right.
