Club Ride Lady Finger

Club Ride's Lady Finger gloves combine comfort and style (assuming you like tartan, or plaid as they're called by the American brand) at a very reasonable price. They are ideal to wear when there's a slight nip in the air, but if the day warms up then your hands shouldn't overheat too much thanks to the thin, tight-knit mesh fabric on the backs.

The palms are a bit warmer as they're constructed from a microfibre/polyester material with ergonomically shaped mid-thickness padding across the base of the fingers, the ball of the thumb and over the ulna nerve. Added ventilation is provided by rectangular mesh inserts beneath the upper knuckles of the fingers.

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The pads offered sufficient cushioning to take the sting out of rough roads without being obtrusive, and once riding I wasn't really aware of them, which is a good sign. Grip is provided by the bonded sticky silicone CR logo on the padding, so even if riding in the rain your fingers won't slip on the brake levers and you can maintain good contact with the handlebar.

The sizing was about right: I have quite big hands, and the medium was a comfortable and snug fit with no bunching at the palm. I also have long fingers and often find that the finger length in many gloves is too short. When I first put these on the fingers did feel a little short with my hands outstretched, but they were absolutely fine when on the bike with my fingers wrapped around the bar.

The cuff sits low at the base of the wrist and is slightly elasticated to allow you to pull it over your palm. One very minor niggle here is that, being prone to sweaty hands, I found it a bit of a struggle to pull the gloves back on after snack stops, which is why I usually choose gloves that have a Velcro wrist closure.

> Check out our guide to the best winter cycling gloves here

One up-to-the-minute feature the Lady Fingers have is touchscreen-compatible electrostatic fingertips on the index and middle fingers, so no faffing around with taking your gloves on and off every time you want to answer a call or take a snap. These fingertips are also reinforced, which is a neat touch because this is where the stitching often goes first, especially if you have long nails.

The gloves also have a generously sized Terry cloth snot wipe on the thumb, which is always appreciated.

Price-wise, £19.99 is pretty competitive. They're half the price of some, admittedly more protective, winter gloves, but also quite a bit less than many similar weight designs (check out more glove reviews here). They aren't windproof or water resistant, but that makes them all the more suitable for those cool spring mornings that turn into warmer spring days. And they look better than most!

Verdict

Well-featured gloves for women who want looks that don't compromise performance