Socks aren't overly exciting pieces of kit, but they do serve an important purpose. A poorly designed pair can cause sweaty feet and crimes against fashion. These Neon Velo socks are well made with a good fit and simple but modern designs.
The fabric is a Coolmax and nylon blend that kept my feet cool in some seriously hot temperatures. The foot part gets a mesh construction to increase cooling. I didn't experience much sweating which is good for preventing conditions like athlete's foot. The rest of the sock is a double cuff construction that hasn't stretched. You get a little compression from this but its main advantage is that the socks stay where you position them. This fabric is made from some recycled material, so you're also doing a little good for the environment.
The socks come in several designs: KOM, Peloton, Dynamic, Classic and Neon. The Peloton and Dynamic designs have a pattern stitched just below the cuff. This pattern causes the cuffs to look bobbly compared with the sleek look of the others. It isn't a huge issue, but it slightly spoils a nice design.
You might be wondering why the designs mostly feature yellow and green. These are the team colours of the Neon Velo race team and they happen to match my local club's kit too. For those of you who prefer plain socks, the Classic range is the standard mix of black and white.
My socks were the medium, which fit my size 8 feet very nicely. The sizes range from S-XL in all designs.
Sock length is a hot topic and these are certainly on the tall side so they matched well with my very short calves! I'd say that these are about right if you subscribe to the modern trend of tall socks. They're not too tall, though, even if that is a highly personal view.
The washing machine can see the death of white socks but these have stayed nice and bright with no colour fade through multiple washes. I washed them at 40°C and then tumble dried them if I couldn't line dry them. There has been no shrinkage.
The only real drawback is price: you can pay a lot less for really good cycling socks, and even at the current sale price of £14.95 these are rather expensive. Castelli Free 9 socks are £7, for example, and the DeFeet Cyclismo 5s are £7.99 – both great options.
Make and model: Neon Velo KOM Cycling Sock
Tell us what the product is for
From Neon Velo: "The sock features a venting mesh weave foot, comfort compression double cuff, and durable heel and toe. Neon Velo socks are designed in collaboration with our own pro riders and designed to provide long-lasting performance. Made with CoolMax® EcoMade™, from recycled resources."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Neon Velo:
Composition: 60% Nylon, 39% COOLMAX® EcoMade, 1% Lycra®
Rate the product for quality of construction:
6/10
The only issue here is in the Peloton and Dynamic designs. The amount of fabric needed to create the design means the finish is bobbly instead of smooth. This isn't an issue in the other designs.
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
No sweaty feet, even in really hot weather.
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
The white and colours stayed bright and I've seen no pulled threads.
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
The cuff isn't too tight. I find that they stay up, but aren't restrictive.
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
I'd say true to size. My medium is good for sizes 7-9.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Really nice. They fit well and don't grab at your legs.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Even at the sale price of £14.95, they're still expensive.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
I washed at 40°C and 30, and then tumble dried. No issues.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
They wick very well and also have a high degree of breathability.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit is really nice and I ended up wearing them as normal socks such is the comfort.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The price is a few quid too high. They'd be 5 stars at £10.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
High. There are much cheaper options, some of which perform equally as well.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
These gain points for keeping feet dry and looking great through many washes, but lose points because of the price.
Age: 24 Height: 177cm Weight: 62kg
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!
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2 comments
"But they still look good after several washes."
Guess what? So do all my bog standard socks .
Nope. Just no.
Fine, Italian made cycling socks are available, posted free for £10.
With only 1% lycra will not get baggy with age.