Bontrager Circuit Windshell Cycling Gloves

The Bontrager Circuit Windshell Cycling Gloves are effective and comfortable in typical spring or autumn conditions, keeping out the worst of the weather while still offering impressive grip.

As you might expect from a pair of gloves with 'windshell' in the name, their key selling point is their windproofing and it is impressive. Despite having minimal insulation, the gloves keep cold air out very effectively, and I found that with a thin pair of liner gloves underneath they were fine for rides that started at near-freezing, then I could remove the liners once the temperature began to rise.

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Bontrager hasn't skimped on the number of materials used – at least five in the outer, by my count. Starting at the cuffs, a relatively thin micro fleece with a bit of stretch allows a decent seal to be created at the wrist. Above this on the back is a less stretchy, thin but densely woven polyester that stretches to just below the knuckles. On the fingers there is a slightly more flexible polyester on the top, with the same polyester as the back of the hand on the sides. Then there's a microfibre material on the thumbs for wiping sweat (or noses) or clearing glasses, plus a very hardwearing faux-leather on the palm with silicone strips across its entirety.

Given the number of different panels there is a fair amount of stitching, but this all seems to be strong and tight; I certainly didn't notice any cold air getting through.

On the palm the silicone strips provide an impressive amount of grip. I used these gloves on a few wet rides and found that I could maintain grip regardless of the weather. In addition to being grippy they are also comfortable thanks to the minimal but strategically placed pads on the outside of the palm and beneath the thumb.

The gloves aren't sold as being totally waterproof, although the material itself is water resistant, but they do offer good protection against the rain. I didn't use them in torrential downpours, but for showers and moderate rain they offer good protection and kept my hands warm and dry.

One element I particularly like about these is their effectiveness with touchscreens. Many gloves sold as being compatible with touchscreens work about 50 per cent of the time, I find, but it was only when the gloves or the screen were wet that these didn't work perfectly.

With an rrp of £39.99, they're pretty good value for a good quality windproof pair of gloves from an established company. The Altura Firestorm Gloves that Emma looked at in November offer broadly the same technical qualities at the same price, but the Circuits have more padding and more reliable touchscreen compatibility. The Sportful Fiandre Light Gloves offer broadly the same technical qualities, with light insulation and windproofing, but have gone up to £50 since we tested them.

> Spring cycling clothing guide: how to choose and use the best gear to ride through the most unpredictable season

Overall, these are very good gloves for typical spring and autumn conditions, with very little not to like. The only criticism I can really think of is that the label inside that you cut out is huge – with 15 languages on it. Aside from this, the Circuits are windproof, practical, grippy, and work well with touchscreens. They do everything you need transitional season gloves to do, without fuss or fanfare.

Verdict

An impressive pair of gloves that offer exactly what's needed for typical spring conditions