Campagnolo TG System Racing Glove £40

At a glance Premium racing gloves with a price tag to match

Tested by
Jonathan Manning

Value

Performance

If you've ever winced at the sight of someone carrying their Ford Escort key on a Ferrari keyring, you'll understand this dilemma. When your drivetrain is Shimano, can you really wear a pair of Campagnolo gloves? These fingerless gloves (short finger to the marketing bods) are no doubt highly desirable to Campag's loyal tifosi, but do they excel as gloves to the point where you need and want them regardless of the brand?

The TG (Technical Gear) System Racing gloves are unquestionably, very fine gloves. The short fingers may have arrived with a few loose threads, but the quality feels terrific as the Lycra back stretches snugly over the hand to keep the palm wrinkle free, the tension secured by a Velcro tab. They weigh virtually nothing, and your fingers lose none of their dexterity for changing gear or braking.

Campagnolo TG Glove palm The palms are made of a suede-feeling microfibre that absorbs sweat and keeps your grip secure, even after hours in the saddle on a sunny day. What's more, the gel pads around the perimeter of the palm and thumb provide an astonishing level of shock absorption from vibration through the handlebars. Two low-speed tumbles (one due to a jammed cleat, the other to a boisterous Labrador) failed to scuff the microfibre or graze my hands, for which I'm grateful.

From a style perspective (and who doesn't like a bit of fashion with their function?), the gloves look fantastic in any of their three colours, but don't peer too closely at their eye-watering price tag. At £40 the TG System will be firmly in gift territory for many cyclists - only the likes of Assos make gloves in this price band, and when a product costs a third more than Gore, there's always going to be the suspicion that a significant element of the price is due to the non-technical logo splashed across the back of your hand.

However, having worn a cheap £10 pair of unbranded gloves throught the winter, more for warmth than grip, I can't get over how much more comfortable the Campagnolo gloves are, particularly in reducing road vibration. When these wear through they'll be in first place on my Christmas list - even if my drivetrain does stay Shimano.