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Cycling Product Tests


At RBR we constantly have new cycling products on the road. We usually post a fresh review here every 2-3 weeks. It often takes some serious mileage before we're sure how stuff really works.

 

Evaluations are written by the RBR Review Crew ― Ed Pavelka, Fred Matheny, Jim Langley, Joshua Cohen, Fred Zahradnik and other experienced roadies.

 

You'll find our newest product review on this page until the next one is ready. Then it moves to our archive on the Premium Site.

 


Pearl Izumi Barrier
MTB Shoe Covers

Pearl Izumi Barrier MTB shoe covers

www.pearlizumi.com

Price:  $60

Source:  website, bike shops

Made in:  China

Sizes:  S-XXL
Color:  black with reflective logos

Features:  3-mm-thick neoprene with microfleece lining;
polyurethane coating for durability, water resistance; cleat
cutout; hook-and-loop rear closure

How obtained:  cold cash

RBR advertiser:  no

Tested:  25 hours
Temperature range tested:  18-50F degrees (-8 to 10C)

 

 

HOT!

  • warm into teens (-8C)

  • feet stay warm when wet

  • form fitting on road shoes

  • some stretch in material

  • nice price

 

not!

  • sizing runs small

  • upper can wrinkle

 

Gore Race Power
Thermo
Overshoes

Gore Race Power Thermo overshoes

www.gorebikewear.com

Price:  $100

Source:  website, bike shops

Made in:  China

Sizes:  S-XL

Color:  black with reflective logos

Features:  Gore-Tex shell and stretch inserts; stretch neoprene cuff;
abrasion-resistant sole; sole cutout for cleat and heel; hook-and-loop
rear closure

How obtained:  sample from company

RBR advertiser:  no

Tested:  32 hours

Temperature range tested:  18-52F degrees (-8 to 11C)

 

 

HOT!

  • warm to teens (-6C)

  • durable materials

  • water repellent

  • sizing is true

     

not!

  • expensive

  • not waterproof

  • bulky to stow

 

By Fred Matheny

 

After riding through 38 winters, I have some definite guidelines for shoe covers.

 

I realize they can’t keep feet dry even if they’re made of completely impermeable material. Water always seeps in the top or under the cleat cutout. But good booties should keep feet warm even when there's moisture inside. In wintry cold, feet are the first thing to get frigid for many riders but good shoe covers should keep feet bearable in temps into the 20s (-3C or so).

 

I road tested the $100 Gore Race Power Thermo and $60 Pearl Izumi Barrier MTB shoe covers for many hours in western Colorado's winter and in the January rain of Seattle. Temperatures ranged from a low of 18 (-8C) to the mid 40s (7C).

 

Snow banks often lined the road and a cold north wind accompanied many rides, making the actual temperature seem even colder. Snowmelt spattered the shoe covers in Colorado; Seattle's precipitation ranged from mist to downpours.

 

Construction

 

The Gore booties are made of stout cordura nylon with a quilted liner for additional insulation. They are black with reflective logos on the side and back. A neoprene cuff seals out wind. They look extremely well made and held up impressively throughout the testing, although for 100 clams they should last through the end of the century.

 

Nice touch by Gore: microfleece in the V-shape where the ankle flexes above the shoe’s tongue. Excessive tightness or roughness in this area can easily abrade skin, so having soft material here shows a laudable attention to detail.

 

The Pearl Izumi booties retail for $60 -- 40% less than Gore's version. They’re made of 3-mm neoprene with an equally thin microfleece lining. Also black and with a shiny polyurethane coating and reflective logos, they look and feel less durable than the Gore covers, despite being marketed for mountain bike shoes. But they stood up to 25 hours of road riding with only minor scuffs.

 

Fit

 

The Gore booties were easy to put on. They are rear-entry with a Velcro strip running up the entire back. This strip is wide enough to adjust the sizing while still snugging the neoprene cuff tightly enough to keep out most moisture. The Pearl covers also are rear-entry with hook-and-loop material, but they were a bit harder to get into because of their snugger overall fit.

 

I tested size XL in the Gores, made for cycling shoe sizes 45-47 (street shoe sizes 11-13). They fit fine over my size 46 Sidi Dragon MTB shoes, even with their lugged outsole. However the fit was fairly tight with my size 45 Specialized BG MTB shoes because they have a boxier profile. There was plenty of room for size 45 Specialized Body Geometry road shoes.

 

The Pearls are badly undersized. I used size XXL, designated for size 46.5 and larger mountain bike shoes. They barely fit over my Specialized road shoes. I managed to get them over the Sidi MTB shoes because the material stretches slightly, but I was afraid they would rip.

 

The Pearls' tight fit also compressed my forefoot and cut off circulation, making my feet colder than expected for the conditions. However, this problem has decreased because the booties seem to have loosened with use. Undersizing has been a recurrent theme with many Pearl Izumi products over the years. Be sure to try on before you buy, and expect to need at least size larger than your usual.

 

Soles

 

Both brands have a sole hole for cleats, unlike some shoe covers that make you scissor out your own. The cutouts were plenty large enough for Shimano SPD or Look Keo road cleats. Shimano PD7750 (“Lance” pedal) cleats were a tight fit through the Gores but worked fine as long as I aligned them carefully. If I didn't, the cutout could bind on the pedals. The larger Pearl cut-out worked well with all 3 pedal systems.

 

The Gore sole is made of heavy, reinforced nylon and didn’t abrade during the usual walking into convenience stores and on gravel by the roadside. I don’t know how the soles will hold up over several winters’ use, but they look quite durable in this highly stressed area. The Pearl sole seems less hefty but showed minimal wear during my use. Of course, they’re designed for mountain bike shoes with the accompanying walking, so you'd expect them to be tough.

 

Bulk is a drawback to the Gore’s quilted liner and sturdy outer fabric. The booties are relatively sleek on the foot, but if you want to remove them when the temperature rises, they're a tight fit in a jersey pocket no matter how compactly you roll them. The Pearls are slightly less bulky.

 

The Pearls fit the forefoot snugly so material doesn’t brush the crankarm during pedaling. The Gores are a bit looser here but it isn't a problem, and they're snugger at the ankle. The Pearl uppers, which lack the polyurethane coating, developed a wrinkle or bulge -- more of an appearance flaw than a functional one, although if your ankle barely clears the crankarm it might rub on the pooched-out material and wear a hole.

 

Wet Performance

 

Gore’s Gore-Tex material repelled water splashed up from snow melt. I was surprised that these covers didn’t make my feet sweat in warmer temperatures. My experience with “waterproof but breathable” material hasn’t been good. Either the material breathes well and leaks like a sieve or it’s completely waterproof -- and seals in heat and condensation for a sweaty sauna effect. But the Gore booties didn't cause this problem.

 

They were less successful in steady rain, letting my shoes and socks become wet in an hour of riding. However, in temperatures in the high 40s (9C) my soaked feet stayed warm. I’m not sure that would have been the case in the mid 30s (2C).

 

The Pearl booties eventually let in water too, but my feet stayed toasty. I credit the thin neoprene that acted like a wet suit. It looks like the poly coating would stop all water penetration and perhaps it did, but the inside eventually got wet from seepage at the cuff and cleat cutout. In warm temps they were slightly hotter than the Gore covers but not uncomfortable at 50 degrees (10C).

 

I carried both pairs of shoe covers on rides and alternated them. I started with one brand on the right foot and the other on the left, then I reversed them. In cold temperatures the Pearls were slightly warmer, and the same was true in rainy conditions. In addition, they didn’t soak up water like the Gores with their quilted liner.

 

Which booties would I buy after numerous rides in both brands? My choice is the Pearl Izumi Barrier MTB because they perform better in cold and wet conditions and do it for a reasonable price.

 

[Back to top]


"Once again I am reminded why I look forward so much to reading RBR. The August '09 review of 6 pairs of premium cycling shorts [now in the Premium Site's product test archive] demonstrates the sort of honest, trustworthy and truly comparative product review so sadly missing from the bigger commercial print and electronic media.

 

"As in all of your reviews that I have read, the test criteria is user reproducible, a quality that is so very important to us. It is such detail that I constantly send my clients to your website for information and advice.

 

"I am a cycling and running coach and a personal trainer but sometimes I get too caught up in the science and obsessiveness of training. RoadBikeRider.com keeps me grounded, informed and helps me be a better coach and mentor. Thanks so much." -- Frazer H., Santa Barbara, California

 

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