Summer Style: Hincapie Sportswear Cycling Kit Review

The price of cycling kits these days seem to have no ceiling. A good pair of bib shorts and a nice jersey to keep you cool in the summer time can average anywhere from the $120 dollar range all the way up to $500. And that's not including the gloves or the socks.

While it may very well be worth it to shell out the dough if your doing a century and plan on spending six hours or more on your saddle in the summer heat, how is one to know which kits are worth the money and which aren't?

The Hincapie Nitro collection is one that fits the bill, especially in the summer months when it's hot. Here's why.

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The Fit

Some clothes look good on a hanger, and some look good on you. The Hincapie Nitro bib short and jersey combo definitely falls into the latter category. This kit will make you feel fast before you ever get on the bike. Lesser cycling kits have a tendency to bunch on the shoulders or become baggy on the arms, making the jersey feel more like a t-shirt than a high priced aero jersey. And the leg grippers are just right too-they won't slide up while your riding but aren't so tight that you'll feel got a rubber band tied around your thigh.

The Lycra in the bibs are light, breathable and provide just enough compression to support your muscles without feeling tight. The seams are stitched with such high quality precision that you'll barely be able to notice they exist. Overall, from top to bottom, this kit will make you feel like a pro.

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Breathability

With the Nitro collection and the Power Max jerseys (designed specifically for the summer), Hincapie sportswear has decided to focus a lot of effort into keeping you cool and comfortable. The bib short straps are wide and made of a Diamond Mesh that dry quickly and won't trap in excess heat. The jersey uses Accelerator stretch mesh along the shoulders and back to make it extremely breathable too, and you'll notice this difference in material quickly from others like it once your riding on the scorching hot asphalt this summer.

The gloves that come with this kit are made with the same Tour Tek fabric that the jersey is made from, and are light and breathable across the top of the hands. One difference in the Hincapie glove from the others you might have seen are that they are longer than usual, coming down the hand to just below the wrist, which adds to the aero skin-suit feel of Hincapie's kits.

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Cons

While the gloves feel fast, I would probably only use these for the occasional time trial or crit. There aren't any cloth sections near the thumb to wipe away sweat from your face, and the extra long length will leave funky tan lines down past your wrist after a long ride.

And like other kits in this category, it's still pricey. The jersey and bib short combo will run you about $220. Most cyclists who've bought nice kits will agree that this is somewhere in the middle, and if you've spent over $4000 on a bike, this may in fact be a steal.

Verdict

I'm hard pressed to find too much at fault with this kit. It ranks right up in the top echelon of cycling gear alongside brands like Castelli and Giordana that have lasted the test of time. As far as quality is concerned, you'll be impressed by the attention to detail that has gone into every decision when putting this kit together, from the seams to the chamois to the Lycra-all of which make this a buy you won't regret.

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