GripGrab Aero TT Gloves

Simon Tuck

A review of GripGrab’s Aero TT Gloves

If you’ve ever lost a race or come second in a time trial by the tiniest margin then you might like to give GripGrab’s new aero items a go. Developed with Lotto Soudal sprinter Andre Greipel, the GripGrab Aero TT glove has proved itself at the front of the pro peloton. The Aero TT gloves are a tight fitting glove with an extended cuff and minimal padding that is designed to be aerobar friendly. A seamless lycra backing and an AX suede palm make for a very light, minimalist glove. The basic premise is that a longer, seamless and close fitting glove or shoe cover will help smooth the air around your hands and feet and enable your power to propel you forward instead of battling wind resistance.

Good enough for the Lotto boys, GripGrab Aero Gloves in the peloton. Photo by Martin Paldan

I finally took delivery of these lovely white go faster items from the Editor less than an hour before the Tour of Cambridge. I decided this would be the ideal place to try them out. 80 miles at race pace on a lovely sweltering hot day seems a reasonable test. The gloves and RaceAero TT shoe covers both look brilliant and very pro with white being an obvious choice as it is the fastest colour.

Although the Aero TT gloves are quite tight fitting they’re quite easy to get on. I find they are easier to remove if they’re damp with sweat though, so put some effort into your ride and you’ll be rewarded. The silicone gripper on the inside of the cuff keeps them in the right place.

Tight fitting for aero gains and long tan lines

I like GripGrab gloves, I already have a pair of their Easyrider mitts. The Doctor Gel pad seems to be quite effective rather than just a gimmick. Despite the Aero glove’s minimal padding they still have the Doctor Gel insert and I managed 80 miles non stop without losing the sensation in my fingers. I did find that I had a slight soreness around the webbing of my fingers but I put that partly down to the tightness of the fit in these fresh out of the box gloves, sweating due to the unseasonably hot day, and 80 miles of absolute torture with the first 4 0miles being the fastest 40 miles I’ve ever ridden. Lots of other parts of me hurt too!

All the seams are nice and tidy and look sturdy considering the apparent flimsiness of the gloves. I’ve washed them a couple of times now and they’ve not been harmed. I can’t tell you how much more aero these gloves are and I can’t tell you how much time or how many watts they saved me. What I can tell you is that they’re super light and you don’t notice them once they’re on your hands. The Aero TT gloves are certainly as good as any other gloves I have.

Andre Greipel helped developed them and it seems a few of the Lotto Soudal team wear them in races and most of them wear them on their TT bikes . You’ll notice that they use aero helmets and quite clever Vermarc kit that’s basically a two piece skinsuit so they aren’t just playing with this aero idea.

Doctor Gel padding helps take the sting out of your ride

I always try and find some negatives when I review stuff; we’re not just here to rave about the free stuff. The colour is a nuisance because white gets dirty so easy, but then again it’s also good at reflecting the sun’s rays. The other problem, which you’ll always find with aero items and their longer cuffs is the tan lines. The cuff on these gloves comes about a third of the way up my forearm; my regular gloves stop at the wrist. This makes a much more noticeable tan line but then maybe for some that’s a positive attribute too.

I really like these GripGrab Aero TT gloves, they match nicely with the SpeedAero TT shoe covers and are brilliant for any fast riding. I imagine they’ll be even better on a TT bike where the padding positioning will really come into its own. As part of my Handsling Racing Team kit I have a pair of team colour aero gloves from a different manufacturer and although they are similar they aren’t a patch on the GripGrab ones. These are going to be my new ‘go to’ race gloves and I’ll be wearing them next week when I do my velodrome session too. I wonder if they could do me some in orange and blue…..

GripGrab

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