MB Product Review By: Ryan Petersen
I’ve been riding my 3rd pair of Sugoi’s Mid Zero knee warmer for months now and have found this gear to be a staple item whether on the road or on the mountain. According to cycling coaches, trainers and sport medicine professionals, it is recommended to sport this gear at 16 degrees and below! This surprised me as I was less likely to slide these on during the early mornings in summer. However, being on the West Coast of Canada, it’s going to be some time before we even reach temperature of 16 and above. So it looks like I’ll be living in knee warmers for the next few months.
I enjoy the added warmth of these garments and the ease of removing them and stowing them away in a the pack pocket of a jersey or jacket if it does warm up enough to warrant their removal. I did find, however, that the garment lost it’s elasticity after less than half of a riding season, (5mos on the west coast). I prefer to put my knee or leg warmers under my riding short but found that my skin reacted to their signature hem gripper and I was left with a nasty red ring around my thigh that lasted for over 2 weeks.
It was a fly by pooping on my last road ride, but did you also notice how the knee warmers are sagging and slipping down? Err!
As it turns out, I was riding with a girlfriend yesterday who said she experienced the exact same thing. So I am forced to pull the warmer over my short and due to the loss of elasticity I find the leg warmer slips down my short and bunches at the knee. When I am stopped on the bike I am often pulling up the knee warmer which is a bit annoying.
I do like the 3M reflective logo on the side of the knee warmer. The more visibility on a bike, the better!
I give this product 3 out of 5 bunnies. I find it’s cheap and easy but I’m ready to invest in a better quality product that I don’t have to replace every 5 months. That being said, it’s better than going bare and if you’re a rider on a budget, or a weekend warrior, then this product could be perfect for you.
Just a brief history of Sugoi: Over twenty years after it began, SUGOI has grown into a company which offers literally hundreds of technical garments and accessories, including layering pieces, jackets, shorts, socks and hats. With distribution throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, SUGOI is an international brand.
In February 2008, Dorel purchased the Cannondale Bicycle Company and SUGOI Performance Apparel, furthering its goal to become a preeminent global bicycle company.The Recreational/Leisure segment comprises three distinct operating divisions: The Cycling Sports Group (CSG) division which deals specifically with the Independent Bicycle Dealers (IBD) channel; the Pacific Cycle division which deals with the mass merchant and sporting goods channel; and the Apparel Footwear Group (AFG) which incorporates the SUGOI, Cannondale, GT, Schwinn, IronHorse and Mongoose apparel lines.
Sugoi’s employees are still housed in Vancouver, BC, working with a commitment to quality and innovation that will ensure that the next 20 years are even more incredible than the first.
