A Budget Sport Riding Glove That’s Long On Features

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The Sedici Chicane glove is an under $80 sport offering from Cycle Gear’s in-house brand.  Aimed at the sport rider, the Chicane has full gauntlet goat leather construction with ample accommodations for comfort.

Construction is full goatskin leather giving it more stretch and a softer feel than the typical cowhide seen at this price point.  External stitching at the fingers makes the Chicane feel good right off the rack.  Accordion stretch panels on the back of the thumb and fingers aid flexibility while a bridge between the fourth and fifth finger give the vulnerable pinky added protection should you meet the pavement.

Temperfoam backing on the floating knuckle protection adds to an already comfortable glove.

The floating knuckle bridge has temperfoam backing while a double layer of seamless leather encapsulates the outside of the pinky down to the palm and extending to a leather flap that covers the velcro wrist cinch.  A plastic palm slider is tucked into that double layer of leather on the outside of the palm, typically the first part of your hand to strike ground during a fall.  A single velcro flap closes the wrist gauntlet with a stretch panel between the gauntlet and the palm for wrist flexibility.

A single piece of leather on the outside of the hand from pinky tip to palm is a good design.  However, I would like to see a more substantial pinky bridge.

Goat leather is typically more expensive than cowhide.  Comparable gloves like the Alpinestars SP-8 V2 and Cortech Chicane RR both list for the same $79.99 price as the Chicane but are cowhide instead of goatskin.  While cowhide provides greater strength, it cannot match goatskin’s stretch, flexibility and supple feel.  If you are a sporty rider who wants a combination of good tactile feel along with full gauntlet protection, this glove is worth your consideration.  There may not be another goatskin sport glove at this price.

I am a fan of the goatskin construction of this glove.  It’s soft feel off the rack and added stretch just might ruin some riders for cowhide and the external finger seams are comfortable and do not interfere with feel at the controls.  The back of these gloves feel thick, aided by the temperfoam backing at the knuckles, so they might stretch into cooler weather riding.

The Sedici Chicane quickly broke in to a comfortable curve after a few rides.

There are areas for improvement in the Chicane.  I would like to see a more substantial leather bridge between the pinky and fourth finger since the current leather piece joining those two fingers is thin and I have broken pinky bridges of similar construction on other gloves.  Either closing the current hole in the leather or extending the bridge the full length of the pinky would fix the problem.  Also, while the silicone palm provides good grip on the bars, the extension onto the index finger hinders flexibility slightly.  If this section were shortened, feel at the controls would be improved without compromising grip.

Plastic slider on the palm provides a good sliding surface while outside seams in the finger add comfort.

Stretch from the goatskin breaks in nicely.  I typically wear a large in American cut gloves and the large Sedici Chicane glove fit tight with room to stretch.  However, my experience with fit comes with a disclaimer.  Simultaneous injuries to my left thumb (blowtorch, don’t ask) and right middle finger (guillotine, really don’t ask) made putting on a snug fitting glove (or any glove) either excruciatingly painful or simply impossible.  Pulling on any glove, no matter how well made, had me swearing like Lou Pinella throwing first base into right field.

Riders wanting sport level projection with goatskin’s comfort should consider this glove.  Goatskin is rare at this price point and while the Sedici Chicane is best used for canyon sprints and sporty exploits, it is all day comfortable with protection level that could be stretched into a beginner level trackday.

Sedici Chicane gloves are a comfortable sport glove at a competitive price point.

The Chicane gloves pair nicely with the Sedici Corsa suit we recently reviewed as well, so give that a look if you’re in the market for a new suit. And stay tuned for a tutorial on how to get properly fitted for a one-piece suit, in the third part of this Sedici gear review. Just keep your fingers away from blowtorches and guillotines.  It doesn’t end well.  Trust me.

Ted

*For more on the Sedici Chicane gloves, click here:

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