Submitted by
Tony
a Weekend Warrior
from Stamford, CT Date Reviewed: May 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Diablo Freeride park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
looks, carbon fiber knuckles, upper-rubber protectiveness, gel padding for the wrist
Weaknesses:
the stitching is rather weak, the finger tip grips wore off really quick
Similar Products Used:
other specialized, and some haros
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro expert, Marz Z1 SL, Fox DHX Air, sram, avid, raceface, and bombshell parts
Bottom Line:
gloves are excellent for downhill. the two piece carbon fiber knuckles are really protective. The the gell padding for the wrist is durable, the stitching... not so much. I ripped a hole along my palm on a pavement fall. Stitched it up and re-stitched the same area on the other glove and works great. Awesome fit (always get or atleast the size below what you think you are).
4 out of 5 just because of the weak stitching
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Submitted by
woo
a Downhiller
from london Date Reviewed: May 23, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
bike shed
Strengths:
all of the carbon fits like a glove
Weaknesses:
a bit fine on the palm of the hand.
Similar Products Used:
boxing gloves
Bike Setup:
BIGHIT 06 all the trimimgs
Bottom Line:
the best gloves i have ever had they feel so light and flexable but then you look down and you know your hands are safe. If you think your hands need protecting then get these gloves.
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Submitted by
Mr Bizarre
a Racer
from London, England Date Reviewed: May 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
London streets!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Selfidges & Co Cycle Surgery
Strengths:
Carbon fibre does the trick! This glove is very well vented and keeps the hand from heating up, very cool! Not to be used in the winter.
Weaknesses:
The palm looks a little thin on leather...
Similar Products Used:
Other Specialized gloves
Bike Setup:
Very trick Yamaha Racer
Bottom Line:
These are the most comfortable gloves i've worn so far! They (S'cuse the pun) fit like a glove! I love the rubberised feel to them, buy these gloves you wont regret it! And they do look awesome! They are a little pricey but you must consider how much you value your hands!
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Submitted by
paul
a Cross Country Rider
from england Date Reviewed: March 13, 2006
Favorite Trail:
street/downhill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
clive cycles
Strengths:
great strength in the knuckle and all round protection
Weaknesses:
none that i can find yet
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
saracen xile dj bike,26" wheels, dmr tyres(2.35), marazzochi forks, dmr chain reactor, hope mini mono brakes, rest of the bike is standard at the moment
Bottom Line:
this has to be the best glovei have ever used its great well for summer rideing as winter is bad because of the mesh on the inside of the fingers.
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Submitted by
Shane
a Downhiller
from medicine hat alberta canada Date Reviewed: July 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
carbon nuckles
Weaknesses:
rips easy in palm and velcro doesnt work
Similar Products Used:
kona gloves
Bike Setup:
free ride
Bottom Line:
the gloves are nice but they get holes too easy and the velcro doesnt work
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Submitted by
Slim
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Clarita California Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
4x (Not Many Around)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
Bike Shop
Strengths:
The carbon fiber is everywhere, vented, cool to look at and, the girls dig it!
Weaknesses:
Glove= NONE mabey price?
Similar Products Used:
Never had gloves that vented and wth carbon
Bike Setup:
2004 Gemini Cedric model Manitou Dorado SC Full 2002 XTR Hemi Triple Chain ring Mavic Dee Max Hutchinson Spider UST 2.3 and Stans sealent
Bottom Line:
Best glove I have ever used. I have had more vented goves (Half Finger) but not the protection! If you like having protection everywhere and cool glove that the girls will dig the fortress are for you
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Submitted by
KC
a Cross Country Rider
from Bainbridge Island, WA USA Date Reviewed: March 22, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Greenlake Cycle
Strengths:
Well reinforced at thumb, wristbone, knuckles and fingers. BG padding in palm area works well. Well ventilated mesh design between rubber finger protection provides good ventilation to fingers.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
too numerous to list.
Bike Setup:
K2 lithium
Bottom Line:
Two weeks after I bought these glove I did a header on asphalt and slid about 20 feet on the pavement. I crushed a Fox elbow pad into two pieces, but the carbon fiber wristbone protector on my gloves did the job. It looks like somebody put it against a grinding wheel. My hands came through without a scratch. Great product, still holding up well after a year of intense trail riding with no problems. I highly recommend these gloves.
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Submitted by
bryn
a Racer
from Dead City Date Reviewed: February 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
the streets motha
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
City Bikes
Strengths:
Look badass keep yer knuckles safe plus the wristbone
Weaknesses:
crappy stitching, plastic wriststrap just split off pretty quick
Similar Products Used:
no reinforced gloves, just stupid ol'keep your hands warm' type gloves
Bike Setup:
i will destroy your asphault
Bottom Line:
they look cool and they don't mess up your dexterity at all. I'd say buy'm if you think your hands are doomed by your riding, but they're expensive for how quickly they start to fall apart...
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Submitted by
Avner
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel Date Reviewed: February 3, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Specialized site
Strengths:
Very comfortable , high protection to the back of the hand and to the palm.
Weaknesses:
junctures around the carbon protection are weak and open after 4 weeks of use . the top of fingers are wear and tear from the shifter use.
Bottom Line:
Good protection for short use. The gloved didn't survive after 4 weeks of intensive use.
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Submitted by
ben sokolski
a Downhiller
from leadville Date Reviewed: January 11, 2005
Favorite Trail:
tellurede dh
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
absolte
Strengths:
comfotavle
Weaknesses:
none
Bottom Line:
screwed up my 1st post so i hurry now. great gloves... me great rider crappy typist. buy globes.
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Submitted by
Chase
a Weekend Warrior
from Greensboro NC USA Date Reviewed: October 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Urban/Dirt Jumps
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Cycles De Oro
Strengths:
Carbon fiber protection, carbon fiber protection, carbon fiber protection; did I just say CARBON FIBER PROTECTION??!! Hell yeah I did! Carbon fiber protection for all knuckles, thumb, and wrist bone, mesh in fingers act like ram-airs for your hand, rubber padding for extra protection without scarificing flexibility, extremely comfortable; Body Geometry padding relieves stress in nerves.
Weaknesses:
$55 price tag; not your first pick for winter riding
2004 Cannondale Gemini 2000 with Kenda K-Rad tires and Azonic A-Frame pedals. Otherwise stock.
Bottom Line:
This glove does exactly what Specialized claims: "the ultimate in protection." While at first I was reluctant to purchase a $55 pair of gloves, I tried them on and had to try them for the trails. The fingers are meshed, thus cooling your hands off better than any other glove on the market. Carbon fiber offers the most protection against rocks, trees, gravel, you name it, while keeping all the flexibility needed in a biking glove and requires no extra energy from your hands than any other glove. However, this is strictly a mild to warm weather glove. I would recommend this glove for any avid mountain biker, but mostly to those who need hardcore wrist/hand protection. Regardless of your skill level or style of riding, your hands will feel safe and sound in the Fortress'.
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Submitted by
Guarionex Molina
a Weekend Warrior
from New York Date Reviewed: September 24, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Tread Bikes
Strengths:
great protection on and off the bike.(knuckle,wrist.)
Weaknesses:
not warm at all, due to the mesh on the sides.not enough padding in the palm area.
Similar Products Used:
fox sidewinders
Bike Setup:
cortina europa ds fs
Bottom Line:
they protect the front of the hand but not the back side. since it is a rugged heavy duty glove they could at least added more padding in the palm area.
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Submitted by
Ric Caley
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, B.C., Canada Date Reviewed: September 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Whistler...All of it
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Simon's Bike Shop, Vancouver
Strengths:
Great fit, super comfortable, excellent padding and protection in all the right places, and really look strong...
Weaknesses:
Looks are misleading...Velcro on right glove failed in 2 months of use...I am right-handed and take that glove off more often ...the loop part is wearing very fast and no longer secure, and now the wrist strap has broken...too thin, and narrows down right above logo, greatly weakening this spot, also, the synthetic rubber is thinned down here, and as there is a moulding running 90 derees(across) the strap, and obvious weak point in the design.
Similar Products Used:
Louis Garneau, sixsixone, Fox
Bike Setup:
Dirt jumper/Street stunt
Bottom Line:
A great product, and with a few tweaks could be the best on the market. Super comfortable, great looking, the best I have ever used. If Specialized addresses the desighn deficiencies and uses a better quality Velcro, they will be the best out there...
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Submitted by
madtown freerider
a Downhiller
from madison,wi,usa. Date Reviewed: February 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
A-line. not the one in B.C.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Eriks
Strengths:
carbon fiber is the bomb. super cool looking.
Weaknesses:
non so far
Similar Products Used:
oakleys carbon fiber's. dont buy them.
Bike Setup:
2002 norco launch with jr t. Only up grade is a dual ring security guide from e-13. Up grades to come is the swinger 4-way in back and the manitou sherman slider plus 7" up front.
Bottom Line:
Could be the best protective glove out there for a long time to come. The carbon fiber is so flexible. Excellent wrist protection and support , etc. etc.
$
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