The Zero was one of the first gloves Giro made when it jumped into soft goods in 2009. The minimalist mitt was recently updated with some welcome features, though, such as breathable mesh between the fingers and in spots on the back of the hand.
The Zero is a good glove for those who don't like padded mitts but still want something between their palms and the handlebar – or, should it come to it, the road. With an unpadded, Pittards leather palm, the Zero transfers a good feel from the handlebar. However, if you're looking for something to cushion your hands, look elsewhere.
We found the absence of a Velcro closure on the back to be a good thing – no snagging on arm warmers when we were riding, or on other cycling clothes in the laundry. Over a few weeks of wear, including some rides in the rain, the Zeros molded to our palms as the leather stretched just a bit.
There are two sets of pull tabs on the mitts – one at the inner wrist and two on the third and fourth finger. While the finger pull tabs are quite handy (excuse the pun), the one at the wrist seems unnecessary. Albeit slight, the unsupported weight of the rubber tab and leather caused it to sag away from the wrist, making that section look more garden glove than race mitt.
Pull tabs help you get the snug-fitting gloves off easily
For racing, we found the gloves to be a good option, as we didn't think about them at all. Thankfully, there was no crash testing!The microfiber nose wipe on the back of the thumb does its job, but we would have appreciated one on the pointer finger, too.
Simon Fisher, Giro soft goods product manager, told BikeRadar that the glove was also conceived to stop your hands getting slippery when it's very hot and conditions are getting sweating. "Plus, if you do crash, it's that extra little bit of protection," he said. "Being a helmet company, we're always thinking safety."
Giro's 21-glove range also includes the LTZ, or Less Than Zero. As the name implies, it one-ups the Zero on minimalist design, with less material and weight.
