Garneau Women’s Art Factory Jersey, Neo Power Art Motion Shorts and Air Gel Ultra Gloves Review

by Sheri Rosenbaum

(jersey)

Hot!

• 3 different fabrics strategically placed for highest performance
• Moisture management fabric – breathable and quick drying
• Mesh side panels for added cooling
• 3 rear pockets and one side pocket provides ample storage
• Sweatproof back pocket with headphone cable exit
• Powerband 4-way stretch sleeves
• Full-length zipper for easy on off and ventilation

Not!

• Darker color palate less visible on the road

(shorts)

Hot!

• Motion Airgel women’s specific chamois
• Wide comfortable waist band, higher in the back
• Compression fabric reduces muscle fatigue
• Moisture management fabric
• 9.5” Inseam perfect length
• Laser cut leg bands flatter your legs – no sausage legs
• Side pocket fits gel packs or small nutrition items

Not!

• Low-rise front waistband
• Runs a little big, could have sized down
  
  

(gloves)

Hot!

• Well ventilated upper and palm
• Patented Biogel progressive padding
• Soft fabric along thumb for wiping
• Easier on/off with finger pulls for removal and wrist tab for putting on
• Great color choices

Not!

• 8mm Biogel pad was too thick for me on a road bike
• Pricey

Women’s Art Factory Jersey

Women’s Neo Power Art Motion Shorts

Women’s Air Gel Ultra gloves

Cost: Jersey: $79.99; Shorts: $114.99; Gloves: $29.99
How obtained: Review samples from company
Available: Online, retail, Garneau website
Colors (Jersey & Shorts):  Dark Night/Mint, Neo-Classic, Shiraz/Multi
Colors (Gloves):  Black, Magenta, Blue Jewel
RBR Sponsor: No
Sizing: Jersey: XS-2XL; Shorts: S-2XL; Gloves: S-L

Fit: Jersey: Standard; Shorts: Compressive

Combining “Art” and “Factory”

Garneau’s new Art Factory summer collection provides fresh new road kit designs for both men and women. For the women’s collection there are jerseys (short-sleeve and sleeveless), knickers and shorts (7” or 9.5” inseams). The jersey and shorts the company sent me to test were the Art Factory short-sleeve jersey and Neo Power Art Motion shorts, both in Dark Night/Mint pictured above. I found both items to be very similar in build to the Equipe 2 jersey and Equip Shorts I reviewed last year.

Art Factory Jersey – Fashion and Comfort

The fabric is silky soft, and it feels nice against your skin in addition to fitting well. Mesh side panels helped to keep me cool and the opaque design provided modesty. The moisture management fabric was breathable and quick drying and a full-length zipper also helps to control ventilation. Plus, a full-zip makes for easy on/off when wearing bibs.

The sleeves have a 4-way stretch Powerband that keep them in place and feel like a second skin without being restricting. The bottom hem incorporates Silicone grippers on the sides and back to keep the jersey in place. Three rear pockets provide plenty of storage room. The two end pockets have an angled opening to make it easier to access with a gloved hand. The center pocket has a second internal sweatproof pocket that is a great place to store your phone, eliminating using a plastic baggie. The center pocket also has a headphone cable exit. I wont ride outside with earbuds, but it is a nice feature to have on the trainer. A smaller pocket is located on the right side of the jersey to store empty energy bar wrappers or gel packs.

The Art Factory jersey comes in 3 unique graphical designs with matching shorts. You are certain to find a look that suits your style.

Neo Power Art Motion Shorts

The Neo Power Art Motion shorts use Garneau’s Motion Airgel chamois. The chamois is treated with an anti-bacterial solution to reduce the growth of bacteria. It’s soft and comfortable with B.E.M. (Beveled Edge Molding) which eliminates drastic drops of heights from one level to the other. This results in a smooth transition without pinching points and thus I had no issues with chafing even after 40 miles.

The shorts use Garneau’s HugFit foldable waist band that stays in place, won’t dig into your sides, and avoids unsightly muffin top. I liked that the waist line was higher in the back to provide added coverage when in the drops.

The inseam of the shorts is a perfect length, measuring 9.5” (24cm), and the laser cut leg opening extremely comfortable and flattering. There is a 7” version of this short. A Power + Lycra® fiber provides muscle compression to reduce fatigue which I found to be a medium on the compression scale.

There’s one small side pocket for storing your gel packs and the short’s fabric provides UPF/SPF 50 sun protection. As for sizing, I felt they ran a little big and should probably have sized down. Consult the sizing guide prior to purchasing. 

Garneau has designed three unique Neo Power shorts to match a corresponding Art Factory jersey.

Air Gel gloves – Padding for any ride surface

Garneau introduced the Air Gel Ultra gloves in their summer line for both men and women. The added padding makes them comfortable for a variety of surfaces, be it road or gravel. There’s a progressive padding providing 4mm to 8mm of their patented Biogel around the pad. According to Garneau it reduces pressure on the ulnar and median nerves, helps keep blood flowing and prevent numbness.

The amount of padding in a glove is totally personal preference. Some people like more while some want minimal padding or no gloves at all. I tested these gloves on both my road and fat bike. I found them more comfortable on my fat bike due to the flat bars. For me there was too much padding (8mm) on the heal of the hand when I was on my road bike.

Other special features on this new glove include Garneau’s patented Ergo Air® X-Vent on the palm. It’s designed to allow air flow through your palm which in turn reduces sweating and rubbing.

To help make it easier to remove the glove, Garneau has designed patent-pending finger pullers on the thumb and middle fingers. They are soft tabs you can grab and pull. There’s also a little tab at the wrist that you can use to pull on the glove.

Watch short video on the Air Gel Ultra gloves:

Bottom Line

Garneau’s Art Factory summer line offers style, comfort and performance at a reasonable price. The short-sleeve jersey and Neo Power shorts made for a smart looking kit and kept me cool on warm weather rides. Pair the Art Factory kit with Garneau’s new Air Gel Ultra gloves to complete the look, protect your hands and ride in comfort.