Prologo's new Energrip gloves maximise comfort and control, no matter the terrain

As one of three contact points with your bike, the hands are often overlooked in favour of carbon-fibre exotica such as lightweight saddles and super-stiff shoes. Few, however, realise that your hands are the control room of the bike and need to be protected to ensure optimal performance - especially when the terrain becomes challenging. Italian brand Prologo is revered for looking after one of the main touchpoints; saddles, but also boasts a huge selection of bar tape, grips and high-quality performance cycling gloves. Prologo is continually on the hunt for improving on-the-bike performance and its latest offering, the Energrip, looks to rewrite the script for cycling gloves with its unique and progressive design. Boasting an array of cutting-edge technologies and fabric breakthroughs, the Prologo Energrip gloves will not only boost control and feel, but also prevent blistering and discomfort on corrugated and demanding road surfaces. 

All-new shock-absorbing CPC technology

With the new Energrip gloves, Prologo redesigned its proprietary CPC (Connect Power Control) elastic polymer - a bed of 3D-printed hollow cones and diamonds that actively quell vibrations from choppy and uneven road surfaces. The CPC has been strategically applied to the palms (and finger tips on long-finger versions) to target areas of the hand that take abuse when riding both on- and off-road. The new palm layout incorporates different CPC cones varying in height and diameter for optimal performance and improved muscle stamina. These cones utilise non-bottom out technology which absorb different wavelengths of vibrations on surfaces such as cobble stones, gravel and corrugated tarmac. The polymer is also touchscreen friendly and doubles up as an ornate stylistic treatment which is inline with Prologo's impeccable attention to detail and design. 

A three-fold design philosophy

The Prologo Energrip gloves follow a three-prong CPC design rhetoric that takes a holistic approach to the glove and goes deeper than merely a layer of protection. The palm can be broken up into three sectors of CPC cones that address the main areas associated with cycling gloves - grip, shock absorption and functionality.

Results backed up by science

Claims are nothing without the evidence to back it all up. As a result, Prologo teamed up with the Performance Centre of the University Of Besancon in France to validate the numbers behind the Prologo Energrip glove through a series of electromyography tests. The test in question measures muscle response to a nerve's stimulation of the muscle, which can detect neuromuscular anomalies as well as the onset of fatigue. 

The test results of the Prologo Energrip glove found a 13% improvement in ventilation over standard CPC Prologo gloves, thanks to the implementation of internal cooling channels. In terms of active performance, the tests also showed a 7% improvement in shock absorption over a gel glove (10% better than a regular palm), not to mention radically improved energy dissipation thanks to the non-bottom-out cones. 

Overall, the results showed that when using the Prologo Energrip gloves, riders will benefit from an improvement in vibration absorption to the arms (14%) and neck (5%).

Pro-team input and racing

The Prologo Energrip glove was designed in consultation with the professional team riders of Bahrain Victorious, who understand how rougher terrain can prematurely fatigue the body - especially when it comes to the hands and arms. Current Paris-Roubaix champion Sonny Colbrelli and his teammates worked closely with Prologo to develop the Energrip glove with special attention to areas of the hand that take the most impacts, the palm and base of the fingers. When the difference between winning and losing comes down to the rider who is less fatigued, Team Bahrain Victorious will be looking forward to putting the Prologo Energrip glove to the test and defending Sonny Colbrelli's title at Paris-Roubaix 2022.