Review: Giant Elevate Cycling Cap

(2019) Cycling apparel should be more function than form. If a garment performs well but is on the less fashionable side, the pattern faux pas are likely to be overlooked. Being a sucker for cycling caps, and always in search of the next regular rotation cap, I hardly intended to write-up the Giant Elevate cycling cap. Until I used it one hot day.

Cap use in cycling usually peaks during the Spring Classics; my purpose for a cycling cap extends year round. Where Euro riders bop and bounce around patina parcours, festooned with puffed cotton cycling caps to extend tradition and provide warmth, I don caps for multiple reasons. In the cooler months I align myself with global riders looking for extra coverage and warmth. The visor provides an awning should an unexpected spring shower roll in. With the introduction of warmer temperatures through spring, so goes the addition of another bother to short haired cyclists: bugs.

The cycling cap’s function is endless. In the hot months the cap’s obvious role is sweat absorption. The summer sun can be merciless through the helmet vents, another area where caps prove useful with its UPF 50 rating. The visor can be flipped down (visors always go up in the sunlight) should a stray shower move in. And of course, those bugs that get sucked into helmet vents and are not shot out the back, they are prevented from wiggling in scalp sweat. 

For functionality purposes, traditional cotton cycling caps are anything but. They absorb sweat causing it to cascade down the face dozens of minutes into a ride. They are quite hot. Lastly they are the first to be discarded on account of holding onto unpleasant scents, no matter how many consecutive washes are attempted. 

That is why the Giant Elevate cycling cap checked all the boxes for summer usage. Its visor is sturdy and of a satisfying length. There is no floppy brim in the future for this cap. The fit is perfect, and I do mean perfect. It almost ‘snaps’ onto the head and stays in place. Gone are the finish photos with crooked caps. With its snug fit, there are few seams to interact with the helmet webbing. Its low profile allows it to seamlessly fit under a helmet. The polyester fabric manages moisture well. The most exciting detail is the single mesh side panels making this a lightweight garment as well a functional piece. 

I have been searching for a cycling cap like this for quite some time. The last piece is that the cap itself is not bad looking. The black version is just as appealing to look at. Giant sells the Elevate cycling cap for $26 (USD). I’m pretty sure you will find this to be worth more when the summer heat wave laps the countryside and yet you still want to go for a ride. Or it can be used in the fall and spring to signify race season is on hiatus.