Review: Rapha arm warmers and One20Percent chamois cream

You envision yourself getting out on the first rides of the season with no cares in the world—back on the bike, the roads are yours to explore. The reality is normally closer to a sore back, discomfort on your saddle and a complete inability to ever dress properly for the weather.

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We tested these two spring essentials that help with layering and keeping saddle sores at bay.

Rapha Thermal Arm Warmers ($65)

These Rapha Thermal Arm Warmers are designed for colder days. They keep the arms warm, even during a Canadian spring (even when you may have been a bit optimistic about the forecast for your early morning ride.)

Made with a “high-stretch fabric with a brushed back inner”, the arm warmers are a versatile black, with a tiny pink Rapha tag at the top. The grippers at the top keep them in place—I had no issues with them falling down even after a few washes.

Despite staying in place nicely, the Thermal Arm Warmers come off pretty easily, even when you’ve kept them on for a bit too long and they’re a little damp from sweat. They aren’t the smallest arm warmers, but they both fit in one jersey back pocket when folded up.

These are warmers are quite warm, so they would be better suited for a day when you’re planning to wear a vest and neck gaiter, rather than a sunny day where there might be a little breeze and you’re wearing arm warmers to be safe.

RELATED: 3 neck gaiters to keep you warm on spring rides

One20Percent Chamois Cream, men and women ($30)

One20Percent  is a new Canadian chamois cream brand run by five women who are road cyclists, mountain bikers, trail runners & triathletes and range from self-proclaimed enthusiasts to high-performance athletes.

The brand’s P120 (men’s) and V120 (women’s) anti-chafe cream is petroleum and petroleum derivative free. Both formulas come in 150ml tubes, which contain more cream than many other similar products. Instead of petroleum, the creams use organic beeswax from a Dutch family farm, German alpine chamomile, cucumber extracts, shea butter, olive oil and olive fruit oil.

The P120 men’s Chamois Cream contains additional ginkgo biloba, a natural vascular dilator and tea tree oil as a natural anti-fungicide. Despite not containing any petroleum or parading, the consistency is similar to other chamois creams—you don’t need to use much for it to work effectively.

One20Percent’s V120 women’s cream is pH balanced with and extra dose of cucumber extract and has additional bergamot extract for anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits. While we missed the tea tree oil some other women’s chamois cream uses, our testers found this cream worked well for preventing saddle stores.