Oh, here in the Northern Hemisphere we’re getting into a real glove-y time of year, and longtime readers will know this is an accessory with which I am particularly preoccupied. “What’s the big deal?” some of you will be thinking, “You jam a pair of mitts on your mitts and get on with it.” I admit, I am sympathetic to that sort of thinking, but in practice a good/bad glove can make/ruin my ride, and so here we are.
First, let’s outline the basic point(s) of wearing gloves. 1) They keep your hands warm and comfortable. 2) They protect your hands from damage during crashes or unforeseen encounters with trees. 3) They provide extra grip, which may be useful when hands are sweaty. 4) They can be an attractive fashion accessory. 5) They give you something to throw on the ground, petulantly, when objecting to an untoward suggestion from a fellow rider, OR something to slap them across the face with when challenging them to a duel.
Temperature is the primary driver of glove choice. When it is hot, say above 75F (24C), I wear a thin, full fingered glove, because my hands get quite sweaty, and a glove is the only way to maintain reasonable grip. Between 55F(13C) and 75F(24C), I wear no gloves UNLESS I’m on the mountain bike. I have this weird idea that on the mountain bike I always need gloves, maybe because sweaty hands aren’t grippy hands, maybe because I think I’m likely to fall off, hands first. But on the gravel and road bikes, I don’t wear gloves in that 55F to 75F range.
I greatly prefer no gloves to gloves, FWIW.
Once it gets down to 55F, I start to think about keeping hands warm. I’m wearing thin gloves still, down to about 45F(7C), because I run warm. If my fingers are a little cold at the start of a ride, that’s probably just fine. I’ll warm up. Sweating heavily inside a glove is, for me, about as pleasant as riding in an overcrowded subway car or colonoscopy prep.
Once you’re under 45F(7C), all sorts of single/multiple glove strategies come into play. I really like to wear a thin liner glove under another thin glove, because then I can shed one later, once I’ve come up to temp. The real challenges arise under 25F(-4C), when the bulk necessary for warmth begins to impede the dexterity needed to shift gears and/or pull the brakes.
I wrote about a few of my favorite winter gloves here.
But this week’s TCI Friday wonders a few things. First, under what circumstance would you ride without gloves? Second, am I too preoccupied with my hands? Third, what are your absolute favorite cycling gloves?
I’m a little weird about gloves too. Always wear them, always full fingered no matter the temp. I also think I have mild Raynaud’s because fingers get numb below 45F. My go to in the hot are Finger10 golf gloves; super thin, inexpensive, last forever. I have various others for cool temps but my new faves are a pair of leather riding gloves the horsemen on the Lippizzaner Stallions wear. For below 40 I love my Dakine mittens; fairly thin but very warm and I can easily operate my STI levers. Also inexpensive and they come with separate glove liners. Below 20 I insert a mineral handwarmer in each.
Like you, Robot, I like thin gloves off road when it’s really hot and no gloves when it’s not so hot or on the road. As it gets colder I go through many thicknesses and layers in my futile attempt at keeping warm hands. My faves are a pair of Mechanix cold weather for 35-50F. Below 30 I rely on a crusty pair of Pearl Izumi winter gloves that, while not perfect, get me by. Hand warmers in my pockets give me piece of mind.
I’d ride my beach cruiser without gloves if I was visiting a beach and meandering along b/t taco stands and tourist tchotchke resellers. Otherwise I always wear gloves. I do not believe you are too occupied with your hands. I am extremely careful with mine as they are my job. I have no favorite gloves, but currently I am using G-form Sorata-2 gloves. They do have fourth and fifth metatarsal armor, but could use more.