Road Cycle Gloves Considerations
Cycle gloves aren’t just a nice option to add something extra to your bike gear and apparel, they are as essential as the rift jersey or lycra shorts. This post will briefly tell you the features you should look out for.
Old Skool: string back cycling gloves
When I first bought cycling gloves years ago they had a string back and the palm was made of supple leather. They lasted for quite a long time and the only weakness was that the leather would often become dry and hard from the sweat. Just wearing them again for a few minutes soon relaxed the leather however. Worse was in a heavy downpour as they stayed wet for ages.
You can now get a good range, costing between £5 bargain bin to around £30. If you are going down the mountain bike gloves route then you will be considering even more because there are specialist materials such as Kevlar sewn into the fabric. One innovation for the MB scene is a material mysteriously called D3o. This hardens on impact so is supple apart from when required. I will deal with mountain bike gloves in a separate post.
So why do you actually need them on the road? Well first they do offer a little protection when you hit the gravel on a fall. Not lots - don’t expect much protection from a break. But it will help you to not get nasty grazes that can lift the skin from the palms of your hands. Hands go out to stop a fall by instinct, so it makes sense to protect them. They will also do a good job, together with your cycle tape, of cushioning the bars from the tremors that your carbon forks don’t eliminate.
For a good road cycling glove, key aspects to consider are
Warmth on cold days, and even on warmer days you might consider windproofing, in which case breathability becomes all the more crucial.
Full fingered or mitts, and how long the fingers should reach
Sweat wicking properties and breathability on the back of the hand Padded palm
If you are going to be leaning on the hoods, or your hands rub when you are deep in the drops then you want to make sure that you have a good amount of padding in those areas. For example, I know that my thumb crotch gets sore if the materials are a bit on the thin side in this area.
The best cycling glove can be leather or more likely padded modern materials. Look out for lifespan of some of the cloth based palms.
One feature not found on all gloves but I have found of benefit has been a piece of terry towelling built onto the thumb as a sweat band.
Great idea.
Slightly less of an upside but still appreciated is a thin strap between the fingers. I guess this is to reduce breaks from falls by your finger being wrenched backward. But it does form a great place to grab to pull off gloves without turning them inside out.
The backs are made of thin Lycra or similar, and I am currently investigating to find any with cotton backs as the heat is already starting to build up uncomfortably on evening rides. Of course the softer the better, and Rapha make a beautiful goat skin glove with soft back and knuckle cut aways. Could be worth checking out.
Check the stitching is strong, particularly around the ends of the fingers as Lycra has a tendency to unravel with the smallest snag.
Your final choice is long full fingers or shirt mitts. I prefer short, though I will be buying full for the winter. If your contact point with brakes and gear shifters is material rather than skin, make sure that there is some kind if low-slip material on the ends. Quite often there are rubber dots similar to those found on non-slip slipper socks. If you don’t have it then coming down fast off a hill or mountain will be that much hairier.
Last thought. Be aware that if your hands are in a clammy environment for any length of time then you could get a fungal infection similar to athlete’s foot. Take care of your hands as you do your feet and look after and itching immediately or it will get worse. Treat cracked hands with moisturiser (Neutrogena is good and odourless) and itching with E45 cream or even Sudocreme (nappy rash cream!). If there is no visible improvement after a few days consult you doctor.
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