Select Cycling Gloves

Cycling is becoming increasingly more popular as more and more people enter the cycling sport. It can be adrenaline inducing and you can get moving while cycling, but for the most part, your hands stay stationary. Over time, and without proper protection, your hands will develop blisters and they will get extremely cold and stiff after a bike ride.

Steps

  1. Size your hand. Incorrect sizing will cause a bad fit, and your gloves will not work right. Every manufacturer has a different way of sizing, and you should follow the way they say to size your hand. Never carry over a size from another manufacturer over, as it will be different.
  2. Determine what climate you will be biking in. There is a huge difference between the mountains of Colorado and the streets of Florida, and they determine what kind of glove you need.
    • Colder climates demand full finger gloves, which will insulate your entire hand against the winds that will quickly turn your fingers cold and stiff.
    • Warmer climates are more welcoming to half fingers, which allow greater movement of the hand. Half-finger gloves will keep prevent blisters from forming on your palm, but as the upper two-thirds of your finger is open, you can get a better grip on the handlebars.
  3. Consider what your padding/material preferences are. Do you want some that offer a lot of flexibility and will last longer, or do you want some that will keep your hands comfortable and will handle even the hardest jolts?
    • Gel padding is found on most medium to high end gloves, and they are designed to dampen any rattling or bouncing your handlebars may have. However, they give up grip and they will make your glove noticeably stiffer.
    • Foam padding will last longer than gel padding unless they are exposed to the outside, but it takes a lot more to achieve the same comfort as gel padding would.
    • Leather will help tremendously with grip, and sewn correctly, will not impede flexibility. The drawback is that if the glove does not fit perfectly, they will rub the skin raw.
  4. Consider your safety needs. If you ride in the back trails or in a city where people are not so bike-friendly, you may have to sacrifice mesh for a more safe material, such as leather or a lycra fabric. Similarly, if you live in an extremely bike-friendly place, you could get ones with better wicking or use only a half finger when either type is okay.
  5. Do your research. A picture is worth a 1000 words, and seeing a cycling glove can give you a grip on what they look like. Shop for them online, and look at the reviews. A company can do a ton of advertising, but a consumer's word should be taken at heart.
  6. Test them out. Even if you just put them on to see how well they fit, it is a lot better than impulse buying. A reputable bike shop should either let you test them out before buying or have a return policy. If you don't like them, take it back.
    • Try a variety of different options, and change what you're using if you dislike them over time. Sticking with foam padding might seem cheaper in the short run, but they will eventually come apart at the seams and the foam is then useless. Try different types and styles, especially if you're unhappy with what you select at first.
  7. Realize that one type does not fit all of your biking needs. Don't stop at one pair of gloves. If you live in a climate where the summers are blazing hot and the winters chillingly cold, then you will definitely need both a half-finger and a full-finger pair of gloves. If you find that you need more mesh material for longer rides because your hands get extremely sweaty, but that on shorter rides it doesn't help with the wind, use a different pair.

Tips

  • Using an online retailer to buy your gloves is risky, as you haven't seen the workmanship or tried them on.
  • Having multiple pairs will allow you to enjoy your rides in a much larger range of situations than with only one.

Warnings

  • Whenever possible, always use cycling gloves. A fall from your bike without gloves can skin your hands and give you road rash.

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References

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