Cycling gloves
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Cycling gloves are gloves designed for cycling. They fulfil three functions: warmth, comfort and protection.
Warmth
The hands (and indeed the feet) are exposed when cycling and do not move much (nor do they have a great deal of muscle mass to warm them if they did). When riding in winter or in wet weather when evaporative cooling is in play, gloves are a useful part of a cyclist's wardrobe.
Comfort
Bikes can put a good deal of stress on the hands, transmitting road shocks up through the handlebars to the rider. This can be mitigated somewhat by riding position but is essentially inherent in most designs of upright bicycle. Racing and touring bicycles deliberately balance the rider's weight between the saddle and handlebars to give better aerodynamics, control and long-term comfort. Padded gloves or handlebar grips are a common solution to this problem.
It is important not to overdo the padding. Normally the hands will rest on the bones in the heel of the hand - too much padding will tend to press on the soft tissues between these and can compress the nerves in the hands, causing something akin to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Protection
Putting a hand out to break a fall is a natural and desirable reaction. The hands are one of the more difficult parts of the body to repair. There is little or no spare skin, and immobilising the hands sufficiently to promote healing involves significant inconvenience to the patient. So many cyclists choose to wear gloves all year round to help avoid skin damage in a fall.
Types of gloves
- Fingerless cycling gloves, also known as track mitts. These have a lightly padded palm of leather (natural or synthetic), gel or other material. Historically track mitts were string-backed but now are almost always made of a man-made textile containing elastane. Leather-palmed track mitts and cork handlebar tape are widely reckoned to work well for drop-bar touring bikes.
- Windproof/waterproof full-finger gloves are useful in spring and autumn, when real warmth is not an issue. The Gore-Tex Windstopper brand is a well-known one. These are also generally showerproof but will become sodden in heavy rain. Palms may be treated to improve friction with brake levers.
- Winter gloves tend to be bulkier, perhaps being made in two parts, inner and outer, so that the inner can be washed. They will tend to have longer cuffs, to tuck into jackets and avoid the wrists being chilled, a waterproof exterior and a layer of insulation between that and the liner or inner glove.
- Mittens are good in extreme cold as they allow a single pocket of warm air to form around the fingers. They make use of brakes somewhat awkward. Some riders use a thin inner glove and a skiing mitten over the top when riding in sub-zero (Celsius) temperatures.
- Lobster-claw gloves are a relatively recent innovation, halfway between glove and mitten. Two fingers are placed in each of two wide fingers, giving much of the advantage of mittens but making use of brake levers much easier.
- Weathershields (made by a company called DryBike) are small water- and windproof shields that attach to the handlebars and protect the hands from rain and wind. Though not gloves, they serve a similar purpose.
Buying gloves
Gloves should fit snugly but not be tight. Pay particular attention to the length of the fingers as the fingertips can become very cold if the glove's fingers are not long enough. Ideally the glove should be loose on the fingers and fit comfortable round the palm. A tight glove will tend to restrict blood flow and make the hand cold. In very cold weather it is often advisable to follow the skier's practice of thin inner gloves and outer padded waterproof mittens. Silk inner gloves are exceptionally warm and can usually be sourced from mountaineering and other outdoor sports shops.
Care of gloves
Sweat from hands can make one's gloves become unpleasant quite quickly, so it is best to store them so that air can circulate inside if at all possible. After a wet or hard ride it may be best to turn them inside-out to dry. Some modern fabrics react poorly to heat so do not place them on a radiator or heater, but hang them in a warm dry place. Leather gloves can be washed in cool water and are reportedly best dried out on the hands.
External links
- [Cycle clothing] at h2g2
- [DryBike] makers of weathershields
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