one4smoke

I've come to the conclusion that I'm gonna have to utilize gloves. Seems that some swear by gel, and others don't care for them. So, what's the overall verdict? Also, what brand do you prefer?

I've tried on several pairs and am torn between sizes too. Seems like I'm in between sizes. The x-large fits probably a little better initially, but seems just a bit loose. I'm concerned over time that will only expand as I wear them more and more. The large are somewhat snug, but will they eventually stretch out with wearing, resulting in being just right?

fietsbob

You can consider them part of your personal safety kit, if you fall, your palms wont take the road rash, or gravel puncture wounds.

FrozenK

In my expetiene the gel tends to move around and create pressure points. I find non padded gloves more comfortable, and they are usually cheaper.

ShortLegCyclist

Not all makers sizes run the same.

If you are in between sizes and XL is running large, try Mavic, their gloves run consistently smaller per size than other makers.

https://www.amazon.com/Mavic-Fingerle.../dp/B00629PU1W

Yendor72

I've really been into my NSR Alpha gloves. They have padding that is isolated pretty well and doesn't move around much. It is also a bit tacky like a wide receivers glove and as such my grip can be relaxed a bit because nothing moves in my hand much. This is awesome for me as I am currently battling both ulnar nerve issues and tennis elbow in my right arm.

Amazon.com: NSR Alpha Glove

knobster

I have a wrist issue so I need padding, but not on the glove. As FrozenK states, it moves around. I prefer to put gel padding under the bar tape instead. Stays put. I use non-padded gloves.

obed7

I prefer non-padded gloves... padding/gels tend to create pressure points and cause my hands to go numb. The brand and model that works best for me is Giro LTZ.

manapua_man

I went through about a dozen sets of padded gloves before I found a pair that really worked well for me.

Sad thing is that they were the cheapest ones at wal-mart.

obed7

my wife has not ever found a pair of cycling gloves that she is happy with... she uses golf gloves... hey, use what works for you.

markjenn

I prefer gel gloves and the last couple pairs have been gel. But I ride a number of bikes included some C&V models which have thin bar tape....if I was just riding a single bike, I'd probably put the gel in the bar. I just bought a Giro Brovo set of some sort which were on sale for $20 as they were slightly faded from being on display for awhile. My method is to find a bicycle shop with a good selection and try lots and lots of them on and pick the ones that feel the best. (Unless you're just buying something you already have tried, I'm not a big fan of buying something like this mail order; better to pay the LBS premium and be sure of the fit.) They're a consumable, so its not like you are buying them for life.

Things to look for are whether the backs are open or covered (covered is better for protection and sunburn but a little hotter) and how easy/hard they are to take off. The ones I have now are designed to be removed without turning inside-out and have pulls built into the middle-fingers to make it easier. You do want them snug initially as they do stretch a bit over time, but don't go crazy getting ones super tight. Location of the gel pads is another thing to examine.... in general the better gloves will have lots of strategically located small pads rather than a few big ones.

I would never consider riding w/o gloves in the same vein as riding without a helmet.

- Mark

avidone1

Pearl Izumi elite gel vent gloves are the ones I settled on. It took me a few tries with cheaper gloves but these are the ones that all the comfort and featrues
I wanted....the gel pads are individualized so there is no shifting. Great gloves
https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Izumi-Elite-Gloves-Black/dp/B00LXUD8XM/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1439837729&sr=1-1&keywords=pearl+izumi+gel+vent+gloves

MileHighMark

Up until recently I didn't care for gel gloves. Too squishy, and all the wrong stuff in all the wrong places. That changed with Specialized's Grail glove. The Grail has a thin gel insert in the center of the palm, and while it's very unobtrusive, it does an excellent job of reducing vibration, etc.

pdlamb

I haven't found small gloves to stretch with age, but I have found my hands swell a bit on longer rides. The longer the ride, the more I need the next size up in a glove.

one4smoke

Good point!

Nachoman

I like a relatively thick pad in my gloves because I find it more comfortable. But I do not like the feel of gel.

ltxi

I don't care for gel padded anything unless really necessary for some reason. If I needed padded gloves I'd first go with non-gel. I do, always, wear gloves. But, fortunately, with no need for padding just good, high quality fingerless driving gloves work well for me.

f4rrest

I prefer without padding, but also need full fingered gloves for protection. In the summer, the Specialized XC Lite are really nice and cool.

TheManShow

Gel is for people who want good cushioning, I like gel real well. Both Performance & Nashbar sell Gel gloves, and Nashbars are less expensive.


https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...2_523354_-1___

BobbyG

I've mentioned this before, but not lately. I pad the bars, and wear cheap cotton work gloves with the fingers cut out for summer. I kept buying gloves with thicker and thicker padding, but my hands still hurt. So I now buy dark gray foam pipe insulation (not the rubbery ones and not too thick) and secure it with matching duct tape. It lasts 3-4 months, but at $4 for 6 feet, that's under $20 a year. Not needing padded gloves I now buy cheap cotton work gloves and cut off the fingers for warm weather riding. Why? They are wonderful snot rags, soft and gentle for wiping my nose. Wash 'em once or twice then toss'em. In fact, in winter I buy large ones and slide 'em over winter gloves.

flan48

+1
Best regards