Touring Gloves
 

I went on a training ride yesterday and didn't pay much attention until a few miles down the road that the gloves I put on were wore out. Almost all the padding in the palm area was gone. So, I need a new pair. I know that it's a personal preference probably but what do you guys recommend as far as a good pair of gloves for touring and why? Thanks a lot.

Mark

One of the biggest disappointments in my life is not buying up all existing stocks of Spenco gloves 15 years ago. The best designed, most functional apparel I've ever owned. These were the crochet-backed, gel-palmed, split leather kind -- not the tight lycra shimmy ones Spenco makes now.

But even the best gloves can't last more than 10 years and 50,000 miles of riding. I'm desparate to find equivalent replacements, and haven't been successful.

So now I stock up on Performance crochet gloves. These are good, basic, cheap ($6 on sale), old-school, leather palmed gloves. The padding (not gel) is adequate, but after 5000 miles or so -- pretty good mileage, actually -- it's compressed pretty thin. The only real complaint is that when they get wet in the rain, your hands turn black. Just proves that it's real leather, I guess.

I look for real leather. Synthetic just doesn't do it -- it's durable, but clammy or stiff. I don't like lycra-backed, it's either too tight or too baggy. And terrible ventilation.

So I'm partial to cotton crotchet gloves. First of all, they offer good ventilation. But it's the suntan pattern -- the crochet "freckles", and the oval on the back of the hand -- that I look forward to on tour, more than my odometer. When we're off the bikes, we've met quite a few other cyclists by identifying the glove tan.

-- Mark

Here is a good review of a big range of gloves

http://www.velodramatic.com/archives/3081

I clearly need to spend more money for better gloves. The last couple pair that I had were just over the counter Trek gloves that only lasted about 1500 miles tops. I guess you get what you pay for.

For me it matters not what I purchase it seems. I wear them all out in about 6 months. Between the rain and sweat they just get to gross for me. This is in spite of washing them. It's not that they get tears in them. The leather gets hard and at some point the stench is just to much to bother saving $20 bucks. Granted i will ride 10K plus miles a year if I'm touring or not so they get used/abused quite a bit.

I do the same thing with bar tape. It's cheap and nothing makes a bike look refreshed that a new wrap. Love new tape :)

This doesn't answer your question, but suggest an alternative.

After finding cycling gloves a total nuisance, I covered my bar with foam pipe insulation ($2/stick), and then wrapped it in bar tape. Padding and ergonomics problem solved. In the summer, I add terry cloth, held on with velcro, to absorb sweat. Not very elegant, but totally practical.

No more gloves for me.

I like my Pearl Izumi Gel Vent Pros.

Specialized Body Geometry gloves work very well for folks who have problems with finger numbness due to pressure on the heel of the hand. Several of my riding companions like them very well. Not too may LBS's stock them but they can be ordered directly from Specialized.

Edit: I forgot to mention that Cinelli cork tape has the right amount of cushion to suit me as does the cheaper cork tape from Nashbar.

Ohhhhhh yes. Except my gloves of choice were Azonic Smoothies full fingered. If only I'd bought 10 pairs instead of the 2 pairs which I still use to this day. I've found them incredibly comfortable (strangely cool when hot, warm when cold, never found replacement gloves that can touch them).

Now again, I'll go on the 'bay just in case, but I'm resigned to the fact these gloves are consigned to history, and once mine are gone, well, they are gone!

edit: of course, one of the problem with favourite gloves is the... well.... how to put it... the unpleasant odour after a while when you forget to periodically wash them? Gloves can be the smelliest bit of cycle kit going IMHO. At the end of tour... hold your nose!

the reason i wear gloves is in case i fall ,and if youv'e ever taken the skin off your hand you know what i mean..

I also wear out gloves at a surprisingly fast rate. However, my latest ones are Specialized Body Geometry gloves, which have lasted longer than any others that I've owned and are at least as comfortable.

I've also used Specialized Body Geometry gel gloves and found them to be good. I have a problem with large hands. I bought some XL gloves from my local bike shop, but quickly realized they were too small. They were hard to get on and off, and my hands hurt after long rides from being constricted. The Specialized came in XXL. I bought them from Specialized's website.

When they wore out after two years I bought some Pearl Izumi gel gloves in XXL. They seemed to fit nicely and the gel padding felt good, but I noticed on longer rides that the seam between my pointer and middle fingers was digging into the webbing between my fingers and hurting.

I'm going to order some new Specialized and hope this doesn't happen.

Hi,

I used to swear by the Pearl Izumi pittards leather gloves. The owner of the lbs handed me a pair of Specialized BG short fingered gloves. Case closed, the best I've ever ridden. The SMALL bit of gel is right where it's needed. I've always hated gel gloves because I found they worsened ulnar complression and numbness, they occasionally ruptured, spreading snotty looking goo around, and they were hot.

What I don't like about the modern, lycra backed gloves is that the bit intended to be used to wipe one's brow and nose seems to be on the thumb on some, the forefinger on others and it's never large enough. I miss the crocheted back gloves, because the whole thing is absorbent. They're cooler in hot weather, and they were cheap. I'll be looking for a set to trade with the Spec. BG gloves. With two short-fingered pair, I should be more inclined to wash more frequently.

Bike gloves come in different sizes. I'm a "Medium" for most clothing items, but a couple of years ago, my LBS was out of "Medium" cycling gloves, so I tried on the "Large" and "Extra Large." Way better. A Medium sized glove fits me, well, like a glove. But Mediums are too tight for comfort.

Funny how I tolerated too-small gloves for years without even realizing there was a problem.

I got some low cost Specialized gloves that I do not like,,they stay too wet. Found some old style crochet back leather gloves that are nice. I stopped wearing riding gloves when I stopped riding a lot and just used whatever was needed when the weather got cold.

After much experimentation, I use Descente Competition gloves.

Off topic: How do you feel about the old style of gloves with a big hole on top, and the tan you'd get on the back of your hand after several days of riding? I admit, I was amused by it and kind of miss it.

I also vote for an old school crochet and leather style glove of good quality. I use several brands, currently the best ones I have found are Activa. The key is leather heavy enough to spread out the bumps. They also seem as though they would provide good crash protection. The are a little stiff, spread the load out. I would buy a more tech glove if I found some that work better, but I get the results I need out of these ones. I have some cheap Nashbar brand gloves that I use for local rides, and they are fine for that, but over long days it takes good materials to keep my hands comfortable feeling comfortable.

A synthetic glove might be better in the rain, I just stay with the leather ones, and even though they are a little soggy, I have yet to get numbness, which means a lot to me.

for touring I bring

inexpensive fingerless crochet gloves
thin wool liner glove (nice on cold mornings while making breakie) for warmth
large, well waxed leather work gloves for weather protection

and wear them in any combination depending on conditions.