Originally Posted by
repechage
To keep your skin on your hands in case you fall, and to provide protection if you wish to swipe your tires after having to run over some glass that traffic mandates you ride over.
My rationalization (and that's all it is) for not wearing gloves for protection is that I don't wear knee or elbow pads, so why gloves? I've lost more skin from my knees and elbow than I have from my hands.