Hmmm I don't wear gloves for protection...that just something I've never done while riding a bike in my life. I do have some thin cotton gloves that I wear when the temp gets below about 45F...

For me it goes like this below 55F I wear a jacket, below 45F I wear gloves and a jacket...it if is much below 40F I don't ride since I only want to ride when it is fairly comfortable and I only wear shorts. I do live in Calif so the days below 40F are pretty limited.

Gloves for protection yeah I suppose I could see but the only fall I've had at speed I never got my hands off the bars...I went down too fast when I was cut off