Preference for Cycling Gloves
 

Anyone have a special brand preference for cycling gloves for tours of 1,000 miles or more (minimum of two weeks) ?

When I wear gloves I use the Pearl Izumi Elite Gel gloves. About $35. Longest rides are 100-125 miles. Average 125 miles per week. I used to wear gloves for all rides but the tanned arms with white hands looked so weird I starting riding without gloves mostly on the flats.

One thing though that seldom gets mentioned and that's the importance of properly fitted glove, regardless of what type you prefer. The comfort factor on long rides is greatly enhanced with the "fits like a glove" fitted glove.

Putting stinky gloves on and off all day is a pain. I double wrap my handlebars and forego wearing gloves. I do however wear gloves for warmth in cold temps.

I started using this glove a couple of weeks ago, and like it a lot:
Amazon.com : Serfas Men's RX Glove : Biking Gloves : Sports & Outdoors

Me too, only when cold and wet, I double wrap the bars . for increased diameter .. loaded up the bike is quite stable,

and I don't ride faster than my comfort range.

on tours of months+ duration..

I always get numb hands when I use padded 'cycling' gloves. When I do wear gloves, I use these:
Ultimate Leather/Spandex Gloves | Mark's.com | Online Shopping for Casual Clothing, Footwear and More
They prevent chafing and blisters, and will provide some protection when I fall.

Having a good handlebar tape is a fine start. I prefer the Lizard Skins DSP 3.2 (which is plenty thick so no real need for double wraps) However I would say gloves are handy even if thinner less padded gloves like the Giro LTZ II because if you do unfortunately fall you will probably do so using your hands. I have two pairs and generally keep a set in my saddlebag just in case because they are thin and light.

For more padding I have a pair of Gore Element gloves or a pair of Giro Jag gloves both of which are foam rather than gel padding. Gel padding can get a little clumpy and harden up sometimes giving you a bad glove feel. Foam generally doesn't have that problem but isn't going to give you as much padding usually.

Having a more ergonomic bar or grip is also quite handy. Gripping something round is not as nice as gripping something a little flatter. Allowing your palm to rest a little and let the blood flow properly is quite useful to comfort as well.

Long, long ago when I first started cycling I was advised to wear gloves "just in case". I did not understand the advice until I crashed and landed on my palms to catch my fall. The horseshoe shaped bruises lasted a long time. Since then, I always wear gloves "just in case".

Arctos' "just in case" is adequate justification for wearing gloves. I also wear them for a little isolation from bar vibration, sun protection, grip improvement over sweaty hands, and for the ability to wipe my eyes/brow/nose with a bit of towel (terrycloth back):

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...98_-1___000000

The classic knit ones suit me.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=472160

On shorter rides of say 40 miles and less I simply rely on my Bontrager Gel bar tape, somewhat thick but soft and cushiony. Longer rides or when you're riding day after day, Perfomance brand gel gloves or similar have seemed to help in preventing ulnar neuropathy (the little and ring fingers from going numb). Also, make sure you're using a relaxed loose grip and change hand positions frequently.

I notice that some of the replies indicate preference for a "padded" knit glove vs "gel". I expected "gel" only kinds of replies. I've used both, but only gel ones for the past several years, had almost forgot about the old classic styles. I don't say that to demean the "classic" style, just that I forgot about them. So a followup question would be if some prefer the "classic" vs "gel" for long tours, and why? A couple of years ago I rode 7,600 miles over 3.5 months using Pearl Izumi gel gloves and never had a problem. This year I pedaled 2300+ miles down the Mississippi River Trail over a period of 30 days and had some numbness after the first 400 miles. I actually bought some foam pipe insulation at a hardware store and put a 6" section covered by electrician's tape on my drop bars. I'm just looking around for ideas before I go out on a long trip again. I appreciate everyone's responses.

I don't think i'm old enough to have a lot of the wrist pain that I see on here, but I don't want to get a head start. On my mountain bike (quickly becoming my favorite tourer) I use ESI Extra Chunky grips and these knit gloves. They had the most padding out of everything in the shop, so I didn't have to spend any time thinking about which gloves were the "best." I just grabbed the thickest.

On my road bike, I prefer more bar feel. I used to double-layer my tape, but now I go with a single layer and these cushy gloves.

A lot of hand/wrist issues evaporated for me with shorter stems. 20mm on my mountain bike, and I think 80mm on the road bike. The short stem/more spacers combo redistributes more weight to your sit bones.

oh, one more thing... Aerobars are effing sweet. Nice to take a break.

I'd definitely hit your LBS and try some gloves on. Each glove is sewn just a little bit differently and the pressure at the seems for long rides is where my hands go numb - whether gel or padded. Find some thing that's comfy when you squeeze your hand tightly in it and hold it for 30 seconds and with your hand half curled (like around the bars) for 30 seconds. If you ride in the hoods, test it there too with all your weight for 30 seconds. Having a few pair will never hurt for longer touring treks especially if its wet.

EDIT: Brands change their design every year so I've never maintained brand loyalty - it's just what fits best at the time. Also, look outside of biking specific gloves too. I recently came across a pair of lightweight mountain climbing gloves that I've been wearing for cold rides that are some of the most comfortable I've owned.

FOX Racing gloves my choice

I carry two pair. One pair is cheap and has little padding but dries out fast, that pair I wear in the rain or if my other pair is wet. The ones I wear most of the time are thickly padded ones I got several years ago at REI, I wash them with soap about every two or three weeks and while they are drying out I wear my rain ones.

Cheapest I can find, Bell brand from department store for $10.

Bell Breeze 300 1/2 Finger Biking Gloves

A second to 88prelube. Find the ones that fit best. I like the cheap black/grey palm Performance gloves, modern style but no gel. (I hate gel. Do not like the squishy feeling and have had every pair start oozing the stuff long before that glove should have died. And cheap means that I am not tempting Murphy into sending me into a palms down, expensive glove ending crash.)

Carrying two pairs of gloves allows those gloves to be far more presentable (for sensitive noses). Yes, more to carry, weight etc. But something to consider.

Ben

I like Fox Racing as well but you have to get the right size. If you get a size smaller, they don't really stretch. It can literally take years to "break them in".

+1 on the Serfas gloves.

its interesting but for years the bike I rode was just a bit too stretched out for me, hence just a bit too much weight on my hands, and a well padded glove worked better for hand comfort.
With my current drop bar bike, because the reach is that bit shorter, I see now that I can comfortably ride without gloves with no hand discomfort at all--I only do this in the rain--but the lesson here is that for me anyway, proper bike fit is the key and so now I dont need much padding on my gloves compared to other bikes I have ridden and still ride. (my mtn bike doesnt fit me as well, and I notice the same thing with riding gloveless in the rain, its just not as comfortable as my dropbar bike, there is more pressure and the single hand position, even with ergo style grips and bar ends, arent as easy on my hands wrists as my drop bar bike is with the multiple positions.

the advantage of not having to be so concerned about the padding is that I now go with more light, airy gloves, that breath more (palm side) and are easy to handwash or machine wash regularly, but still obviously are there for hand protection in a fall (as opposed to no gloves)

I also prefer glove types that can be worn more "loosely" with the back velcro, some are automatically much tighter from the get go, and in really hot weather, I find more loose less hot.