How do I keep my thumb tips warm??
#1
Thread Starter
a human
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
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From: Edmonton, AB
How do I keep my thumb tips warm??
After a smooth entry into a cold canadian prairie winter, I ponder how I will keep my thumb tips warm during my 30-40 minute commute? I am adverse to the idea of using pogies, and my mitts are quite warm otherwise, but those thumb tips just aren't listening. Does anyone have an idea? As well, the cayenne pepper experiment didn't work.
Thanks.
Thanks.
#3
Year-round cyclist

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 3
From: Montréal (Québec)
Make sure the gloves/mittens are long and wide enough so there is no constriction, even when you hold the handlebars.
Apart from that, my best combo is with relatively thin knitted gloves (the $3 kind at an el-cheapo store) inside wide, thick "-30 C" gloves. An additional benefit of that technique is that when I remove the outside gloves to lock the bike, I still have a layer to protect my hands.
Apart from that, my best combo is with relatively thin knitted gloves (the $3 kind at an el-cheapo store) inside wide, thick "-30 C" gloves. An additional benefit of that technique is that when I remove the outside gloves to lock the bike, I still have a layer to protect my hands.
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 404
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From: Cincinnati
Bikes: Trek 7100 Hybrid
Liners, even really thin ones, can do wonders. Fortunately, I haven't had too much a problem with cold thumb tips. When I start out on a ride, my thumb tip and the tip of my index fingers will be quite cold, but they do warm up after about 10 minutes. If only my feet would do the same.
#6
Thread Starter
a human
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
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From: Edmonton, AB
Thanks for the tips folks. If lining the inside of my mitt shell thumb slot with emergency blanket material doesn't work, I may try an overmitt (if I can find one)(no room for another liner), or just go for the pogies. I'm going to try the thimble idea too if this next step doesn't work. Thanks.
#11
Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 915
Likes: 1
From: NYC
Originally Posted by coldairheaven
After a smooth entry into a cold canadian prairie winter, I ponder how I will keep my thumb tips warm during my 30-40 minute commute? I am adverse to the idea of using pogies, and my mitts are quite warm otherwise, but those thumb tips just aren't listening. Does anyone have an idea? As well, the cayenne pepper experiment didn't work.
Thanks.
Thanks.
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Ontario,Canada
Originally Posted by coldairheaven
After a smooth entry into a cold canadian prairie winter, I ponder how I will keep my thumb tips warm during my 30-40 minute commute? I am adverse to the idea of using pogies, and my mitts are quite warm otherwise, but those thumb tips just aren't listening. Does anyone have an idea? As well, the cayenne pepper experiment didn't work.
Thanks.
Thanks.
#13
King of the Hipsters
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 2
From: Bend, Oregon
Bikes: Realm Cycles Custom
I wear Descente Weather Warriors with a good, thin wool liner.
Sometimes my thumbs and finger tips become agonizingly cold and at other times they don't.
I think it has something to do with how my body manages its blood flow in cold conditions.
My son has suggested I put my gloves in the dryer on low setting prior to starting out in the morning.
On the few days I have tried that it has worked.
Hardly scientific, though, since I have had cold days and warm hands without pre-warming my gloves.
Next winter, I may go to pogies.
I have also seen an ad for something that goes on the wrist and supposedly tricks the body into sending blood to the finger tips, but I don't know enough about it.
Sometimes my thumbs and finger tips become agonizingly cold and at other times they don't.
I think it has something to do with how my body manages its blood flow in cold conditions.
My son has suggested I put my gloves in the dryer on low setting prior to starting out in the morning.
On the few days I have tried that it has worked.
Hardly scientific, though, since I have had cold days and warm hands without pre-warming my gloves.
Next winter, I may go to pogies.
I have also seen an ad for something that goes on the wrist and supposedly tricks the body into sending blood to the finger tips, but I don't know enough about it.
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 404
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From: Cincinnati
Bikes: Trek 7100 Hybrid
Originally Posted by Ken Cox
I have also seen an ad for something that goes on the wrist and supposedly tricks the body into sending blood to the finger tips, but I don't know enough about it.
#15
King of the Hipsters
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 2
From: Bend, Oregon
Bikes: Realm Cycles Custom
THanks, JJakucyk.
I did a search and found them.
The little warmer thingies that go inside the wrist bands cost money!
I did some more searching and founds some bogus stuff and something that made sense.
I'll share it here:
"After you have been riding for a while and are generating body heat, start by rolling your shoulders in large round movements. Almost immediately, you should start to feel the warm blood moving to the joint. Next take one hand off the handle bar, straighten the arm and twist it backwards and forwards vigorously a few times. Then bend the elbow in sharp vigorous pumping actions The warm blood should now start moving down the upper arm to the elbow joint. Next a vigorous rolling wrist action in needed to get the blood into the forearm. Now is the time to repeat the exercise with the other arm if you are still riding. When the blood has reached both wrists. further vigorous wrist shaking is needed, plus excessive wriggling of the fingers. The next stage is shear bliss. You will feel with great clarity, the warm blood working its way down and along to each joint in each finger, right down to the very tips, and then your hands will be glowing with heat to the surprise of everybody when you reach your destination. Keeping up a little exercise will keep your hands from losing their heat for the duration of your journey."
https://www.moultoneers.net/themoulto...34/winter.html
Also, has anyone tried silk liners in their gloves?
Did it help?
I did a search and found them.
The little warmer thingies that go inside the wrist bands cost money!

I did some more searching and founds some bogus stuff and something that made sense.
I'll share it here:
"After you have been riding for a while and are generating body heat, start by rolling your shoulders in large round movements. Almost immediately, you should start to feel the warm blood moving to the joint. Next take one hand off the handle bar, straighten the arm and twist it backwards and forwards vigorously a few times. Then bend the elbow in sharp vigorous pumping actions The warm blood should now start moving down the upper arm to the elbow joint. Next a vigorous rolling wrist action in needed to get the blood into the forearm. Now is the time to repeat the exercise with the other arm if you are still riding. When the blood has reached both wrists. further vigorous wrist shaking is needed, plus excessive wriggling of the fingers. The next stage is shear bliss. You will feel with great clarity, the warm blood working its way down and along to each joint in each finger, right down to the very tips, and then your hands will be glowing with heat to the surprise of everybody when you reach your destination. Keeping up a little exercise will keep your hands from losing their heat for the duration of your journey."
https://www.moultoneers.net/themoulto...34/winter.html
Also, has anyone tried silk liners in their gloves?
Did it help?
#16
Good Afternoon!
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,352
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From: Rural Eastern Ontario
Bikes: Various by application
Silk isn't too bad, I use polypropolene or fakefleece liners under a lined, windresistant glove for three layer total.
Thing is if it gets really cold like it does there in the flatlands then comfort is secondary. When I have to ride in the supercold like that yall get there more often (-30 to -40 and below) I only concern myself with avoiding frostbite which I only got the once (Not My Fault! errr not entirely, ..ok entirely). A little chill or pain in the tip is a solid indicator that you're good to go just keep moving & stretching and keep your heartrate strong. Very few arrangements will keep you feeling toasty warm when you add a bikes windchill to -20c through -40c. Any that did would be too warm standing still after exercising, you don't want to sweat.
Thing is if it gets really cold like it does there in the flatlands then comfort is secondary. When I have to ride in the supercold like that yall get there more often (-30 to -40 and below) I only concern myself with avoiding frostbite which I only got the once (Not My Fault! errr not entirely, ..ok entirely). A little chill or pain in the tip is a solid indicator that you're good to go just keep moving & stretching and keep your heartrate strong. Very few arrangements will keep you feeling toasty warm when you add a bikes windchill to -20c through -40c. Any that did would be too warm standing still after exercising, you don't want to sweat.
#17
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Keeping thumbs warm in mittens.
I have often sprinkled a little cayenne pepper in my socks to keep my toes warm.
It is a trick my grand father told us . .
Just don't use your thumb to wipe your eye, you will be warm and sweating all over . Lol.
It is a trick my grand father told us . .
Just don't use your thumb to wipe your eye, you will be warm and sweating all over . Lol.
Last edited by xcaret; 12-28-19 at 05:57 PM.
#19
Wiggle and move them more often? They are just sitting there doing nothing. That happens to my feet when riding no mater the foot wear and layers. I wiggle my toes up and down with my cadence every couple of minutes and it does the trick.
#20
Senior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 394
From: Northampton, MA
Bikes: 36" Unicycle, winter knock-around hybrid bike
My problems seems to be that my fingers get cold AND sweaty. So far have been wearing typical online full finger "winter" cycling gloves that I actually bought for summer sun protection, for which their relative wind porosity was great.
I was thinking I wanted something warmer so tossed a pair of ski gloves in my pack, but ended up not switching to them because I found I was sweating through the cycling ones and that's part of why my fingers were cold.
Looking at them with the faux-leather grip side and porous fabric back, I almost started to wonder if the design is backwards. Ie, perhaps what I really want is something wool for warmth and sweat tolerance, but with a wind stop back and fingertips. Starting to get tempted to try to improvise some sort of overmittens with a pack cloth back, and maybe a porous lycra palm side possibly set up such that it somehow supported a feature where I could tug on the shell and unhook it from over glove covered fingers when I needed to do things.
I was thinking I wanted something warmer so tossed a pair of ski gloves in my pack, but ended up not switching to them because I found I was sweating through the cycling ones and that's part of why my fingers were cold.
Looking at them with the faux-leather grip side and porous fabric back, I almost started to wonder if the design is backwards. Ie, perhaps what I really want is something wool for warmth and sweat tolerance, but with a wind stop back and fingertips. Starting to get tempted to try to improvise some sort of overmittens with a pack cloth back, and maybe a porous lycra palm side possibly set up such that it somehow supported a feature where I could tug on the shell and unhook it from over glove covered fingers when I needed to do things.
#21
Full Member

Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 339
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#22
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,138
Likes: 324
Bikes: 2 many
My problems seems to be that my fingers get cold AND sweaty. So far have been wearing typical online full finger "winter" cycling gloves that I actually bought for summer sun protection, for which their relative wind porosity was great.
I was thinking I wanted something warmer so tossed a pair of ski gloves in my pack, but ended up not switching to them because I found I was sweating through the cycling ones and that's part of why my fingers were cold.
Looking at them with the faux-leather grip side and porous fabric back, I almost started to wonder if the design is backwards. Ie, perhaps what I really want is something wool for warmth and sweat tolerance, but with a wind stop back and fingertips. Starting to get tempted to try to improvise some sort of overmittens with a pack cloth back, and maybe a porous lycra palm side possibly set up such that it somehow supported a feature where I could tug on the shell and unhook it from over glove covered fingers when I needed to do things.
I was thinking I wanted something warmer so tossed a pair of ski gloves in my pack, but ended up not switching to them because I found I was sweating through the cycling ones and that's part of why my fingers were cold.
Looking at them with the faux-leather grip side and porous fabric back, I almost started to wonder if the design is backwards. Ie, perhaps what I really want is something wool for warmth and sweat tolerance, but with a wind stop back and fingertips. Starting to get tempted to try to improvise some sort of overmittens with a pack cloth back, and maybe a porous lycra palm side possibly set up such that it somehow supported a feature where I could tug on the shell and unhook it from over glove covered fingers when I needed to do things.





