Winter Gloves
 

Hi Forum, thank you for reading. :thumb:

I need a pair of gloves for road-cycling in Winter/late Autumn.
I currently have been using a pair of thin, fingerless gloves which I bought for £1(!).

I'm happy to spend £40 or so (~$65 US) for a quality pair.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Or know of any manufacturers which are known for great quality?

I've come across Altura, Endura and Gore Bike Wear.

However, I wonder if these gloves, which are supposedly designed for cycling concentrate more on design and appearance than function? Any thoughts?

Would a pair of outdoor wear gloves such as "Jack Wolfskin" be better quality?

Ideally, I'd hope to purchase gloves that:

Keep my hands warm enough, but not over-heat.
Allow flexible movement.
Breathable.
Cover my wrists a little.

Thank you for any thoughts or advice! :)

XC skiing gloves have reinforced fabric in all the right places for bike riding. General outdoor gloves may not last very long when biking IME. I have a pair of Gore gloves, in gawd-awful bright yellow color, but they are too warm to wear until about -10C and below.

I have some BBB fleece gloves that work well for most of the winter in the UK. They don't get too sweaty, rain runs out of them and they are fairly durable. they seem to be out of production now.

Most of the 'waterproof' gloves are just too sweaty. Heavy rain runs down your arms and enters the gloves via the cuffs anyway.

I like windproof fleece gloves from and outdoor retailer like REI or EMS. Try some stuff made for downhill or cross country skiing. What kind of temps are you pedaling in? Rain/ snow/ wind?

What kind of temperatures will you be riding in?

I have these Castelli Gloves that I picked up at a LBS For $35.

My 45 minute ride this morning in 45º F (7º C) temps was comfortable, but my fingertips started getting a little cold toward the end.

They run a bit small. I purchased XXL, and my hands are 3.75" wide at the base of my knuckles, and the gloves just barely fit me.

Currently in the UK, daytime temperatures are around 5 Celsius (41 F) to 8 Celsius (46.4 F).
And cycling in windy, chilly weather.

@shepherdsflock, Between 5 Celsius and 9 Celsius (39 - 48.2 F)

@ChrisM2097, Hi! Thank you for a very informative reply. I hadn't come across Castelli gloves, and so thank you for introducing them to me. Are there any gloves on the market you'd perhaps be interested to get?

Not really. Temperatures around here (South SF Bay Area) typically don't drop below freezing in the winter, and typically don't go over about 90ºF in the summer, so these Castelli gloves are all I'll need for colder weather, and my fingerless Pearl Izumi gloves are all I'll need for warmer weather.

The insulation is very thin - 40gram Thinsulate. Padding is almost non-existant (which I prefer). These features make for good dexterity. I'm happy with them.

I think in the UK the temperatures will be modest enough that most of the good full finger cycling gloves will work.

In my opinion you will need at least two pair. One for 0-5 degrees C and one for a little warmer.

For below freezing temperatures it's best to experiment with inexpensive glove options until you find a system you like. But for above freezing most of the thick full finger cycling gloves will be OK. In fact they are likely to be better in wet conditions than the fully insulated ski type gloves.

I would first get something like this since you can easily order them in the UK. Then see what temperatures they work for you in.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sealskinz-wa...-cycle-gloves/

I went through several pairs of gloves until I found pearl izumis wxb gloves. Very warm, but also very thin, which allows layering. Completely windproof and waterproof They also come in XXL. Hands sweat a little when it's warmer though.

http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Izumi-Ba.../dp/B004N62HXK

I have a pair of these:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...400072__400072
that work very well for temps down to about 40°F. Best I've found. For colder than that, the best is the PI Lobster gloves.

For warmer, when it's too cold for short-fingers, but too warm for really warm gloves, I like the PI Elite:
http://shop.pearlizumi.com/product.p...color_code=021
Surprisingly wide temperature range.

I would suggest grabbing a couple pairs to cover your range of temps. Honestly I have at least 8 pairs of gloves that I use, all have their unique temp range and functionality depending on the type of riding I'm doing and temp range from Summer to sub Zero F. Bottom line is what works for me might or might now work so well for you.

There are so many good manufacturers out there making good gloves, Go to a few local bike shops and try them see what fits you well, ask them for advice, and get a pair that is thinner and pair that is thicker and go see how they work.

Lobster Claw gloves have 2 fingers paired together,
so you can Spock sign 'live long and prosper' :D
and still have warm fingers.
2 fingers and a thumb.

I admit to being a bit of a Gore ***** when it comes to outer layers and so far this season I've had success with the Tool Windstopper between +5 and -14 C this winter. The +5 was far too warm for them but Calgary does have some wild temperature swings. The -14C showdown was handily won by technology and because I bought the XXL gloves a pair of smartwool liner gloves comfortably fits underneath for the upcoming cold months. Below -25C I'll probably have to wear my nonbreathing snowmobile mittens (with pockets for chemical heat). The gloves fit small, ordering online is a trail to tears unless you know your Gore size already.

You have rather mild temps in UK. I would avoid gloves that have a windproof outer layer with an inner layer that is cloth (including wool). The problem is that your hands sweat, stick to the material and when you remove the glove, the inside layer comes out with your hand. It's difficult to get the fingers back into the glove.

I have a pair of long fingered think leather gloves that I use for winter. They are OK to around 40F but not lower than that. I don't ride as much in the winter, so I've just mostly suffered with cold fingers. I don't need thick, bulky gloves and worry about inability to use STI controls with bulky gloves. I think I agree with the poster who has 8 pairs of gloves for various riding conditions. It's pretty easy to stuff a pair of gloves in jersey and switch during the ride.

I'm also looking for winter gloves. I just tried Planet Bike Borealis Fall/WInter Full Finger gloves (US$37 at Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00). It was 36 degrees F with some wind chill this morning and my thumb and forefinger still froze up over 10 miles. Except for that they are nice gloves with a thermal liner. The 4th and 5th fingers are in one 'lobster claw' finger. I've seen some that have two lobster claw fingers for four fingers and I may try those next. What I need is something with more windproofing on the fingers. [h=1][/h]

Have you considered bar mitts?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xS8WyGt7-L...2/IMAG0569.jpg

I found a box of "Disposable Nitrile Gloves" laying in the road. - (food service gloves)
Tried one on ... gigantic.
Hmmmm ... "X-LARGE"!

Fit right over my comfy felt gloves.
Blocked all wind and wet ... and gives a nice rubbery grip.

Just have to find matching "Disposable Nitrile Mittens" for my shoes ...

I'm currently using these gloves from Gore Bike Wear: (in red)
http://www.goreapparel.com/GORE-BIKE...eartype-gloves

I've used them down to -10C so far.

I will post this great idea.

I have Gore, Giordana gloves. Temps' at/below 35 with some wind and you need more.
I buy a box of surgical latex gloves at the drugstore and wear a pair under your gloves. I also have some wool gloves that I am able to wear over my Giordana's.

Works great.

This is the approach that I use.

For real winter temperatures, like the kind I imagine you get in the UK, and for long road rides in those conditions, you basically have to choose between using winter cycling gloves with other protection, like poagies made for drop bars, or gloves that can be worn alone but which don't offer the tactile feel of winter cycling gloves, like lobster gloves that have all four fingers in one "claw."

I'm not a road cyclist, but I live in Wisconsin, one of the more northern states in the continental US. One year I used the full-blown winter gloves; thick, fluffy lobster gloves. The second year I used my winter cycling gloves (Castelli, which is a good brand, but the gloves are only warm enough in early-winter conditions) together with Bar Mitt-brand poagies (I do NOT recommend the Bar Mitt-brand poagies). This year I designed my own insulated covers for the Bar Mitts and lined the inside of them with a synthetic fur, which is used without gloves.