Gloves
Gloves
Mitts can be regarded as an optional extra for summer riding, worn as much to provide respite from pressure on the handlebar as for protection from the sun. In the winter, however, it is only the hardy who ride without a full-finger glove, which offers protection from the cold and wet and so greater control of the combined shift and brake levers.
Gloves come in various shapes, sizes, and fabrics for the variety of conditions that characterise the winter months. A good all-rounder will offer insulation and a degree of protection from the rain, but bear in mind that only gloves made from a bonded fabric, like neoprene, can be considered waterproof: those with seams will have holes created by the stitching that will allow water in. Popular ‘workarounds’ include a sealed membrane inside the glove, or a DWR (durable water repellant) coating sprayed on the outside.
Winter gloves should offer complete protection for the hand and the better ones will have a deep cuff that extends above the wrist. The trade-off for insulation can be a loss of ‘feel’ in the fingers, so try a few at your local bike shop. Ideally, the greater part of the insulation will have been placed on the back of the hand, offering the best of all worlds. Palms are often gel padded (a good thing) and frequently offer a silicone or similar coating on the section of the fingers likely to come into contact with the control levers.
Lobster gloves, those with only two ‘fingers’, are used in the very coldest conditions. Another solution for deepest winter is to pair a ‘liner’ glove with an outer glove bought in a size larger than normal.