Riding Gloves
Riding into work today got me thinking about the gloves I wear when I ride. I always wear gloves – partly because that’s how I learned, but also because they give me a better, more consistent feel for the controls. I have four different pairs of riding gloves, which I wear at different times for different reasons.
When the temperature is below 40 degrees (F) I wear regular ski gloves – nothing fancy, but lots of insulation. Nothing is more painful (or dangerous!) than trying to ride with frozen hands. I find that keeping my hands warm makes me willing to ride in cold conditions.
If the temperature is between 35 and 60 I wear a pair of Power Trip Dakota Gloves. These are lined with Thinsulate and have a wiper blade built into the backs of the thumbs. They aren’t as warm as my ski gloves, but they give me a better feel for the controls.
Between 60 and 80 degrees I wear my Hugger Basic Riding Gloves. Like the name suggests, these are simple, unlined gloves (with padded palms). I like them because of the waterproof treatment on the leather – they don’t color my hands when they get wet the way cheaper gloves do.
When it’s really hot (over 80) I still wear gloves, but this time they’re Hugger Summer Riding Gloves. These have nylon mesh backs which wick the sweat away and actually make my hands feel cooler than riding without gloves. Unfortunately the backs of my hands sometimes get sunburned through the mesh.
Do you wear gloves when you ride?
