Winter Cycling Gloves Buying Guide

Cycling in winters is fun, but you need to take proper care of your body. You have to layer up properly to tackle the icy-cold winds, especially your hands. Winter cycling gloves present a simple and efficient way to insulate your hands and enjoy the activity.

The gloves prevent your hands from getting numb so that you can adequately maneuver the bike. However, with several brands gloating over their products, you can easily get confused while picking the best pair.

A comprehensive buying guide saves you the trouble of searching for useful information in different sources. You can quickly skim through the critical factors and funnel down the best product.

But before diving into this guide, lets us have a brief introduction to the product to get a better understanding.

What do you mean by winter cycling gloves? Why do you need them?

We all want to have fun during winter. It is a mesmerizing season and is just perfect for picnics and outdoor trips on cycles. However, staying warm in winter can be difficult, especially if your hands keep getting cold every time.

It is not possible to rub our palms against each other and look for warmth. To curb this difficulty, we need a solution that can keep our hands warm even while working.

Cycling during winter can be peril as your hands have to handle the bike now and then. Nobody wants to take out their hand from the warm and cozy feeling of your coat or jacket's pockets. So what is the solution? Winter Cycling gloves are an easy solution that can keep your hands warm and protected from the harsh winter climatic conditions.

Before we jump to the Winter Cycling gloves buying guide, let's have an insight into the benefits of wearing these gloves while riding.

1. The grip on your handlebars will be superior, and also you will have better control.
2. The gloves prevent any discomfort or odor as it has a wicking feature.
3. There will be a deterioration in the component if you don't wear gloves. Gloves do not allow the sweat to drip into shifters.
4. Say goodbye to blisters and callousness as gloves can easily give you relief from hand pressure.
5. The material used to make gloves is excellent shock absorbers.
6. You can easily access the gear shifting and maneuvers of braking by wearing these gloves.
7. Your hands will be protected from the icy and frigid cold outside.
8. Do not worry about the frostbites, as gloves will protect you from them.
9. The impact of falls can easily be broken by wearing thick padded gloves.
10. It even gives a cool outlook to you!

Types Of Cycling Gloves

Do not fret about how you will look in the winter cycling gloves. The gloves not only come for different purposes but also provide you with stylish looks. You can easily mix and match them with your wardrobe during the winter season. Let's take a look at different types of gloves and see what will be best for you!

1. Cycling gloves for regular winter

These gloves are designed with hand gear so that it can keep the cyclists completely operational when they retain the heat of the hands while riding them.

If you are looking for a product that will provide you with protection and is made for competitions like ice-biking, then this is the product for you.

With multi-layers, it also gives you outer shells that are resistant to wind and water, vent zipper, wicking feature inside the gloves, and even keep your palm clean.

2. Gloves with three-finger

Mostly known as Lobster claws, these gloves are snapped by the cyclists even though they look odd.

It is designed so that every little surface of the finger is exposed to the climate around. Still, the thumbs get their cubicle so that the cyclists can easily take turns and ride the bike.

3. Pogies

These gloves are oversized mitts that can easily fit over the handlebars when you are attaching them. You can have a comfortable ride as they cover the breaks and help in shifting the levers smoothly.

The pogies come in different colors and styles and also at a very reasonable price. You can purchase them as they provide you with warmth efficiently.

4. Moose Mitts

These gloves are very uniquely designed as they come with internal pockets so that you can stow stuff. The name may sound a bit queer, but it is an excellent option for being warm.

The gloves can easily resist water, and abrasion comes with a fleece lining and that too at a very reasonable price. You can easily look for the ones that will fit your style and also provide you warmth.

Things to deem about while selecting an appropriate Winter Cycling Gloves

Before you head out to purchase the cycling gloves, you need to consider certain features that will provide you with the money's worth. You have to be wise enough and know these vital factors that will offer you comfort and warmth. Let's help you in learning about these features that you should look for in your gloves!

Fit

The first and the main feature that you should look for in your glove is fitting. What's the point of buying gloves that hang because it is loose or a glove that suffocates your hand while riding and is uncomfortable? The ideal glove that you are looking for must have the perfect fit in your hand so that you can ride comfortably.

However, different brands provide you with different sizes, and it gets challenging to choose one for you. We highly suggest you go through the size chart so that the glove that you opt for stays snug on your hand and does not move while cycling. Before purchasing the gloves, make sure to take measurements, and then choose wisely.

The perfect cycling glove is the one that is true to your hand's size and fits you comfortably. Go through all the brands and then select the one that makes your hand warm and comfortable.

A small tip before you purchase the gloves, if you cannot form a fist with your hand, then the gloves are too tight for you, and if the gloves are a bunch up near your palm, they are too loose. In case you are between the standard sizes that are mentioned on the size board, opt for a larger one.

Insulation

One of the essential features that you should look for in your gloves is insulation. The cycling gloves are made of many different materials, and each material has its type of insulation.

However, all the gloves have a layer of insulation in them to provide you with the perfect warmth. To protect your hands from the winter, you have to consider this feature in your gloves. Some of them are even windproof.

However, make sure that your gloves are breathable. They should have the feature of wicking moisture. When your hands stay warm during insulation, be aware that your gloves are not allowing your palms to sweat.

This will have an opposite effect, as the airflow may increase and turn your hands cold. Make sure that this is not the case with the gloves that you purchase. Your hands should stay dry completely, even though you ride through rain, snow, or wind.

Materials

The material of your gloves should be of high quality so that it can provide you with high functionality, comfort, warmth, reliability, and excellent performance of your gear. Waterproof gloves for cycling will be best for you over the regular winter gloves.

The best material will provide you with the perfect amount of warmth and comfort. They also last for a long time and can easily resist moisture. For regular usage, try looking for leather cycling mittens.

The quality of the gloves will determine the warmth and comfort of your hands. Materials like Polyurethane boosts up the durability and also lets your hand breathe while riding. These gloves are also resistant to abrasion.

Rubber gloves are best for rainy days as they are designed to prevent the intrusion by water and are also sound shock absorbers. You can also look for Neoprene, which is the synthetic version of rubber.

There are varieties as they come under different temperatures and conditions and are highly flexible and stable.

Thermal and Wind Protection

Imagine facing difficulty in changing gears and in the braking system, and your gloves do not provide you with the warmth. Also, you have stuck in the middle of snow far too away from home! Sounds terrifying indeed. This is one of the biggest reasons you need to inspect your gloves' thermal and winter protection.

You need to purchase a glove whose first lining is windproof, keeping away the windy conditions and keeping your hands warm. The elements used to produce such gloves should be breathable too. Your hands must not sweat or get overheated after wearing the gloves.

The second layer is about thermal protection that keeps cold air away from reaching your hand's skin. Moreover, it also ensures that the warmth produced inside the glove does not escape away.

Make sure to inspect and examine your gloves before purchasing them. After all, no one wants to be out in the cold, wearing something that does not protect you!

Palms

When you are riding on a wet or icy road, you will need to control your bike in an efficient way. Otherwise, it will become very risky. Therefore, you should pay attention to the palms of your winter cycling gloves before making a purchase.

It will be extremely difficult to have a tight grip on the handlebars if the bars are wet. Also, if you use bar tape, you will not get a secure grip because of their smoothness.

So, you should make sure that the gloves you are choosing are designed with a slightly tacky surface. It will help you to hold the handlebars securely.

Besides the bars, you are also able to maintain a perfect grip on the brake lovers with these gloves so that you can avoid any accidental fall effectively.

Padding

When you are going to buy your winter cycling gloves, you will definitely look for comfort. Padded gloves can be a very good choice to maximize your comfort during cold weather.

You will find many gloves which are designed with extra padding. The main reason behind this padding is to prevent your hands from getting cold. In addition, with this extra padding, it is very effective to provide extra protection to your palm so that your hands can not get hurt and injured easily.

When you are riding on a slippery surface, there will be a huge chance of accidents. In such unpredictable situations, padded gloves can protect the hands in the best possible way.

These gloves are very appropriate for absorbing shocks caused by an accident so that it does not hurt or damage your hands severely.

Liner

Liner is an additional layer that is placed under the insulation to increase your comfort. So, if you want to keep your hands warm during cold weather conditions, you must consider this feature for your winter cycling glove.

Liner is essential to enhance the comfortability of the gloves so that you can wear them without having any issues.

It is completely up to your choice which type of liners you want for your gloves. There are some liners that have a soft texture, so they offer a cozy feeling to your hands.

Also, they make sure that you will use the gloves comfortably for an extended period of time.

You may search for some lightweight liners to ensure that your gloves do not become heavy and bulky to use.

Cuff

Another important factor that you should not overlook while choosing your winter cycling gloves is cuff length. The cuffs help to protect your hands from cold weather in a significant way.

If you are riding in the breezy condition, you should go for longer cuffs to keep the cold wind out.

However, it is better to select the gloves that you can wear comfortably with your winter jackets. So, you should make your choice according to your needs, whether you want the cuffs to be over the top of your jacket or underneath your jacket cuffs.

Moreover, you should pay attention to the comfort of the cuffs so that they do not create any discomfort to your wrist.

Usually, riders are likely to have hook and loop closure or elastic cuffs for more functionality and comfort.

Elastic cuffs are lightweight, so they are easy to use. On the other hand, you are able to customize the hook and loop closure for better adjustability.

Touchscreen

It would be extremely problematic to take off your gloves every time you need to use an electronic device like your mobile phone.

This would not only waste time, but you may miss an important call while taking the gloves off. You may also end up losing one because of all the rush and hassle.

These situations can be really frustrating. It is better not to let such an incident disturb you, so purchase winter cycling gloves that have touchscreen technology.

These gloves will allow you to use your mobile phone or any other touch-sensitive electronic devices while you are wearing them. You don't need to take them off again and again.

You can check for touchscreen capability through the description of the product if you are buying online. If it's offline, then ask the shopkeeper for it or look at the label of the product, and it would probably be there.

Grip

The grip is a very crucial aspect that winter cycling gloves must provide with excellence. A bad grip will create troubles for you to hold the handles while cycling.

You may fall because of this or, worse, get into an accident. This is because controlling the bike will become difficult with a bad grip.

Therefore, you must purchase gloves with the best and tight grip for yours and everyone around you's safety. A glove that provides a nice grip will help you in controlling the bike with ease. No problems with slipping will occur.

Moreover, you will also be safe from falls and accidents. Also, a good grip is not only good for the handles of the bike but also other objects you may hold while wearing gloves, for example, your mobile phone.

So, ensure the presence of a tight and nice grip. Make sure to look at the reviews and feedback if you are making the purchase online.

Waterproof protection

Another very important element your gloves should have is waterproof protection. There are chances that you will encounter rain while riding even though you may not like it.

Gloves with the absence of waterproof protection will fail in such scenarios. They will keep on slipping and make it difficult for you to get a hand on the handles. Moreover, such gloves get wet and heavy with rain leaving rashes and other problems.

However, on the other hand, the winter cycling gloves with waterproof protection will work under heavy rainfall circumstances as well. Their waterproof nature will prevent the hands from slipping and getting wet.

Your hands will remain dry and warm with waterproof protection gloves. Therefore, make sure to look for waterproof protection gloves when finalizing a deal.

Breathability

Breathability is yet another important factor your gloves must succeed in providing. Without breathability, your hands will feel suffocated and tight, so you will feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, the lack of breathability also restricts movement. You will perhaps sweat while riding, and with the absence of breathability, the sweating will lead to your hands getting wet and slippery. It may also read to problems of redness and irritation on your hands.

Therefore, ensure that the gloves are breathable enough to avoid these problems from happening. Breathable winter cycling gloves will also provide more comfort to your hands, making the experience worthy.

Price

There is no point in looking for different products only to find out that they are not affordable. It is a must to plan out a budget beforehand and look for products that lie in the same price range.

Don't just look for branded products. Sometimes the ones with no big brand label attached to it work wonders while the ones coming from big brands fail.

Make sure to look for the features and price accordingly. You probably do not want to spend too much money on something that's not worth it. Keep the statement of "value for money" in mind when purchasing the winter gloves.

Should I get different pairs of gloves for Summer and Winter?

A good pair of gloves will work for both light summers and light winters. But if you are looking for gloves that will work under really hot as well as cold temperatures, then yes, you need to buy different pairs of gloves.

This is because a glove designed for extreme winters will have more warming features. Wearing such a glove in summers will be nothing but a disaster. It will make your hands sweat ten times more and will constantly make you feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, winter gloves will feel very heavy on your hands during summers and will restrict your grip on the handle. You may end up getting rashes if you use winter gloves for summers.

The same goes for gloves designed for summers. Summer gloves are designed with light technologies to keep your hand fresh and cold. They are thin in design that helps in keeping the hands highly breathable and fresh.

But wearing these gloves in winters will freeze your hands. It will make riding a bicycle almost impossible and very difficult for you. The air passage will only bring coldness to your hands.

Moreover, summer gloves are made of maneuverability that restricts heat from getting inside your hands. This, again, will not be so desirable for winter usages.

Therefore, you must buy two different pairs of gloves for hot summers and cold winters. This will allow you to achieve the most comfortable and best usages from both the two in different weather conditions.

So now that you know about the types and features that you need to look for, you can smoothly go shopping for Winter Cycling gloves. You can easily now opt for the ideal ones and go riding!

FAQs

1. Is neoprene gloves worth their price?

Yes, the material provides adequate insulation to your hands and keeps them safe and warm. You can comfortably enjoy the activity even in the freezing temperature.

2. I am tired of taking off my gloves again and again to use my phone. Are there any special gloves to tackle this issue?

Opt for gloves that are touchscreen-friendly. With these gloves, you can use the phone without taking them off and enjoy your activity without any interruptions.

3. Can I stuff some hand warmers for extra insulation in these gloves?

Yes, you can stuff hand warmers to keep your hands extra warm in icy-cold temperatures.

Final Verdict

With all this information under your possession, all you need is to pick the best pair. Winter cycling gloves allow you to enjoy biking in the snowy season while protecting your hands from getting numb and frostbite.

Here in this guide, you will find all the characteristics laid out in an organized manner. Skim through them and buy an elite pair for your expedition.