Gloves - for the long haul

[elduderino]

Hi, I need some new cycling gloves that are made to last (well for 3 months at least).

I've been out on the tourer today for the first time since September and come back with numb palms. My current gloves have gone flat in the padding area. I'm unsure as to whether gel under the handlebar tape is the way to go, or gel gloves or if there are any decent padded gloves about.

I've only ever bought cheap gloves, so maybe that is the problem.

Any recommendations?

 

[Cathryn]

I really loved the specialized bg ones...you can get them super padded. The husband and I both have/had them (not matching, honestly). He always got numb hands for a month after a tour but hasn't had any numbness since he bought these. I loved mine - they did me 2000 miles and then fell apart in Leichtenstein. I'd really recommend them.

Think they're about £25.

 

[andym]

Yep Specialized here too.

 

[elduderino]

Thanks for the replies. I'm looking on wiggle/crc as I type. £25 seems reasonable. On my last tour I wore two pairs of cheapo eBay gloves and still got numb hands.

 

[elduderino]

I've gone for these http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/bg-comp-mitts-ec011202 reduced to £7.99. They're an improvement on my current ones anyway.

 

[ASC1951]

I've only ever bought cheap gloves, so maybe that is the problem.

May not be the whole problem.

Does your set-up have too much weight on your hands? I only have minimal tape on my bars and can ride all day with bare hands, although I often wear some if it's really hot, to stop the tape getting sweaty.

 

[dragon72]

+1 for the Specialised bg gloves.
If you ever see the ones I left at the La Mongie ski resort just before topping out at the Col du Tourmalet, let me know. (Shameless col-dropping! )
I'm now getting by with some Nalini cheapos in Caisse d'Epargne colours that I got as emergency replacements and they're "complètement nuls".

 

[jay clock]

I have these - extremely comfortable and very hard wearing. First pair I have had for 3 years and still not worn out http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Pearl_Izumi_Pittards_Leather_Carbon_Glove/5360041850/

 

[hubbike]

I think gloves designed for mountaineering are better made than the cycling ones. I have some Mountain Equipment mitts and use the £4 thin ones from Joe Brown for layering.

also changing gloves is a great way to regulate your temperature without putting on or taking off loads of layers.

 

[elduderino]

May not be the whole problem.

Does your set-up have too much weight on your hands? I only have minimal tape on my bars and can ride all day with bare hands, although I often wear some if it's really hot, to stop the tape getting sweaty.

Could be a factor, with the same gloves as I used today I have done roughly 1000 miles on my road bike with no hand problems whatsoever. Like I said today was my first time using the tourer since September and my hands are still slightly numb.

But I'm clueless to the geometry of a perfect bike fit. Apart from raising/lowering the seat I wouldn't really know where to start.

 

[vernon]

May not be the whole problem.

Does your set-up have too much weight on your hands? I only have minimal tape on my bars and can ride all day with bare hands, although I often wear some if it's really hot, to stop the tape getting sweaty.

At 22 stone I find it difficult not to have too much weight on my hands

However I currently use unpadded Altura crochet backed fingerless mitts and put the padding on my handlebars.

On my Dave Yates I wrapped the bars with old inner tubes before adding Specialise Bar phat pads then bar tape.

My Dawes Galaxy has just the gel bar phat pads and bar tape. After last weeks three day mini tour i think that I'll be looking at adjusting the position of the brake levers (move them up on the dropped section) as I spent a lot of time stretching to rest on the hoods to attempt to cut into vicious headwinds and to brake on long descents with poor visibility and the palms of my hands are a tad uncomfortable.

Back to the gloves - The Alturas last around 1800 miles before I wear through the palms. I like the groovy tan pattern that they give to the backs of my hands.

 

[threefingerjoe]

I suffer numb hands, easily, and started using a heavier, padded, fingerless glove that is actually made for operating power tools like pneumatic impact wrenches and jackhammers. Those last forever, and are much cheaper than regular cycling gloves. Other than that, all I can tell you is to shift hand positions frequently, or ride a recumbent. I never have any hand problems at all on the recumbent...or neck, shoulder or back problems, either.

 

[psmiffy]

I have been suffering from the numb hand syndrome since I had my first drop bar bike when I was 13 - severe enough that I lost the use of my hands and had to have physio - solution was 25mm of orthopedic felt

Best gloves I have are a fairly thick (was relatively stiff) suede leather palm and terry back made by Lake (as with all the best things now discontinued) - been on every tour since 2000 when I bought them - main advantage seems to be they hold their shape despite having been washed a trillion times and are big enough - why is it that all cycling gloves seem to be sized for italian children - my hands are not big (certainly not compared to most of the people I work with in construction) however if my hands are not to go numb I need at least an XL.

I use a multi position handlebar plus two rounds of bar tape and try to avoid hand positions where the part of the palm closest to the thumb is under pressure - I also find not doing up the velcro strap thing across the wrist helps

I have never actually worn through a pair of gloves - they tend to disintegrate or I leave them at a supermarket checkout - If you are wearing through gloves I would suggest you check your position

if your hands do become numb easily - enough that you suffer at the end of day when not riding (difficulty in filling in camping forms etc) I suggest carrying a small rubber ball and spending a bit of time doing hand strengthing excercises at the end of day

 

[Cromcruaich]

Very informative post miffy. ta.

 

[Greenbank]

I'm a fan of the Spesh BG gloves, I've used them on rides up to 600km (in one go) with no problems.

In general it'll be about bike fit, so frame size and stem length and angle. For frame fit, you have 3 contact points (pedals, saddle, handlebars). The first you take as immovable, so you then position your saddle to give the proper fore/aft position, and at the right height for your legs/knees not be over extended. Once that's done you move to handlebar distance and height.

Too far forward and it'll hurt your back. Too close to you and you'll sit upright too much (more weight on arse and less aerodynamic). Right distance away, but too low = lean forward too much and you'll put more weight on the hands than ideal. Too high and, again, you'll sit upright too much.

Getting the balance right is something that you'll need to work on over time. It's taken me 2 years to get my Audax bike setup right so that I don't have any aches and pains on rides up to and including 600km. This will make July's 1400km London-Edinburgh-London in 5 days kind of interesting

Other stuff to consider:-

Spesh Bar Phat handlebar tape.
Other gel/foam strips/padding that go under the bars like...
MarSAS padding. I've got some of the mid-level "Audax" version on my Audax bike. Nice and comfy. Website is a bit quirky but the service from the company is great. I got mine in the post before my cheque had even been cashed!