Best Cycling Gloves to Protect Your Hands in All Conditions
Alex McRae- 11 Min To Read
- 08 Oct, 2023
Gloves are worn by cyclists for many reasons. These gloves can protect your hands from injury and cushion your hands. Some gloves can keep your hands warm. You can also use gloves to protect against spills.
The type of riding you do will play a part in choosing the right glove. One hundred mile (100 km) rider on the road might need different gloves than one who rides mountain bikes. There are gloves that are superior to others and they don’t change much.
These are our top 5 cycling gloves right now
| Gloves | Pros |
|---|---|
| Garneau Biogel RX-V | - Consistent |
| - Durable | |
| - Large amounts of ventilation | |
| - Road biking: Ideal for you | |
| Pearl Izumi Elite Gel Gloves | - Best for singletrack or road use |
| - Gel padding | |
| - Silky smooth fit | |
| Reliable company | |
| Castelli Arenberg Gel | - Great for road and mountain cycling |
| - Great price | |
| - Fits well | |
| - For breathability, use the Mesh top | |
| Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves | - Lots of warmth to keep you warm in the winter |
| - Lots of padding | |
| Great for spring and autumn | |
| - Protect your wrists with a wrist band | |
| Sealskinz All Weather XP Gloves | - Great performance |
| - Waterproof | |
| - Perfect for cooler temperatures | |
| - Great for bad weather |
Open Finger Bike Gloves
Garneau Biogel RX-V
We have always trusted LG when it comes to cycling gear. Garneau gloves are consistent in design and construction, as well as functional. The RXV gloves provide enough padding for comfort on the bike, and enough ventilation to keep your hands cool.
We think the LG Biogel gloves are ideal for road and mountain biking. These gloves are popular for summer riding because they have an open finger. The gloves provide enough padding to relieve pressure on the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. They are durable in both their longevity and the ability to withstand scrapes.
Although the gloves are not waterproof technically, they dry quickly and can be machine washed between rides.
- Highly breathable
- Comfortable
- There are many color options
- Perfect for road cyclists
Pearl Izumi Elite Gel Gloves
Pearl Izumi continues to be a great company in cycling gear. Because their products are so good, Pearl Izumi has a place on almost every “best of” list for cycling gear.
We know it’s a good product line when we see “Pearl Izumi” mixed with “Elite”.
The Pearl Izumi open finger Elite gloves can be used on the single-track trails or on the road. They are available in four colors and are unisex. The bright yellow is our favorite for road riding, since it makes everything more visible.
The Pearl Izumi Elite gloves feature gel padding in the palms. They are probably a little more substantial than the Garneau gloves. These gloves will suit those who value cushioning. Pearl Izumi has tried to reduce the amount of seams on the glove. This results in a silky smooth fit.
They can run a little tight so if you are unsure, go up one size. There are five sizes available.
- Heavier padding
- Bright colors
- It’s almost effortless
- Great value
Castelli Arenberg Gel
Castelli produces some of our favourite and most value shorts. They also make gloves that have stood up to the test of time. For years, both road and mountain cyclists have loved the Arenberg model.
Castelli’s price range is something we love. Castelli makes quality gear that will get good use but keeps the prices reasonable. Higher-end gloves are available, but they will cost more. The Arenberg glove is great for many.
The fit is usually perfect and the gloves feel very comfortable once they are worn. The thicker gel is strategically placed to reinforce your pressure points on a ride and potential contact points in the event of a fall.
Castelli gloves are great for mountain biking, but they should also work for all types of cycling.
- Not as bulky
- Great padding on palms
- Multifunctional
- Mesh top for improved breathability
Closed Finger Bike Gloves
Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel Gloves
The Pearl Izumi Cyclones are a great pair of closed-finger gloves.
The Cyclone gloves are warm enough to make a difference on cold days. The gloves provide full coverage of the fingers and a nice wrist band to protect skin from the cold and wind. They can be used at 40-60 degrees but they have worked well for us in the 30s.
The Cyclones also have gel padding in their palms, which offer all the benefits of open-finger Pearl Izumi gloves. The padding is located in the glove’s front, with the focus on the palm and base of your fingers.
It takes some time to get used to the gel padding. They will fit well once you get used to it. You may find it a bit more difficult if you change bikes or postures often.
These gloves are great for riding between 35 and 50 degrees.
- These gloves are great for shoulder season.
- Protects your knuckle on single-track rides
- Very nice padding
- Riders with longer fingers will find good finger length
- Excellent wrist protection
- e-tip to allow you to use touch screen devices with gloves
Sealskinz All Weather XP Gloves
Although the Sealskinz gloves were introduced several years ago, they didn’t really make it onto our radar until much later. The entire Sealskinz glove collection is made for wet and inclimate conditions. They are excellent performers if you plan to ride in cold, wet weather.
Only the full-finger gloves on this list have full waterproof-ability. How? These gloves are actually made with a small amount of rubber – about 4%. This is enough rubber to make the gloves waterproof but still breathable. These gloves might be useful if you ride in colder, or more unpleasant conditions. These gloves are great for cruising on snowy trails and gliding across frozen lakes with your fatbike in winter.
These gloves are available in two colors and include reflective elements. The padding is comparable to the medium-padding gloves in this list.
These gloves are warmer than the others on the list. You may not be able to use them if you need a glove that is dry-weather and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The Sealskinz might be a good choice if you are worried about being wet or cold. These are light and warm, yet they are very lightweight.
They aren’t cheap but they are worth it.
- Warmest - Great for those cold, early or late-season road trips
- Waterproof
- Ideal for severe weather
- It might be too much for warmer mountain biking
Cycling gloves: The benefits
It is amazing to see how many cyclists are riding without gloves. We believe they are necessary for several reasons.
- Warmth. Warmth is an obvious benefit to cycling gloves. The full-finger gloves are best if warmth is your goal. Open-finger gloves don’t provide warmth, but are useful for many other purposes. You will be amazed at how cold your hands feel when you cruise along at 20 mph on a cool fall day. It’s much higher than you think.
- Breathability. This is the other side to the temperature coin. The gloves might not be for keeping your hands warm. They could also serve as protection against falls or twigs. You will need something highly breathable if this is the case. If you plan to ride in open-finger gloves, they will be more breathable.
- Cushion. If you are planning to ride a century or longer, the area between your hand and the handlebar may become tender and sore. This can make it difficult to ride for some people. Good gloves will provide padding at the contact point to make your ride more enjoyable.
- Protection. Protective gloves are essential for mountain bikers who ride on single-track trails regularly. They may get splattered or come across a branch that is too close to their fingers. A full-finger, padded glove might be the best choice if you are likely to encounter many branches or limbs while riding. Branchs can surprise you and often leave you with little time to move your hands to avoid being swat.
- All-Purpose. Gloves make it easier to do many things on your bike. If you happen to ride across a lot of broken glass, your first instinct may be to wipe it off your bike. You don’t need gloves. It is what you are asking for. You can do it with gloves. Easy. Simply let the tire roll along your glove and you will be able to remove any glass.
FAQs about Bike Gloves
Do you have different gloves for mountain biking and road riding?
It’s not true. Although there are gloves that are advertised as MTB gloves and road gloves, they don’t really differ. Ask any experienced cyclist and they will tell you to get a few gloves that you like, one for each temperature. Then you can use them on all types of bikes. Gloves are more universal than other gear like shoes and bike clamps, which can be very different between mountain bikers and road bikers.
Are you able to wash your cycling gloves?
Yep. Let’s change that. We are not the manufacturer and should not be considered for care. We have now explained how we wash our gloves. Some people throw their gloves in the washer after every use. We don’t do that. It will certainly reduce the life expectancy of your gloves. Hand washing gloves is something we do about once every 250 miles. In the summer heat, when our hands sweat more, you might need to wash them a bit more. Allow them to air dry and then put them on for a while to restore their original shape. Shrinkage can be a problem, but it is also possible to get a foul-smelling stench from your gloves if they are not washed regularly. We recommend that you wash your gloves as often as possible.
Do You Need Fingerless Cycling Gloves?
It all comes down to where you intend to ride. Fingerless gloves are not recommended for winter riders or those who ride in cold weather. Fingerless gloves are great for summer riding or mountain biking. In summer, gloves are worn to protect your hands, especially if you are offroading your bike. For this, fingerless gloves are great.
Some people enjoy the tactile sensation of the fingers being exposed for shifting, braking and general feeling the bike.
You can choose fingerless gloves, but make sure that they offer some protection for your knuckles. All of the above do. A glove can make all the difference in the world between a sore and an unintentional punch from the surprise tree while you are on the single-track trail.
What temperature is best for full-finger bike gloves?
Full-finger bike gloves provide comfort at temperatures higher than most people think. You can feel your fingers get colder faster because you’re moving at 15-20 mph while riding. Our full-finger gloves can be worn up to 60 degrees. If it’s windy or rough, we don’t mind wearing them a bit higher.
Remember that there are many days where you ride at 42 degrees and finish at 60 degrees. It can be very helpful to have gloves on those first hours.
You can layer cycling gloves over each other.
It is possible, and we highly recommend it for cold conditions. Your body heats up during a ride and the air temperature might rise as you ride. It can be convenient to have one pair of gloves on while another pair is still on. Heavily padded gloves are not ideal for riding, as they can become bulky and make it difficult to move around.
Keep a few pairs on hand and add layers as needed. This is a great strategy. They are thin enough that you can pull off one layer and put it in your pocket.
Are Bike gloves helpful for numbness?
Yes, they can. They can help in two ways. They can reduce vibration in your arms, shoulders, wrists and wrists. This will help decrease the likelihood of numbness. A cushion can be created to relieve pressure on your wrists and hands, which can lead to numbness.
However, gloves won’t help with arm pain or mild numbness. You should consider getting your bike re-fitted if you experience severe numbness or tennis elbow on your rides. Professional bike fittings will help you adjust your riding position to eliminate pain and numbness.
What Size Are Cycling Gloves?
Most manufacturers will sell five sizes of gloves - XS to XL, S to M, L to L. It is almost a joke that bike gloves are notoriously small in terms of their sizes. While you don’t want your gloves to be too loose when you ride, if your hands are larger or have more muscle, you might want to order a bigger size. You don’t want your glove to cause discomfort during your ride.
