Cycling Mittens

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Des49
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Des49 »

When it gets really cold (rare where i live) I use my very old Dachstein woollen mittens and then put a pair of Gortex Mountain Equipment overmitts over these. This combo I used to use ice climbing a long time ago.

No issues using downtube gear levers, drop bars or MTB straight bars. OK for sure not so dexterous but quite safe, maybe helped by the fact that the overmitts are pretty generous and not tight.
De Sisti
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by De Sisti »

I have these from Planetx, only worn once (too small for my hands). Yours for £4 plus postage.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

Very kind of you, thank you.
Just looking at the Planet X website, it seems I need Large ........ as I have big hands.

What size are yours?
Mick F. Cornwall
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by [XAP]Bob »

The label says L...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Silly me! I should have looked!

De Sisti, you will have a PM later today.
Gotta go out and wash the car ....... it's filthy, and because it's white, it really shows the grime.
Mick F. Cornwall
hamster
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by hamster »

Mick F wrote: 21 Oct 2021, 9:44pm What gear controls do/did you have?

I have Ergos on Mercian and indexed DT shifters on Moulton.
Both with dropped 'bars.



Addition to my OP:
What about operating a phone?

Touch-screen Garmin will work with any glove finger/thumb, but a phone needs a conductive digit. I have a pair of gloves with such a system ....... which work fine.

What about mittens?
Mick: I happily ride my Witcomb with the Planet X Crab Claws on 1999 Chorus Ergos.
Last edited by hamster on 22 Oct 2021, 4:24pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

Excellent.
Thanks. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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CyberKnight
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by CyberKnight »

The poggies mentioned earlier are the business , even in sub zero i can ride with just thin gloves on , i have said elsewhere i suffer with reynauds and its getting chilly now in fact the last few last commutes its ben 4 c which is a bit of a shock to the system especially when you add wind chill on top
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colin54
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by colin54 »

Hi Mick, another option just to muddy the waters a bit, I tried the Planet-X crab claw gloves mentioned up-thread but unfortunately the pair I received had a stiching fault so I replaced them with this other one they sell which has less panels to
pull apart (I think that was my logic at the time anyway!). I'm sure the other gloves mentioned are fine as well.
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLCACHG/c ... ter-gloves
If you scroll down the link they do a measurement table for sizing.
These gloves have the extra feature of the rear being reflective in the dark despite being a grey colour in daylight conditions ( also the material of the back is heavier than the others).
Looking at the picture of your hand it appears to be your little finger that's the main problem, I don't know how crab-claw gloves will play with that as they encase the little and ring finger together.
I bought this pair of mittens at a charity shop in Burscough for a quid last week,they are too big for my hands even with gloves underneath, yours to try if you want, and put the postage in a charity tin if they're of any use to you. They are golfing over mittens described as water resistant and have a warm looking pile lining. They might work for your condition with some large cut off wool gloves worn underneath or somthing. They are in very good clean nick. They may be a touch short in the cuff for winter us, worth a try possibly though ?
https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalo ... l#SID=5284

They are these one I think, if you prefer to buy new, they are very large.
Here are both pairs together , picture taken with a flash to show the refectivity of the P-X glove..
P1150713.JPG
If you think outside the box, something like ski mittens might work for you as well.
Good Luck.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

I'm in contact with De Sisti and hopefully will be doing a deal with him.

My main issue is that the mitts seems to take two fingers together. Thumb down one thing, and then two pairs of fingers down the two "slots". Dunno if that's ok for me, but I'm willing to give it a try.

How long it will be before the NHS surgery system will get into gear to sort me out is anyone's guess, and then it's both hands to be sorted too.

Winter is approaching of course, and gloves will be a must.
Mick F. Cornwall
colin54
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by colin54 »

These aren't going anywhere Mick, so if you think they might be more suitable after trying the crab-claws feel free to give me a shout.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

Thanks.
Give me time, and I may get back to you.

The Planet X mitts arrived from De Sisti and I've had some difficulties in getting them on.
It was easier to fold over my little fingers and have only my ring finger in the part meant for ring+pinkie.
If I can ride like that and hold the bars comfortably, all well and good ........ but I don't know as yet. They seem ok - just about - holding the bars whilst standing astride. Busy this week with visitors so it'll be next week before I can get out and ride.

I can get my pinkies into the correct slot with my ring fingers, but that means that two fingers have to be crooked and not just one.

Normal five-finger gloves - so long as they aren't too thick - I can manage with, but if and when the winter comes, the ones I have won't be warm enough. I do have some Sealskinz winter gloves, but I can't get them on.
Mick F. Cornwall
LollyKat
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by LollyKat »

As a last resort you could revert to friction levers - back in the day I happily used ordinary sheepskin mitts with DT levers, and bar end levers should be fine too.
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Mick F
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by Mick F »

It's not the gear changing that's the issue.
Two bikes - one with Campag Ergos, and the other with indexed DT shifters.

The problem is holding the dropped handlebars and operating the brakes.

Say I have bare hands ...............

Thumb and three fingers grip the hoods though all five can hold the tops.
Braking from the hoods the pinkies are hooked under the bars, the thumb is on top of the hoods, and the three fingers squeeze the brake levers.

From the drops, it's the same.
Three fingers to squeeze the brake levers.

Pinkies can do not a lot except hold on.
Mick F. Cornwall
hamster
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Re: Cycling Mittens

Post by hamster »

Interesting how my grip is different:
On the hoods, (Campag Ergos) the thumb hooked over, all fingers wrapped round lever blade.
On drops, only the first two fingers on the brake lever blade (or downshift lever)

Maybe that's why I never had a problem with crab claw gloves...my only fear was having the space to reach the downshift lever with two fingers not one.
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