Winter bike gloves

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tinribs
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Winter bike gloves

Post by tinribs »

Anyone got any recommendations for winter bike gloves (British winters) around the 20-30 quid mark?

Cheers
roubaixtuesday
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by roubaixtuesday »

I've got a pair of the PlanetX crab claw style ones, which whilst feeling a bit cheap are very warm and surprisingly durable, now on their third winter. I think they're normally sub £20.
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mjr
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by mjr »

I'm using decathlon ski mittens at the moment and they're too warm for long rides yet, so I've also some sealskinz mittens that I wear over mitts.
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foxyrider
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by foxyrider »

Decathlon ski gloves - mix and match to get the warmth level you want! :D
Convention? what's that then?
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thirdcrank
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by thirdcrank »

It's always worth checking TKMaxx if you have one handy. If you intend to carry on riding if it's cold and wet, rather than just cold, I'd go for ski gloves but check the size of the cuffs. I avoid anything which won't tuck inside my sleeves, otherwise the wet just runs down into the gloves.

M&S [edit: used to] do decent ski gloves every winter. [None shown on website now.]
Last edited by thirdcrank on 13 Dec 2018, 11:00am, edited 1 time in total.
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NUKe
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by NUKe »

Iwear a pair of manual handling gloves, they can be bought in DIY stores
https://www.demon-tweeks.com/sealey-ant ... &gclsrc=ds
I usually pay £2.99
they do for all but the absolute coldest weather at which point I either wear a liner glove or switch to my endure lobster mits. It really does depend on your tolerance to cold though
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mjr
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by mjr »

NUKe wrote:Iwear a pair of manual handling gloves, they can be bought in DIY stores
https://www.demon-tweeks.com/sealey-ant ... &gclsrc=ds
I usually pay £2.99
they do for all but the absolute coldest weather at which point I either wear a liner glove or switch to my endure lobster mits. It really does depend on your tolerance to cold though

I've tried such things (not that exact model) but they don't keep my hands warm in typical winter winds even at about 5°c, so aren't much good for cycling in winter for me.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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slowster
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by slowster »

My favourite winter handwear is an old pair of Helly Hansen Polar mittens. Mittens may be far from ideal if you use STIs/Ergolevers, but obviously all other things being equal they will be warmer than gloves.

What makes the Helly Hansen Polar mittens so good is the sheer simplicity of the design: a fibre pile inner and a tough nylon outer. Unlike expensive cycling and ski gloves, there is no waterproof membrane. Instead the mittens work because fibre pile provides good insulation when it is wet (due to the fact that it absorbs very little water), and because the nylon shell is very windproof.

In my experience gloves and mittens with breathable waterproof membranes trap sweat inside because they simply do not allow moisture to be removed at a high enough rate. If it is raining, the membrane cannot 'breathe' anyway and the build up of sweat occurs even more quickly. Once they get wet from sweat (or rain running down the arm if the cuff is over the jacket), they stay wet. The moisture inside the glove drastically reduces the amount of insulation the gloves/mittens provide, resulting in cold hands and fingers.

In contrast, the movement of air over the surface of the nylon shell of Helly Hansen Polar mittens results in any moisture in the mitten being drawn out and evaporated very quickly, such that there is never any build up of sweat and the mittens dry very quickly once it stops raining (and while it's raining, they are still warm when wet).

I wear mine with a cheap pair of very thin polypropylene liner gloves to provide a bit of extra warmth.

Buffalo pile and pertex mitts work on the same principal, but my impression is that pertex is not as robust as the the nylon shell of HH's Polar Mittens.

It looks like demand from former users of the mittens has prompted HH to make them again (something I suspect they might have been resistant to, because the Polar Mittens could undermine sales of their more expensive membrane gloves and mittens), albeit at the moment only in camouflage or grey rather than the traditional navy blue:

https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_gb/hh-polar-mittens-67753

https://www.asos.com/helly-hansen/helly-hansen-polar-mittens-in-green/prd/10202221?clr=green&SearchQuery=&cid=11854&gridcolumn=2&gridrow=1&gridsize=4&pge=1&pgesize=72&totalstyles=75

I've not seen the reissued version, which is described as "Water resistant, windproof and breathable", but presumably it still does not have a membrane.
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NUKe
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by NUKe »

mjr wrote:
NUKe wrote:Iwear a pair of manual handling gloves, they can be bought in DIY stores
https://www.demon-tweeks.com/sealey-ant ... &gclsrc=ds
I usually pay £2.99
they do for all but the absolute coldest weather at which point I either wear a liner glove or switch to my endure lobster mits. It really does depend on your tolerance to cold though

I've tried such things (not that exact model) but they don't keep my hands warm in typical winter winds even at about 5°c, so aren't much good for cycling in winter for me.

Hence my comment of it all depends on your own tolerance to cold.
I don't really get cold hands, so for me they are good down to freezing, I do find normal cycling winter gloves too warm. The lobster mitts for me are really a last option it has to be sub zero, otherwise they are just uncomfortably warm.
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Vorpal
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by Vorpal »

If cost is a concern, almost any lightweight winter glove will do, if you also invest in some merino glove liners. IMO, it's worth spending more on those, and getting something inexpensive for over them.

The merino glove liners will add insulation, and extend the cold range of the gloves. They also make it easy to adjust the amount of insulation if the cyclist and/or the weather warm up. Furthermore, it's possible to do quite alot in the glove liner that normally requires bare hands, if you get stuck with a mechanical or something, your hands won't be completely unprotected.

There are also technical liners that are quite good, but they are almost as a expensive as merino, and don't insulate as well when wet. The only disadvantage to merino glove liners is that you need to be bit careful with storage. I left mine in a bike bag in the cellar, and they got eaten by some moths or carpet beetles, or something.
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roubaixtuesday
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by roubaixtuesday »

On liner gloves, I have a pair of Gore synthetic liners, which I'd rate as warm as merino ones, and have very long cuffs, which is important. A quick google sems to show they're no longer available though.

My experience with merino liners is that they fall apart fairy soon and are normally too short in the cuff.

So I much prefer the synthetics.
gbnz
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by gbnz »

I use a pair of cheap fleece gloves (Nb. Upgraded the over year to sealskin). And on icy/windy days simply wear a pair of latex gloves inside to protect from wind. Though to be fair, the warm Britsih winters don't really cause an issue (Nb. A Canadian upbringing @ -35 helps :wink: )
whoof
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by whoof »

roubaixtuesday wrote:I've got a pair of the PlanetX crab claw style ones, which whilst feeling a bit cheap are very warm and surprisingly durable, now on their third winter. I think they're normally sub £20.


I used a pair of these last Winter. I keep them for the coldest days, such as when the 'Beast from the East' hit otherwise I find them too warm. You do loose a bit of dexterity but I find they keep my hands warm.
Fat tyre kicker
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by Fat tyre kicker »

Buffalo mitts are ace, warm when wet etc, in heavy rain/snow a pair of ex mil gore tex mitts
Over the top, these are cheap, can be bought in A1 condition for £7...only snag is a lack of
Dexterity, otherwise a pair of pogies ??
Eyebrox
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Re: Winter bike gloves

Post by Eyebrox »

I use edz merino gloves (£10) as a liner under a range of spring/autumn cycling gloves. Buy a new pair of the merino inners every year and use them as simple woollen gloves for walking, shopping, about town etc. Put them in a pocket and go with the outers if you're too warm mid-ride.
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