What brand of riding gloves should I purchase?

Question

I need A LOT of gel padding. I am a big guy, and I sometimes go for 20+ mile rides. I've been looking around online, and there are a lot of brands that claim to provide comfort and protection from numbness, but they can say that all day. Any personal experiences with a great, no-numbness, gel riding glove?

Answer 1

Specialized do nice Body Geometry gloves, loads of gel padding.

Personally, I just use a cheap pair of Nike mitts

Answer 2

I don't go in for fancy expensive gloves because I find that if I'm cycling long distances some degree of cramp and numbness is inevitable. I just use ordinary cycling gloves and put up with the slight discomfort.

Answer 3

Focus on fit first, padding second, and construction quality....well, that ties for second place.  

Check out the Specialized gloves.  I've had several pairs of those and they're always comfortable and well made.  If you look in the closeout specials section on the Specialized website, you might be able to find a good deal....otherwise, they're a little pricey in the bike shops.   They really are nice gloves, though, and the special ulnar nerve padding on the outside of the palm does help quite a bit with that type of numbness.

Honestly, glove padding is a band-aid solution to problems like tingling or numbness.  The problem more likely lies in the fit of your bike or the cockpit components/setup that you have.  Gloves help any rider of any weight going any distance, in a number of ways, but just keep in mind that they aren't always a solution to numbness.  

Other things to look at are your riding skills/style.  Some people really grip tight on the bars and/or constantly ride with a finger or two on the brake levers.  If your trails require that you do these things, then try to loosen up your grip and take pressure off of the heels of your hands whenever possible.  If you can ride one handed for a second (safely), then take your hand off the bar, bend your elbow and make a fist or wiggle your fingers.  Bar ends aren't a bad idea, but most people don't use them anymore for various good reasons....but if they help, put a pair of them on your bars!

Another option is the Ergon grips, and the Specialized BG grips.....they have a little more contact patch for your palm and some people love them.  Others hate them, though, because they can affect your grip on the brakes over rough ground or on downhills.   Also, you might consider a higher rise stem and/or bars with a higher rise or sweep angle.

Back to the gloves.  Try on several brands and models of gloves....they all fit very differently and some of them thankfully take the time to make non-chafing seams and give thought to proper placement of the padding.  

Other good brands that I've had a good fit and comfort with are 661, Fox (try 'em on first), Serfas, Dakine, and Pearl Izumi (although I don't like their current gloves nearly as much as what they offered in years past).   The Louis Garneau gloves are nice, too, but they didn't fit my hands quite as well as others...good gloves, though.  

Hope this helps some....good luck!

Answer 4

I love this question,and here's why.

I have been searching for a pair of pigskin palmed,crocheted [cro-sheyed]back road riding glove for a long time.They were the best and I have not seen a pair for over ten years.The foam padding was stuffed in so good that they lasted me untill my puppy ate them after 8 years of riding.

When getting a comfort zone for your hands you must consider three things or more.

The glove,the handlebar,the grips and then the stem.

They are all factors in comfort.

The best grips I ever had for shock absorption were Ritchey Logic .Odi had a great one way back too.[I think it was called the waffle grip,perhaps]

The best bar for comfort has always been a quality cromo steel bar.

My welded brace Bontrager steel Crowbar riser I would not sell for any price.A titanium bar is great too.

A steel stem made by Salsa might help,and Titanium is good too.The length and rise of the stem are very important.

If you take an old gel seat pad cover[most have layered gel foam in it]You can take any glove and get a seamstress to sew in the gel to help you.

Another way is to find a set of Lizard Skinz shock boots and use them over your existing grips.They are neoprene but that a swell product too.

Also,try a motorcycle shop,they have a bunch of great grips that are great for your needs.

Good luck and I hope that  I have been of some assistance

Answer 5

personally, i find i do better with just a plain padded glove.  gels tend to wad up in time as the gel has a tendency to deform in my experience.  i like pearl izumi standard gloves.  i have used performance and nashbar gels as well as spenco and some others.  they were okay, but over time i came to like the non gel ones.

Answer 6

I bought so from bell for about $20 and they are great I ride 30-40 miles a day with them

Answer 7

I use Performance's cheapest, and rarely ride for as little as 20 miles.  

The solution to the problem is hand positions.  Have as many as possible, and change often.   Get bar ends, if you don't have them already (MTB),  or if you have drop bars, make sure your brake hoods are in a usable position.   Aerobars are another option, even on an MTB or hybrid.   They let you take ALL the weight off your hands.