Alternative to Rapha Grand Tour gloves?

Kafka\'s Doll

Hello all,

The London commute is warming up already and I'm after a pair of gloves for warmer riding. The Daddyo seems to be Rapha's Grand Tour, but £80 is a bit steep. Is there anything similar (leather mitts, some cycle-specific padding) at a more reasonable price?

Thanks.

star_rover

I think Gore do a retro leather mitt as do Altura.

leguape

Gore RetroTech gloves are a suitable alternative. I'm not sure where stocks them but I seem to remember seeing them advertised on Chelmer Cycles site a while back.

john ponting

just about any London bike shop will sell sensible gloves ...

Evans (several branches)
Condor
Mosquito
Brick Lane

I'm running out as I don't live or cycle in London

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1284.php

TheHatter

If its retro and cheap you want then these from Nalini look good
http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=1818
and prendas offer great service in my experience.

abm

If you're a size small these look like a reasonable alternative at a better price

http://www.freshtripe.co.uk/Freshtripe/Leather%20Bits_files/Leather%20Gloves-1.JPG


abm

terongi

Beware of Rapha leather gloves. I have had the same problem with 2 different pairs.

I am a Rapha devotee. i have lots of their stuff - jerseys, armwarmers, baselayers.

I have had 2 pairs of leather gloves. After a few weeks of wear, the leather goes baggy. The first ones I bought were medium. I took them back to Rapha who said that I must have bought a size too large. They tell you to buy a size down for this reason. So for the second pair I got the smallest size i could fit my hand into without the use of a shoehorn. They went baggy after a few weeks as well. I haven't been back to Rapha with those ones yet.

This may be a feature of leather gloves generally. I wouldn't know. But be warned.

vanleapo

If it's just leather palms your after, then I'd go for the Adidas Adistar mitts.

http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/p ... ncy&id=GBP

The only problem with leather is that it has to be treated with a leather conditioner after it's been in the washing machine.

Rob Sallnow

I'm waiting for the summer Campag gear to make an appearance (usually mid-March) for some of their retro gloves

http://www.campagnolosportswear.com/rep ... -white.jpg

leguape

terongi wrote:

Beware of Rapha leather gloves. I have had the same problem with 2 different pairs.

I am a Rapha devotee. i have lots of their stuff - jerseys, armwarmers, baselayers.

I have had 2 pairs of leather gloves. After a few weeks of wear, the leather goes baggy. The first ones I bought were medium. I took them back to Rapha who said that I must have bought a size too large. They tell you to buy a size down for this reason. So for the second pair I got the smallest size i could fit my hand into without the use of a shoehorn. They went baggy after a few weeks as well. I haven't been back to Rapha with those ones yet.

This may be a feature of leather gloves generally. I wouldn't know. But be warned.

Real easy solution to that: wash them.

Put them on, wash hands with handwash as if you didn't have mitts on. take off, leave to almost dry on radiator then put them on to reshape them. It's pretty much what the instructions say and I've not had a problem with my criterium ones in nearly two years.

andrewc3142

Excellent gloves. Very, very pricey, although having said that outside winter I use mine every day for a long commute and they're still good. Before, I used to get the Spesh mitts or whatever was in the shop for about 20 quid and they'd fall apart after a couple of months so the Rapha ones work out the same or even cheaper in the long run.