How many of us wear gloves to commute and why?

bigbelly

Hi, I'm doing some market research and wanted to gauge how many commuters wear gloves when commuting?

Do you wear gloves according to temperature, weather or a matter of course?

I know there are many different types of gloves, from padded to high visibility, full finger, short finger... at the moment just interested in "commuting" gloves and what that means to you.

Herbie The Dog

Always...full finger when cold, short when not.

edhornby

I think your options need a rethink - I wear short finger in the summer and long finger in the winter (went for short finger because I wear them more than the winter gloves)

reason being that it's more comfortable and also road rash protection in the event of an accident. Also motorists see the bright coloured glove on the end of a hand when signalling

nwallace

Not wearing gloves is like not wearing a seat belt, bloody uncomfortable.

shm_uk

I wear full-finger gloves as a matter of course, for the following reasons:

1. Habit
2. Better and more consistent grip than not wearing gloves, esp. in the wet.
3. Ideal for wiping sweat from my eyes
4. Also useful for blowing nose into
5. If I come off the bike, they're a bit of protection

Only drawback is, in the summer I get those stupid tan-lines on my wrists... brown arms, white hands... looks ridiculous

asprilla

shm_uk wrote:

I wear full-finger gloves as a matter of course, for the following reasons:

1. Habit
2. Better and more consistent grip than not wearing gloves, esp. in the wet.
3. Ideal for wiping sweat from my eyes
4. Also useful for blowing nose into
5. If I come off the bike, they're a bit of protection

Only drawback is, in the summer I get those stupid tan-lines on my wrists... brown arms, white hands... looks ridiculous

What he said, but I wear short finger in the summer and long finder in the winter.

bigbelly

edhornby wrote:

I think your options need a rethink - I wear short finger in the summer and long finger in the winter (went for short finger because I wear them more than the winter gloves)

reason being that it's more comfortable and also road rash protection in the event of an accident. Also motorists see the bright coloured glove on the end of a hand when signalling

I was (for a short while) thinking of that but realised the poll would be very long indeed to cover winter / summer questions. I have left it to you guys as I reckon you will vote for whatever you instinctively use the most.

Thanks for the comments though.. the reasons why you wear them are the very points that I wear mine too.

wgwarburton

Hi,
I wear gloves when it's cold enough that going without is uncomfortable.

The rest of the time I don't want the hassle. I don't like to dress-up to ride a bike, my hands tend to get hot anyway and I'd rather not faff about with them.

Cheers,
W.

The Rookie

Short finger by default, long (with extra insulation and longer at the wrist) when its cold, more comfortable and helps protect your hands if you have an 'incident'.

Simon

downfader

Then to throw another coin in the purse some of us wear gloves because they provide extra padding due to wrist problems....

Soooo many variables.

SmellTheGlove

Always fragrantly gloved here...

Short or long depending on weather conditions, however always for protection in case of spills. Doesn't happen often but I don't fancy picking debris out of my palms.

Eyes on Giro DJs now my Tesco special long finger jobs are disintegrating.

rjsterry

Mitts unless it's cold, then one or other long fingered pair depending on exactly how cold. Wear them for protection in case of a tumble (can't work without functioning hands) and for the extra padding.

lardboy

I always, always, always wear gloves. Even if it's a quick run up the hill to Tescos for milk, I will grab gloves. I carry a pair of Lidl cheapos in my work bag in case I take a Boris bike for a spin. I think it comes from riding a motorbike for a few years before getting back on a bike; it's just habit so much that it feels wrong if I don't have them.

As for which style, I will use short finger mitts until it's cold enough, then switch to Gore windstoppers then full on winter gloves as it gets colder.

tomb353

i'm in newcastle, its october......... course i'm wearing f'ing gloves (switched to winter ones a week or so ago).

unixnerd

I wear full finger gloves when it's cold or if I'm mtb'ing on rough terrain.

Had a nasty argument with a kerb once and was damn glad I had my gloves on, rest of my arm wasn't so lucky.

MichaelW

I was knocked off my bike once when wearing leather-palm mitts. The downhill slide took 1mm of leather off my palms.

thecrofter

I always wear my fingerless gloves (for comfort and protection) and when it starts getting chilly, like now, I have to wear full gloves over the top of them. My right thumg for some reason gets extremely cold and painful. Maybe I should move to a warmer climate.

Wallace1492

Not enough choices!! I wear gloves as a matter of course, and depending on weather/temperature will be full or fingerless. I chose full as I am wearing them today, though only a lighter glove as it is still pretty warm, but a slight chill at 7am some mornings. At night is fine, and fingerless would do, but cant be bothered taking a pair in for way home, and just wear the finger ones.

godders1

Long in the winter and short in the summer. My commute is relatively short but up a gert big 'ill so my hands get sweaty. Tried it without once and near the top I didn't feel in control at all. :?

redvee

I wear full finger Specialised gloves all year round, never found them too hot in the summer. Might grab the same but in short finger when I have the cash to justify it and it coincides with Evans having them in stock.

Zachariah

Short fingered high-vis for comfort and safety.

For a few days I left them at home after washing them. Felt oddly naked while riding.

Radioactiveman

Short fingered in summer - I like the skin to stay on my hands in a crash

long fingered in spring/autumn - dont like being cold

Whnter gloves - stop my fingers from falling off

cjcp

Asprilla wrote:

shm_uk wrote:

I wear full-finger gloves as a matter of course, for the following reasons:

1. Habit
2. Better and more consistent grip than not wearing gloves, esp. in the wet.
3. Ideal for wiping sweat from my eyes
4. Also useful for blowing nose into
5. If I come off the bike, they're a bit of protection

Only drawback is, in the summer I get those stupid tan-lines on my wrists... brown arms, white hands... looks ridiculous

What he said, but I wear short finger in the summer and long finder in the winter.

+2

wgwarburton

Hi,
You guys must crash a LOT! :-)

I rarely come off my bike and occasionally pick up a graze or scratch when I do... hardly a risk worth dressing for, I feel.

Maybe you should be more careful!

Cheers,
W.

PS Maybe that's why helmets are so popular.. cause or effect, I wonder?

Jay dubbleU

cjcp wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

shm_uk wrote:

I wear full-finger gloves as a matter of course, for the following reasons:

1. Habit
2. Better and more consistent grip than not wearing gloves, esp. in the wet.
3. Ideal for wiping sweat from my eyes
4. Also useful for blowing nose into
5. If I come off the bike, they're a bit of protection

Only drawback is, in the summer I get those stupid tan-lines on my wrists... brown arms, white hands... looks ridiculous

What he said, but I wear short finger in the summer and long finder in the winter.

+2

Wot they said

roger_merriman

I wear gloves when wet, as the cheap qripshift, tends to get slippery and jam when wet, so full gloves help me grip the shifters so I don't end up struggling with gears.

cyclopsbiker

fingerless gloves most of the time, exception is when its really hot. I wear them mainly for protection in case I come off but since I have started wearing them I find they're much nicer in the rain. will be getting a pair of full finger ones soon for the colder days

Radioactiveman

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
You guys must crash a LOT! :-)

I rarely come off my bike and occasionally pick up a graze or scratch when I do... hardly a risk worth dressing for, I feel.

Maybe you should be more careful!

Cheers,
W.

PS Maybe that's why helmets are so popular.. cause or effect, I wonder?

Guessing many of us do a bit more than just the normal commute. i.e road biking,mountain biking etc and get that used to the gear and we generally continue it into commuting.

1 crash a year is normal for me commuting. Either through ice or wet leaves/white lines or dodging cars poking out of junctions when they shouldn't be. Coming off at a decent speed hurts and if you have ever lost a decent amount of skin on your hands you will know it hurts like hell.

dwaynedibley

Always wear gloves here. Had a couple of 'offs' when younger and picking 1/4" wide lumps of gravel from underneath your skin is bloody uncomfortable and not an experience i wish to suffer again should i 'off'! :shock:

bigbelly

Thanks for all your replies so far. I'm getting great comments. I have also posted similar question in the road bike cake stop section. I figure commuting and recreational riders aren't fully overlapping groups.

Phate

Always wear full finger gloves for a few reasons

Roads in edinburgh are murder so the padding helps me to be able to have use of my hands when I get to work

Edinburgh is generally cold no matter summer or winter

Don't fancy being covered in oil after fixing a puncture

Have more feel and grip on the handlebars

Don't like having a nurse scrub gravel out of my hands with a wire brush and dettol