How do you keep hands warm when raining?

ben@31

Went on the bike today. Raining all day. Once the gloves were saturated, game over. I've never ever had such cold hands, it was perhaps one of the most unpleasant experiences I've ever had. They were so numb with the cold I could not even feel the buckle to undo the strap on my cycling helmet.

My question is... How can I avoid this when its cold and wet? Even Gore-Tex gloves will become saturated at some point. I did consider diverting to Tesco and buying a pair of Marigolds.

slowmart

Inner merino gloves could be a solution or carry a second pair of gloves but I've never felt the need.

It's after a cafe stop which makes it worse but it usually settles down after 20 minutes or so. I usually up the pace so i have something else to complain/think about which usually works for me.

Anyway its spring in a month....... 8)

diy

Stop at a petrol station, grab a couple of diesel gloves and put them on under your gloves - Not great, but it will keep the cooling/evaporation effect of the wind on wet gloves from conducting heat away from your hands.

A couple of supermarket produce bags will do the same for your feet too (before your sox get wet. The key to riding in the rain is to keep the water away from your skin.

chris_bass

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

CYCLESPORT1

Piss on them

peat

Neoprene window-washers gloves are good if it's very wet from the outset.

I also tape up the vents on my helmet this time of year, keeps the rain out and the stops cold wind giving me a migraine.

Decent waterproof jacket (that's also breathable)

Sealskinz socks to keep the feet dry and toasty.

Legs... dunno. Not tried water repellant tights, but I often think i'd be better off in shorts when it's really wet.

schlepcycling

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

+1

bianchimoon

schlepcycling wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

+1

must admit my experience of neoprene gloves has been very poor, they were fine whilst I was climbing in the rain, but on the long decent that followed my hands have never been colder, as a caveat, it was a mtb ride on the yorkshire dales at sub zero temperatures, everyone else on the ride had normal gloves and they were fine. Could be that neoprene needs to be a lot tighter than the ones I had on to stop any cold air circulating and cooling the water.

ben@31

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

Are they scuba diving gloves ?

jazgill

schlepcycling wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

+1

+2

chris_bass

ben@31 wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

Are they scuba diving gloves ?

yeah, that kind of thing, not sure if they are a bit different though, wouldn't have thought they would be as thick.

schlepcycling

bianchimoon wrote:

schlepcycling wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

neoprene is your friend! the wetter it gets the warmer it gets!

Can get very sweaty if it isn't raining though.

+1

must admit my experience of neoprene gloves has been very poor, they were fine whilst I was climbing in the rain, but on the long decent that followed my hands have never been colder, as a caveat, it was a mtb ride on the yorkshire dales at sub zero temperatures, everyone else on the ride had normal gloves and they were fine. Could be that neoprene needs to be a lot tighter than the ones I had on to stop any cold air circulating and cooling the water.

I use these after much trial and error with so called waterproof gloves http://www.wiggle.co.uk/assos-raingloves-s7/ they are pricey but I've found them to be excellent.

giropaul

marigolds (with or without gloves over the top). Used to be (and may still be) in many pro riders' wet bags in the team cars.

pippi_langsamer-2

Latex-dipped neoprene gloves work best as they tend to repel the worst of the wind also. Check out C-Skins 2mm or 3mm versions in various kitesurf/ windsurf shops online.

ajkerr73

Castilli Diluvio

Warm wet hands in the rain, but can get a bit Abe Lincoln inside

stueys

I've got a pair of Specialized gloves that I liberally wash and spray in waterproofing at regular intervals. They will give up and start getting damp after 2 hours of pouring rain but, being honest, at that point I'm kinda with them if it's been torrential for that long.

For descents, my worse experience was coming down from Ventoux where the summit was -2 after climbing up in my gloves and hence, pretty wet with sweat inside. Hands lost all feeling. I don't think there is anything other than a change of gloves that will completely stop wet hands getting very chilled with prolonged wind chill. I had a pair of latex gloves I was using as liners which helped a bit but only gained more time before inevitable numb hands. Merino liners would be better i suspect as at least merino stays warm when wet. Ultimate answer is to have another pair of gloves in your back pocket.

Matthewfalle

Wave them in the air like you just don't care.

team47b

Matthewfalle wrote:

Wave them in the air like you just don't care.

I do this, it keeps your hands from getting too hot and it freaks out the other cyclists

You go out when it's raining? :shock:

deano79543

Don't buy any "cycling brand" gloves they're all over priced and poop in foul wet weather. Get a pair of (scuba diving) neoprene gloves of Ebay (i paid £13) and they are awesome in cold wet weather. I live at the foot of the mountains in South Wales and my hands never get cold in the diving gloves descending off the mountains in the wind and rain.