Winter Gloves.. is it possible to have toasty fingers

blackstar500

One area I have really struggled with is numb cold fingers when cycling in winter. Yesterday I believe the temp dipped below 0 down to -3 degrees.

My Current step up is the Aldi Winter Windproof and Waterproof Cycling gloves lined with B'TWIN 100 WINTER CYCLING FLEECE GLOVES .. This set up currently works if the temp is between 37 to 40's .. Anything under that is asking for trouble

My question, is it really possible to have toasty fingers when winter cycling 3 degrees down or it is just case of reducing the level of numbness to a manageable state

I am considering lobster gloves .. Maybe fingers bunched together will make any difference

I am tried of buying the wrong gear.. Hopefully someone will help me

FishFish

Have a look at Dachstein Mitts - maybe on Amazon.

mrb123

Yes, lobsters are the answer.

TriHarri

I have some btwin gloves that cost about 20 quid from decathlon (in a fetching shade of turquoise; my brother has them in black though). They're pretty waterproof and I've used them down to -20C!

edit: just checked the website and they don't seem to do them any more - they were similar to the winter 500 ones but I've tried those and they're not as good sorry!

sloppyschleckonds

Assos S7 were fine yesterday at 39 degrees f

sungod

depends on the rest of your clothing and level of effort

if you are losing heat overall, extremities are allowed to chill to help maintain core temperature, aside from heated gloves or unfeasibly effective insulation (for cycling gloves), you'll get cold fingers even in 'winter' gloves

if you are wearing enough and generating enough heat to protect your core, blood flow to the extremities will be unrestricted to help dump excess heat, your fingers will stay warm with gloves

redvision

sungod wrote:

depends on the rest of your clothing and level of effort

if you are losing heat overall, extremities are allowed to chill to help maintain core temperature, aside from heated gloves or unfeasibly effective insulation (for cycling gloves), you'll get cold fingers even in 'winter' gloves

if you are wearing enough and generating enough heat to protect your core, blood flow to the extremities will be unrestricted to help dump excess heat, your fingers will stay warm with gloves

This.

Lobster gloves are great but only if your core is sufficiently insulated.

blackstar500

sungod wrote:

depends on the rest of your clothing and level of effort

if you are losing heat overall, extremities are allowed to chill to help maintain core temperature, aside from heated gloves or unfeasibly effective insulation (for cycling gloves), you'll get cold fingers even in 'winter' gloves

if you are wearing enough and generating enough heat to protect your core, blood flow to the extremities will be unrestricted to help dump excess heat, your fingers will stay warm with gloves

Been working on that for a while now. Making sure my core is well covered ... Most times I have my head, ears, toes, neck all covered .. Is an average speed of 15mph enough to generate the necessary body heat /exertion

Yesterday I had on a long sleeve baselayer and softshell Men's Winter Cycling Jacket + Winter BIB TIGHTS + plus the above

Every else was toasty except my fingers .. although I had some dexterity ... Once I nail this fingers issue . I will be sorted and able to enjoy my commute or maybe my expectation is greater than what can really be achieved .. ( Happy to spend money if it will solve my issue)

Rossos

I alternate on my daily commute between a motorbike & a road bike (cycle).
I’ve tried various gloves for my cycle & sometimes my core is at furnace levels yet I still can’t feel my fingers.
Tried using my heated Gerbing motorcycle gloves for my -3 cycle commute a couple of weeks ago & finally I’ve nailed it. I thought they would be too bulky to use the brakes & shifters etc but no such problems.
They are truly fantastic.

sungod

blackstar500 wrote:

...
Been working on that for a while now. Making sure my core is well covered ... Most times I have my head, ears, toes, neck all covered .. Is an average speed of 15mph enough to generate the necessary body heat /exertion
...

going uphill perhaps, but not on the flat - if i'm just doing laps around the park i need to be going much faster to be warm, average is around 23-25 mph, from cold it takes around 15 minutes to reach the point my fingers warm up

everyone is different, but at lower effort it will take longer to warm up, even if you're wearing plenty you still lose heat breathing cold air

cougie

Depends on the person. 15mph might be flat out for some.

Put some effort into the ride and you'll be warmer than if you're pootling. And I find it easier to warm up spinning a smaller gear rather than grinding a big gear.

de_sisti

TriHarri wrote:

I have some btwin gloves that cost about 20 quid from decathlon ........... They're pretty waterproof and I've used them down to -20C!

Cycling in the UK? The UK very rarely has seen those sort of temperatures.

the_rover

I had the same issue and bought some of these, not 100% on the waterproof claims but perfect at the temps you mention.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sealskinz-winter-cycle-gloves/

Another way foward is layers, I often wear some merino liners under some gore wind proof gloves.

antonyfromoz

Lobster gloves definitely help as do layers but the ultimate is probably some bar mitts or similar, although they do limit your hand positions - have a look at www.barmitts.com but i think others make these too

charlie_potatoes

Those Lobster gloves will make you look like Zoidberg.

Here is the answer.........

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Sealskinz-Extr ... IaYfD_BwE#

blackstar500

antonyfromoz wrote:

Lobster gloves definitely help as do layers but the ultimate is probably some bar mitts or similar, although they do limit your hand positions - have a look at http://www.barmitts.com but i think others make these too

Lol..Absolute no no ... Never meet anyone using this.
One will look like a complete Muppet

cougie

We go out wearing skin tight lycra. A set of bar mitts can't make us look much sillier.

milemuncher1

The set up you describe is pretty much the set up I use. Anything below about -4 C, and there isn’t much you can do to stop the stingy finger problem, other than opt for battery powered heater matrix gloves, which tend to be too bulky for road bike use. If you add more gloves, to your set up, you just end up squashing your fingers, which doesn’t help. You need layers of trapped air, without constricting blood flow for the multi glove approach to work.

antonyfromoz

cougie wrote:

We go out wearing skin tight lycra. A set of bar mitts can't make us look much sillier.

It obviously depends on the value you place on looking pro as against commuting in comfort and possibly increased safety. When I am riding I don't tend to worry too much about the opinions of others about my appearance and certainly wouldn't make a decision on that basis. Personally I wear lobster gloves from GripGrab but I have thought about the mitts.

charlie_potatoes

antonyfromoz wrote:

cougie wrote:

We go out wearing skin tight lycra. A set of bar mitts can't make us look much sillier.

It obviously depends on the value you place on looking pro as against commuting in comfort and possibly increased safety. When I am riding I don't tend to worry too much about the opinions of others about my appearance and certainly wouldn't make a decision on that basis. Personally I wear lobster gloves from GripGrab but I have thought about the mitts.

No it doesn't. I refer you to my previous reply.

Rossos

Milemuncher1 wrote:

The set up you describe is pretty much the set up I use. Anything below about -4 C, and there isn’t much you can do to stop the stingy finger problem, other than opt for battery powered heater matrix gloves, which tend to be too bulky for road bike use. If you add more gloves, to your set up, you just end up squashing your fingers, which doesn’t help. You need layers of trapped air, without constricting blood flow for the multi glove approach to work.

Battery power ones are now used daily & no problems with size.
Job jobbed.

Freeway

I learned from downhill skiing that mittens are the answer. I went through ten pairs of gloves looking for a solution to no avail. It’s the finger to finger contact that does it and toasty is the perfect word to describe it. It is seriously night and day.

fat daddy

I have never come close to getting cold fingers in Lobster gloves .. and I commute all weathers from snow, ice, rain, gales .. even had hail.

BUT !!!! ...... I do struggle with changing gear a few times each ride as the gloves are bulky and fowl on the shifters .... this is 105 and planet-x lobster ... not tried with other shifters as they are on the summer bikes

never had an issue with the MTBs though, even with the 1-finger brakes

paul_the_pedaller

fat daddy wrote:

I have never come close to getting cold fingers in Lobster gloves .. and I commute all weathers from snow, ice, rain, gales .. even had hail.

BUT !!!! ...... I do struggle with changing gear a few times each ride as the gloves are bulky and fowl on the shifters .... this is 105 and planet-x lobster ... not tried with other shifters as they are on the summer bikes

never had an issue with the MTBs though, even with the 1-finger brakes

Same gloves, same problem. Extremely warm but tricky to change up gear I have found, changing down not too bad.

Freeway

I wonder if these are easier to shift with having only the one finger free
https://shop.mavic.com/en-int/ksyrium-p ... d5629.html

Tiesetrotter

Never had a problem changing gears with my mitts, both with Potenza and Record. All very simple.

stavgold

I find lobster gloves are good but when it gets really cold I put on BarMits that are neoprene covers that go over the brake levers. They look ridiculous but sometimes needs must. http://www.barmitts.com/new/road-mitt_lg.jpg

ayjaycee

fat daddy wrote:

fowl on the shifters ....

It must be very wet weather if you get fowl on the shifters. I’m surprised that they don’t foul the shifters.

Sorry, couldn’t resist!

grenw

Have just put my winter gloves on ebay. They are too warm for me - sweaty hands unless it's sub zero and I never ride at those temperatures on the road bike. Castelli Estremos.

scott_w1987

As I said on the recent topic about cold feet, it all depends on the person... It's all well and good recommending stuff that works for yourself, but I've tried various glove combos and still have no luck. I can't be bothered sinking hundreds of pounds into buying gloves after gloves only to discover none of them work better than the last pair.

My most recent attempt was buying some Galibier barrier gloves, rated to cold fairly cold temperatures with some great reviews. But they are absolutely useless for me... Although marginally better than my last pair and they were only £23, so I'll manage to get through winter in them. Four or five hours at 0 degrees is a grim amount of time on the bike, but needs must.

I have a friend that also suffers cold hands and swears by Estremos, but I'm not sure I can justify the £60-80 to find out they are no good...

What size are your Estremos GrenW?

svetty

Merino wool inner gloves and Assos Fugu on top. Warm hands down to -2 ish. Any colder and it's full skiing gloves and clumsy shifting......