There are multiple reasons to wear gloves when cycling, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional that competes in competitions. They are made up of several main parts. The palm, back (sometimes called “uppers”), cuffs, and fingers. For riding gloves, the palms are usually thicker and have some form of grip control included. Cuffs, the area that secures the glove to the wrist, should be adjustable to make sure it is neither too tight nor loose. Some gloves are fingerless, and others cover the entire hand.
Which glove is best for you will depend on what type of cycling you are doing. There are a few standard fabrics used for cycling gloves, including polyester, fleece, polypropylene, and acrylic. This article is going to describe the use of cycling gloves and the best ones for certain activities. Included is also a buyers guide and a comparison list of the best women’s cycling gloves on the market today.
Why Buy Cycling Gloves
You may be new to cycling or have only recently decided to look into getting some gloves. If you are still uncertain about whether you need to have gloves when riding, keep in mind that they are used for more than just keeping out the cold, although that is one of the advantages. Safety and comfort are both taken into account by glove designers.
Safety
While cycling, your hands are exposed to the ambient temperature and weather, which means that they can get quite cold quickly. Gloves help to keep the chill at bay during cold months and in less temperate climates. While riding in warmer areas, your palms may get sweaty, and that can lead to them slipping off the handlebars, potentially risking severe injury. However, gloves make this a non-issue by creating an absorption layer and providing grip. When mountain biking gloves also protect your hands from painful plants, splinters, etc. that might become embedded in your skin during a fall.
Comfort
Gripping the handlebars can get uncomfortable after long periods, during stunts, or while riding through rough terrain. The cushioning from a pair of gloves keeps your palm and fingers from developing painful calluses. Gloves will also assist in stopping you from overstressing your hands and fingers.
Comparison Guide to the Best Womens Cycling Gloves
We have searched for the best womens cycling gloves on the market today and listed them below. These include products that will be useful for every kind of riding (e.g., professional racing, road riding, recreational, etc.). The information is taken directly off the manufacturer’s websites to ensure accuracy. The list is broken up into full finger gloves and fingerless (i.e., mitts).
Fingerless Gloves (Mitts):
HTZPLOO
Materials: 55% polyester and 45% nylon
Best for Use: These are lightweight but provide sufficient protection against vibration and stress to be useful for on-road and off-road riding. They are ideal for everything from recreational leisurely riding to professional racing.
Features:
- Finger loops make it easy to remove them without turning them inside out
- The palm has anti-slip silicone gel for better grip and control
Sizes (Palm Width): Small (2.95-3.11″), Medium (3.11-3.34″), Large (3.34-3.74″), Extra Large (3.74-4.13″), 2 Extra Large (4.13-4.52″)
LuxoBike
Materials: Lycra, micro-suede
Best for Use: Good for protection and comfort, on-road cycling and recreational cycling. It is not sturdy enough to protect during gravity riding, enduro, stunts, etc. though there are absorption pads for some of the stress of riding, they will work for sedate mountain biking.
Features:
- Shock-absorbing pads
- Micro-suede palm
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
- Finger loops make it easy to remove them without turning them inside out
Sizes (Palm Width): Small (2.95-3.10″), Medium (3.10-3.35″), Large (3.35-3.75″), Extra Large (3.75-4.15″)
Tanluhu
Materials: Fiber towel cloth
Best for Use: These are great for sports, recreational, and professional cycling.
Features:
- Wear-resistant fabric
- The palm has anti-slip silicone gel for better grip and control
- Finger loops make it easy to remove them without turning them inside out
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
Sizes (Hand Circumference): Small (6.60-7.50″), Medium (7.50-8.30″), Large (8.30-9.09″), Extra Large
ROVOS
Materials: Lycra, spandex, and fiber towel cloth
Best for Use: These are light gloves and best for racing or leisurely recreational riding. They are an excellent all-around glove for activities, so if you do climbing and hiking in addition to biking, then these might be useful for you. They are designed to be multi-purpose.
Features:
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
- Finger buckles make it easy to remove them without turning them inside out
Sizes: Small to X-Large (specific dimensions not provided)
Terry
Materials: Synthetic Clarino suede and lycra
Best for Use: These do not feature gel padding under the thumb, so they are perfect for shorter rides but should not be used for long cycling routes as the thumb area will begin to fatigue and become uncomfortable. This is a non-issue for shorter recreational or sports rides. Great for hobby riding, mountain biking, and sports.
Features:
- Double-stitched gel and foam padding under pressure points
- Specifically made to lessen pressure on the ulnar nerve
- Synthetic suede palms
- Finger buckles make it easy to remove them without turning them inside out
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
Sizes: Extra Small – Large (specific dimensions not provided)
Full Finger Gloves:
LuxoBike
Materials: Micro-suede, lycra
Best for Use: These are specifically designed for mountain biking and can protect against some pretty heavy stresses.
Features:
- Touch screen recognition on both the thumb and index finger
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
- Micro-Suede on palm for added grip and control
- Shock-absorbing pads
- Wear resistance fabric
Sizes (Hand Circumference): Small (6.70″- 7.50″), Medium (7.50″- 8.25″), Large (8.25″- 9.00″), Extra Large (9.00″- 9.85″)
Cool Change
Materials: Microfiber and leather
Best for Use: These gloves are universally capable of providing superior care and comfort. They can be used for any kind of cycling along with other sports activities like hiking, fishing, and climbing.
Features:
- 30-Day return and 12 months replacement Warranty
- Reinforced leather and gel pad in palm
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
- The logo is reflective for enhanced visibility at night
Sizes (Palm Width): Small (6.69-7.48’’), Medium (7.48-8.66’’), Large (8.66-9.84’’), Extra Large(9.45- 10.24’’)
Pearl Izumi
Materials: 80% Polyamide and 20% Elastane
Best for Use: These are lightweight and best for recreational cycling and easy cross-country or mountain biking trails.
Features:
- Machine washable
- Touch screen recognition on both the thumb and index finger
- Slip-on fit with no resizing cuff
Sizes (Hand Circumference): Small (6.5″- 7.25″), Medium (7.25″- 8″), Large (8″- 8.75″), Extra Large (8.75″- 9.5″)
Giro
Materials: Polyester, nylon, and Clarino synthetic leather
Best for Use: This glove is designed for long rides and continuous wear. You can use it for any cycling activities. It offers superior control during mountain biking, freeriding, and other cycling that results in significant jarring movements. Also, these gloves are light enough to be used in professional cycling races.
Features:
- Hook-and-loop cuff closure
- Reinforced fingertips
- Touch screen recognition
- Soft thumb towel for mopping sweat
- Technogel pads for more excellent shock absorption
Sizes (Hand Circumference): Small (6.5″- 7.25″), Medium (7.25″- 8″), Large (8″- 8.7″), Extra Large (8.7″- 9.2″)
QEPAE
Materials: Polyester, cotton, and spandex
Best for Use: Best used in dry weather. These are excellent for recreational or light trail riding.
Features:
- Insides layered with composite velvet for comfort and warmth during the winter
- Wear-resistant and anti-slip fabric
- Buckle for conveniently taking glove on and off
Sizes (runs large): Medium (2.76- 3.15″), Large (3.15-3.54″), Extra Large (3.54-3.94″)
Buyer’s Guide: What You Need to Know about Cycling Gloves
If you are not sure which of the gloves listed above is best for you, do not worry. We will be providing a full breakdown of what benefits you can gain from purchasing certain types of gloves.
Which Brands for Your Riding Style
Some gloves are better suited to individual styles of biking, whether that be over a trail, road riding, or professional racing. Below are a handful of the brands and features that are ideal for the different types of cycling.
Mountain Biking
Enduro, downhill, and freeriding are included under this section. They all have in common the fact that the terrain being ridden over is more severe than most recreational, and racing riders will have to cover. Gloves can help absorb some of the shock from jarring movements. Gloves made for this type of riding will be better at protecting against impacts. They are usually thicker overall and made of sturdier materials.
If you take part in a riding sport or hobby that involves frequent falls (e.g., freeriding, enduro, mountain biking, etc.), then you will need gloves that can pad all the pressure points and provide that extra layer of protection. Here are a few brand names to look at when shopping for mountain biking or rougher terrain gloves.
Seibertron
This brand supplies some truly comfortable gloves that work overtime to protect the entire hand during rough riding.
FireLion
These gloves have thick gel pads to protect the palm during accidental spills on the mountain or track.
LuxoBike
The brand has an impressive range of gloves with a lot of useful features for more substantial riding sessions.
Professional Racing
Professional races often stretch over long distances, and gloves need to be able to provide protection and comfort for many hours at a time. Padding around pressure points to relieve nerve discomfort and also superior grip control is essential. Added features like a thumb swatch for wiping sweat are also useful. These are usually much lighter and have airier fabrics to allow the hand to breathe.
Pearl Izumi
This brand creates excellent lightweight, comfortable gloves for longer races and practice rides.
Inbike
There is a lot of palm protection in most of their gloves, but they are also made of lighter materials overall. Great for racing, recreational riding, and less stressful forms of mountain biking.
Tanluhu
You can get some of the best all-around gloves from this brand. They have everything you need to ride rough on the trails or spend long hours on the race route.
Fingerless Vs. Full Gloves
For anyone who has never bought cycling gloves before, it can be confusing to figure out which kind is actually the best for you and your favorite form of cycling. One choice you will need to make is between full finger gloves and fingerless.
Fingerless Cycling Gloves
Fingerless cycling gloves are often called mitts. These are great if you are riding in a warmer climate or want to have more control over your digits. It is also easier to manipulate digital devices using these gloves because even full finger gloves with touch screen capabilities will be unable to do things like unlocking your
phone with your thumbprint. If cycling in a way that leaves you at a higher risk for accidental falls, these may not be the best since they provide a less overall protective covering.
Full Cycling Gloves
When trail or gravity riding, there is a benefit to wearing full gloves, which includes protecting your hand and fingers from the elements and surface injury if you fall. Most mountain biking gloves will be full- fingered for warmth, added grip, and safety.
