When it comes to summer cycling gloves—and appropriate weather has finally arrived to forego winter gloves—I’m a big fan of traditional fingerless leather and cotton crochet hand armour.
I’ve sought out this style for more decades than I care to ponder, stocking them at many of the bike shops where I worked. The pair illustrated above (with Mamiyaflex 6X6 camera and Ilford Pan F Plus developed in Perceptol) were the best specimen I have ever owned.
The best examples (over the decades) seem to be made in Pakistan. Unfortunately, the quality of the leather and padding seem to have declined—at least in the ones I’m seeing in local shops—in recent years.
I’m holding on to the last “bombproof” pair I own, though they have acquired a certain ripe nose.
As you can see in the illustration below, the palm leather is real and substantial. I can guarantee, from selfless personal stress testing, that such material will save your hide in case of spills.
Though I suffered a badly bruised palm from a 70 kp/h “endo” on a logging road some years back, I hate to think what my hand would have looked like were it not for the protection of similar gloves.
The very gloves pictured here saved my palms during a 50kp/h wipeout that saw me slide the width of the road, into the gravel shoulder. Only one fingertip wore through to the meaty bits. Oh, and my favourite bibs were shredded, along with my hip.
They are also survivors of my worst cycling debacle. But for some lost stitching, they remain intact—which is more than can be said for this grizzled senior cyclist.
I know some people don’t like a lot of padding in their gloves and some cyclists forego the use of gloves completely. This article is not for them.
On long brevets and bumpy roads, my ulnar nerves signal their appreciation for the extra insulation. As above, should my skills or fate fail me, I have a second skin between me and the road.
The palms of these gloves can be cared for in a similar manner to leather saddles. I hand wash them occasionally (to combat the aforementioned odour), use saddle soap and Brooks Proofide. Most recently, I tried out some products bought to care for my leather jacket.
The cotton back is, to my mind, more comfy on hot days than synthetics, though you may find yourself with a spotty tan.
Poking around the Interwebs I notice there are a few interesting examples on offer (e.g. Bike Nashbar) that look somewhat more serviceable than what I’m seeing locally.
What kind of summer cycling gloves do you love?
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