Warm cycling gloves for the cold six months
The first snow fell in Bavaria in mid-October. Not so pleasant for everyday cyclists, but authentic conditions for testing winter gloves in autumn. Once again, the motto was: tested on tour! Our team covered many kilometres in the city, in the countryside and in the mountains. And after use, the gloves had to survive various washes in the washing machine.
Cyclists are often regarded as robust and tough, but for most people, the fun stops when their fingers get clammy. Not to mention the resulting safety risk due to the lack of a good grip on the handlebars.
Cold weather makes the extremities freeze first. Added to this is the wind, which makes the air temperature feel much cooler on the skin than it actually is - the so-called wind chill effect. The effect is astounding: for example, at an outside temperature of eight degrees and a wind speed of 30 km/h, the perceived temperature is already two degrees below zero.
With the exception of a brief hot summer, glove weather often prevailed in the past season. Of course, this can vary greatly from person to person. It depends on the cyclist's individual perception of cold as well as the material combination, fit and workmanship of the glove. That's why there is no such thing as a winter glove for every situation. However, retailers do offer a wide range of variants, from thin, unlined softshell models to chunky ski gloves in disguise.
At temperatures of three to ten degrees, it is already too cool for most people to cycle without long-fingered gloves, but still too warm for the thick, padded winter models. Thinner versions are recommended for the so-called transitional period, which usually hits us in autumn and spring. However, these should have a windproof membrane, such as Windstopper or Windtex. The windproof membrane is combined with different base materials, such as a warming fleece or softshell material. The thin long-fingered models can usually withstand a light downpour, but are rarely waterproof during longer rides in the rain. The practical exception: the Craft Hybrid Weather model has a thin waterproof coating hidden in a barely visible pocket on the backhand. In the event of precipitation, the rain cover can be slipped over the fingers in the blink of an eye, transforming the glove into a mitten. The Deluge Glove from Endura is also thin and waterproof. However, the hands of waterproof models tend to sweat easily, especially when temperatures are not too cool.
The true winter glove prevents sensitive fingers from getting cold and stiff so quickly, even at temperatures below freezing. They are also windproof and waterproof to protect against all kinds of weather, from freezing rain to snowfall. If you want the hand warmers to be really cosy, an additional layer of insulation, e.g. Primaloft or Thinsulate, is incorporated. However, the thick thermal insulation also has disadvantages. The gloves can sometimes be quite bulky, which in turn limits the good, secure grip on the handlebars. The winter model that most reliably managed the balancing act between good thermal behaviour and decent grip in the test is the Vaude Tura Glove.
If you still tend to get cold fingers despite the voluminous insulation and windproof and waterproof membrane, you could add thin inner gloves made of silk or - even warmer - merino wool. And the last, but most expensive option would be a heated glove. Depending on the desired warmth, inserted batteries provide a cosy hand climate for up to ten hours.
The full-length article from issue 1/2014 is available as a free PDF download.
