For many cyclists, gloves are an indispensable piece of equipment. Besides fashion and sun protection, wearing gloves when cycling also offers many other benefits that you may not know.
Absorb hand sweat
When you ride a bike for a long time in hot weather, your palms will sweat a lot, giving a slippery feeling and reducing the grip between your hand and the handlebar. In case of impact or strong vibrations, your hand can slip off the handlebar.
Hand sweat combined with hot and humid weather also makes your grips or handlebar tape smelly if not cleaned regularly.
In addition, hand sweat is also a cause of rust on the handlebar and other components located on the handlebar.
Wearing gloves when cycling helps minimize the problems that sweaty hands can cause for you and your bike.
Absorb vibrations
Many gloves have gel or foam padding in the palm area. It helps to absorb vibrations that travel from the road, up through the bike fork, onto the handlebars, and eventually into your hands. On longer rides, these vibrations are the reason you feel hand fatigue which will eventually lead to a reduction in grip strength.
Most pads are positioned to canter your hands inward and to relieve pressure off your ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve runs down your arm and into the outer side of the palm of your hand. Extended pressure on the ulnar nerve is the most common cause of numbness and discomfort in your 4th and 5th finger when riding. By placing a pad under that position of your hand, you naturally angle your hand inward and even pressure across your palm and handlebar.
Reduce hand scratches during falls or accidents
Instinctively, we always tend to put our hands on the ground when we fall. Wearing gloves is a simple and effective way to reduce hand scratches during falls or accidents.
Use to wipe sweat like a towel
Most gloves use a terrycloth, or similar absorbent material, in the thumb area. This material is perfect to wipe away sweat before it drips into your eyes, to wipe you nose, or to clean your sunglasses.
UV protection
Gloves add the best barrier against potentially harmful UV light.
Protect hands from unexpected collision
Long finger gloves, traditionally used for off-road use, help to protect your full hand and fingers from tree branch strikes when riding through wooded areas.
