I’ve been wearing fingerless gloves for bicycling for a very long time. Originally these gloves were of the leather-palmed crochet-back variety which can still be bought at a reasonable price. But for five years or so now I’ve been using more contemporary gloves like the sort in the photo to the right.

 
Folks who aren’t cyclists have often asked why I wear gloves in hot weather, and the reason is easy: they help me keep a firm grip on the handlebars when I’m sweating heavily. Moreover, the leather (natural or synthetic) palms are padded and help absorb road shock, which in turn helps avoid exacerbating the tingling my hands often experience because I spend my working hours at a keyboard. There’s more. Many gloves are designed with an absorbent thumb or larger patch which is necessary for wiping sweat from your face. These patches have even come in handy to wipe drips from the other end, as well.

 

 
There’s another reason why cyclists wear special gloves, as I was given cause to remember not long ago. When I hit the road hard with my bike a little over a week ago, I had another reason to like cycling gloves. Check out this picture to see why:

 

 
See the abrasion on the palm of my glove? That could have been my skin, instead. In fact, I’d have lost a lot more skin than the glove lost in leather, because the leather’s more resistant to abrasion.

Not all cycling gloves have such generous padding or palms. I bought these gloves sight-unseen when they were on sale through one of the national cycling retailers:

 

 
The gloves aren’t uncomfortable for rides of less than a couple hours, but for longer trips I’d prefer something more like the Performance Bike gloves which took the fall. Unfortunately, those Performance gloves are all but sold out now, so I can’t replace them. If you find gloves you like, buy several pairs right away in case they disappear because of changing fashions.

 
Cycling while wearing bike gloves can lead to interesting tan patterns which are cause for alarm if you aren’t prepared. The circular opening on many gloves allows the back of your hand to tan (or burn) while the rest of your hand remains fish-belly white. These patches of darker skin look suspiciously like bruises, and when I had my first ones I puzzled for a week over what could be causing these contusions.

 
Despite the strange tan lines and perhaps odd appearance of cycling gloves, they’re an essential part of my riding kit, whether I’m going our for a short hop, or for a multi-day tour. They add to on-bike comfort, and they protect against road rash in the event of a skid. At less than 20 bucks a pair, I’d say these are great reasons to wear them.

 
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