PBP - Gloves for extreme distances

[STMS]

I always find the padding in the wrong place? any suggestions other than extra bar tape etc.

[Feline]

Interested too. I would really love a pair of gloves that has uniform padding or gel in the curve between my thumb and first finger (where I tend to rest on the hoods). All my gel gloves have only padding on the palms, and some even have seams which can rub in the exact area I want to have padding. I was actually considering sticking a piece of Specialized Bar Phat gel to my hands in that place for PBP 

[LEE]

I have a pair of cheap, long-fingered, MTB gloves that I wear under mitts on some long distance rides.  There's almost no padding on them apart from double thickness suede but they solve the problem of rubbing where the stitching on your first finger meets the brake hood.

I also have double bar tape on my Audax bike.

Eventually I suspect PBP will take its toll on all my contact points but I want to delay the inevitable as long as possible. 

[Pip]

I can thoroughly recommend the KNOG Orca mitts for long distances. I've had Spesh BGs and various other brands, but the Knogs have gel which protects the central base part of the palm.

[vorsprung]

Last couple of rides on the new bike have been 300 & 400
Whilst hands are ok on shorter distances on these I had the start of bruising at the base of my palms.  I assume this is down to the geometry of the bike. 
I might try some more bar padding but the mitts I'm using (ozzo washable gel) have thick padding asit is

[Ian H]

There's no single answer. Changing the tilt of the bars and the position of the levers can reduce or alter pressure points. Get used to changing hand position frequently (it's easy to forget when you're tired, and integrated changers don't help).  Try to be ambidextrous when rifling back pockets or taking a swig. Get fit enough so that you can sustain a reasonably good power input - this reduces pressure on hands and bum.

Not sure whether you're discounting extra tape or padding on the bars, but that also will help. Function over form.

[gonzo]

Interested too. I would really love a pair of gloves that has uniform padding or gel in the curve between my thumb and first finger

Expensive, but consider the Rapha gloves that have padding here.

Also, another thought; why not have 2 different brands of gloves and switch occasionally such that you're changing pressure/pinch points?

[PloddinPedro]

................ Get fit enough so that you can sustain a reasonably good power input .................................................

So it's simple then!   If only!!!

[postie]

dont wear gloves,your hand will be ok i stopped wearing trackmitts in 1995!!
 didnt wear gloves my last 5 1000km+ rides.

[gonzo]

dont wear gloves,your hand will be ok i stopped wearing trackmitts in 1995!!
 didnt wear gloves my last 5 1000km+ rides.

With all due respect, everyone's hands are different; I'm quite happy riding with virtually zero padding on my gloves, but there are some guys who need lots (probably depending on the amount of weight you're supporting on the bars).

Also, in the case of a road crash, I'd rather be wearing gloves than a helmet!

edit - plus, without gloves, how do you get the cool tan lines?

[Feline]

Interested too. I would really love a pair of gloves that has uniform padding or gel in the curve between my thumb and first finger

Expensive, but consider the Rapha gloves that have padding here.

Also, another thought; why not have 2 different brands of gloves and switch occasionally such that you're changing pressure/pinch points?

Thanks for the info ... *dashes off to check Rapha website*

[Ian H]

................ Get fit enough so that you can sustain a reasonably good power input .................................................

So it's simple then!   If only!!!

What are you, a Daily Mail reporter, with your selective quoting?

[Ian H]

dont wear gloves,your hand will be ok i stopped wearing trackmitts in 1995!!
 didnt wear gloves my last 5 1000km+ rides.

Might have worked for me twenty years ago.

[Feline]

I forgot to take my gloves on a ride a couple of weeks ago and found it felt pretty comfortable (because I have Bar Phat padding under the tape on my ergo bars). I did however feel pretty vulnerable in a potential falling off sense. Maybe going gloveless and lidless will be the ultimate in making me uber-careful not to crash 

[mattc]

Also, in the case of a road crash, I'd rather be wearing gloves than a helmet!

+1

(Although postie isn't the only high-mileage AUK who goes without. Hmm ... )

[PloddinPedro]

................ Get fit enough so that you can sustain a reasonably good power input .................................................

So it's simple then!   If only!!!

What are you, a Daily Mail reporter, with your selective quoting?

Tis the only the only way to win an argument!

[Feline]

Hmmm I am seriously wanting these



I wonder how hideously impractical the white ones would be ...

[gonzo]

Hmmm I am seriously wanting these



I wonder how hideously impractical the white ones would be ...

If you want, I'll swap you them for my black ones!

[Sergeant Pluck]

Hmmm I am seriously wanting these

I've had a pair of a slightly older version of these - as far as I can see from the Rapha photos the design is identical.
Yes, there are areas of padding for the thumb and forefinger that are good for brake hoods, but there is no padding right between the two (the part that needs it most). There is leather in that bit, yes, but no padding. Also, there is a seam running across there that warrants a close look and a try on prior to extracting your credit card.

When they get wet, they are very slippery on the bars, and they take a while to dry out.  

To take them off, you need to peel them off inside out, so it takes a few seconds to put them the right way round before you put them on again.

I like mine, but they are not the best idea for a seriously long ride like PBP IMO.

[Feline]

Hmmm I am seriously wanting these

I've had a pair of a slightly older version of these - as far as I can see from the Rapha photos the design is identical.
Yes, there are areas of padding for the thumb and forefinger that are good for brake hoods, but there is no padding right between the two (the part that needs it most). There is leather in that bit, yes, but no padding. Also, there is a seam running across there that warrants a close look and a try on prior to extracting your credit card.

When they get wet, they are very slippery on the bars, and they take a while to dry out.  

To take them off, you need to peel them off inside out, so it takes a few seconds to put them the right way round before you put them on again.

I like mine, but they are not the best idea for a seriously long ride like PBP IMO.

Oh
Well when I am in London for the Dun Run I will go to Condor and try a pair on I think, £100 is a lot to shell out if they are not a perfect fit for me, and they don't make a female specific size either.

[gonzo]

Also, there is a seam running across there that warrants a close look and a try on prior to extracting your credit card.

Yeah, I had some strange seams in mine. The annoying ones were the holes on the knuckles that cut my hands up until they were broken in (my knuckles that is). Still, now I don't have any problems with seams.

To take them off, you need to peel them off inside out, so it takes a few seconds to put them the right way round before you put them on again.

I haven't found that since I broke them in FWIW.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Oh, I'm looking at the women's version here:

http://www.rapha.cc/womens-grand-tour-gloves

Definitely need to be tried on or be prepared to send them back for another size: they need to be a bit tight when new, but not too tight as they only stretch so much.

[marcusjb]

Just breaking in a pair currently. They are very comfy so far. First super long ride next weekend on the hailsham 400, so we will see how they go. They were totally out of White when I got them, so have black ones.

Give you very odd tan patterns on the knuckles though!

Been impressed so far though, I have had real problems between thumb and finger, and these don't seem to beat me up so much.

[Feline]

Do you think the white ones will start to look tatty and stained with age or would they be wipeable with baby wipes or similar to get oil off?

[Ian H]

Do you think the white ones will start to look tatty and stained with age or would they be wipeable with baby wipes or similar to get oil off?

Buy two pairs and keep one for best.