I’m a reasonably hardy cyclist and although I might not go out in a torrential rain storm I usually keep going through all sorts of weather (wind, rain, hail, snow etc.); today though I got beaten by the cold.

When I set of at 8am my Garmin was registering -4; I was wearing plenty of layers and gloves but within about 10 minutes (despite virtually no wind) my finger tips were so cold that the pain could almost have brought me to tears. I managed to keep going for about about an hour but after a brief stop started to feel somewhat nauseous and light headed (temps. were just above zero by then); since the remainder of my regular loop would have taken in a climb up Cheddar Gorge an at least another 2 hours of cycling, I gave up.

By the time I got hopm my hands were too numb to change gears in the front rings (I could just about manage the rear, but it was difficult) and I couldn’t feel the brake levers when I reached for them.

The thing is, -4 might be unusual for Somerset, but elsewhere (and I’ve seen folk on here post their snowy highlands of Scotlands pictures) -4 is probably considered balmy.

I was cold all over, but I don’t think that my core temperature was a problem, my hands on the other hand were dreadful. I was wearing Pearl Izumi winter gloves, but they clearly weren’t sufficient.

So, what gloves do I need to keep my hands toasty (I might be asking for the moon on a stick by not wanting anything too bulky and spacesuit like)?

Sorry, completely failed to spot the other post (which itself seems to have failed to spot and earlier one).

marmot evolution here. toasty even with blood like water, from warfarin.

https://marmot.com/products/details/evolution-glove

My Aldi lobster gloves were almost too warm this morning

Hmm, I can’t seem to find a UK supplier of Marmot Evolutions than have anything above a medium (I’d need L or XL).

I wear silk gloves underneath my long fingers summer gloves. £5 at decathlon.

When it’s -X°, especially on the road bike, you need to spent time moving your hands & fingers to ensure you’re getting blood flowing.

Pogies

http://www.hotpog.co.uk/

Then whatever thin gloves you want (or none at all).

Best MTB Winter Gloves | Group Test

+1 for Aldis winter gloves. My hands were also too warm this morning, although it was a only paltry minus one.
Bloody brilliant, they are!

I concur with scot routes.

You leave your hard fought image as a modern day dandy by your smoking jacket when you venture out with them though.

Sorry, completely failed to spot the other post (which itself seems to have failed to spot and earlier one).

The other thread isn’t asking for quite the same thing, subtle difference so we’ll let you off! 🙂

The thing is, -4 might be unusual for Somerset, but elsewhere (and I’ve seen folk on here post their snowy highlands of Scotlands pictures) -4 is probably considered balmy.

As you say, -4 here in Scotland is not particularly uncommon, but its still properly cold and is well in the realms of needing more bulky gloves.

I was cold all over

That certainly wont help – need to keep everything warm or circulation to the hands will be the first thing to suffer.

(despite virtually no wind)

At the risk of stating the obvious, when on the bike there is always wind when you are moving.

marmot evolution here. toasty even with blood like water, from warfarin.

https://marmot.com/products/details/evolution-glove

But the description describes them as light, windstopping and doesn’t mention type or amount of insulating material? The reviewer underneath uses them in mild weather?

The Aldi gloves are great sub zero.

However your difficulty will be getting hold of some.

Also they are way too hot and sweaty above zero

If you can’t stand Planet X their Crab claw gloves are great.

Cheers, Steve

I wore pogies for an winter arctic race – didn’t even bother with gloves on day 2, thin inner glove needed at most for -15/”C

As mentioned above a key thing is to be warm all over as hands / feet are the first to chill. Dress warm and moderate effort on the ups so you’re comfortably warm all the time. This morning my commute was -11C (I live in Canada 😀 )I was wearing 4 layers and just taking it gently. Sweating at cold temperatures isn’t a good idea.

Pogies work but I personally don’t like them on technical singletrack as I’ve this fear that they won’t release the hands in a crash (I’ve seen it happen) I use them for my commuter but not my winter bike.

For really cold conditions I’ve got a set of OR Altiheat heated gloves which work really well but they are expensive. Pearl Izumi are a bit of a running joke over here in that there definition of winter seems a tad optimistic. GoreWindstopper gloves are my normal riding glove of choice.

Thank’s for the suggestions; I’ll have a hunt around. I did feel rather poorly in the end and the 1 hour ride out (which was painful enough) turned into a dreadful, almost 2 hour, drudge back (then I had to stand in the garden for a while as my hands wouldn’t work and I couldn’t get my keys out to unlock the door!).

I find our PX crab hands too hot unless its well below zero.

Also they are way too hot and sweaty above zero

Not my experience, for me they’re fine up to about 8degrees.

I get cold hands really easily

I’ve got wrist warmers, helped a bit
I’ve got warm gloves, helped but still didn’t fix it, windchill is a bugger

Still struggling with the answer on drops, but on flat bars the answer is pogies. They look ridiculous but they work so damn well!

You saw pogies not release hands ? Did he have SPD hands

Benp1 – bar. Mitts for drop bar pogies.

When its properly cold and I’m not on a bike with pogies ie south of -10 I use marmot warmest gloves.

Between 0 and -10 I tend to just use some cold weather work gloves I got in Norway.

Windproof and propper submerge your hand in water waterproof and don’t turn into sweat boxes either. Tegera I think they are.

Nope – He had the 45NRTH Cobrafist ones. They’re quite industrial and he went down fast on ice. It’s almost certainly partly in my head but with my bar mitts I run them so they only just cover the gloves just in case.

Currently away from home for a while and missing my lobster claws which we didn’t think we would really need – but the evening commute is 4 miles all downhill (can literally freewheel the first 3 miles of it) and bloody cold especially for the fingers!

Seems like you can get pogies for drop bars. Might just have found myself a christmas present 🙂

I’ve been wearing some extremities thin liners, and my normal troy lee full finger gloves for sub zero days in the tweed valley. Seem fine for me.

Have a fat glove (POC Print) for prolonged riding along the road or such.

I’ve got a pair of Gore Bike Wear Windstopper Thermo gloves then if it gets really cold I slide a Hot Hands Handwarmer inside down onto the back of my hand.

Even if I don’t start out with the handwarmers I usually carry a pair in my pocket as they’re great for warming up if you end up with a mechanical and get really cold hands fixing it.