I posted back in December asking about winter gloves after rather rashly going cycling in sub-zero temperatures and finding out that my gloves were rather lacking. After checking out some reviews and group tests online I bought a pair of Gore Element Urban gloves incorporating a Windcheater membrane; they had their first outing today.

I was registering -3 when I started out but this rose to +3 fairly quickly. The gloves seemed to keep keep the bulk of my hands warmer than the previous gloves throughout the ride but after just 10 minutes or so I was experiencing pretty much the same symptoms as previous, notably that my finger tips became incredibly cold and painful.

Coming back across the top of the Mendips the temperature was showing as +3 the whole time (although there was still plenty of frost and ice about) but the wind was stronger and very cold and the fingertip situation was almost unbearable (I spent quite some time trying to warm the up again before heading off home).

So what options are there for mitigating agonising fingertips? The new gloves are a good fit but I reckon that there’s just about room for a thin liner and was wondering what would be the best option (again it’s really just my fingertips that are the problem); I think that there are silk and Merino options but don’t know if there’d be a preferred option.

Any recommendations?

How warm is your core – just warm enough or toasty?

Warm enough I’d say (3 layers) although I could probably do with something around the face as that gets pretty cold too. My toes are still thawing out but never come close to the pain I get in my fingertips.

Were your fingertips the normal colour when you looked after the ride?. Any chance you did a tiny bit of damage in December that hasn’t quite recovered?

If your toes are cold enough to be ‘thawing out’ it suggests something still not right and body isn’t sending enough blood to extremities.

Can you give us a full kit list so we can see anywhere you may be losing heat? At -3 i’d not be surprised at all by frozen finger tips, but at +3 something seems not right.

The +3 was recorded by my Garmin’s thermometer which it tucked away under the nose of the saddle to keep it out of the wind (it may also pick up a bit of body heat and tends to read a degree or so higher whilst I’m riding than when I’m off the bike). I think that it was the bitterly cold wind (although not particularly strong) that did for my fingertips.

The fingertips were rather red when I removed my gloves (I don’t know whether this was blood trying to keep them warm). They certain weren’t white which would suggest a dodgy core temperature and the body pulling blood out of the extremities.

In terms of kit I must confess to not sporting a de rigueur outfit. I cycle for pleasure in casual clothes and was wearing jeans and trainers (with flats) but was wearing a proper cycling tee-shirt with a long sleeved cycling top on top of that and a cycling jacket (I’ve been known to wear a fleece jacket also).

As above the core felt fine as did my legs and arms; hands were good too bar the fingertips; may face could of done with wrapping up.

Windstopper is pretty much 100% windproof, so shouldn’t make any difference how strong or cold the wind is.
Try walking boots instead of trainers for warmer feet.

Now checking the other thread to see how often cycling jeans get washed 😛

Gripping the bars too tight will cause cold fingertips. Try relaxing a bit more and moving/flexing your fingers.

Alternative grip positions might help too. Cane Creek Ergo barends are worth a try and I’ve noticed a huge difference in finger temperature when using TOGS.

Oh, and try Pogies

As I get older I have more and more trouble keeping extremities warm. Even if I’m sweating I can still get numb fingers.

Good gloves are hard to find for cycling. Avoid the temptation to cram liners in as well if there isn’t space, if you haven’t got wriggle room then it’s worse.

I’m seriously considering the heated gloves that ekoi are selling..

Are the fingers long enough? If you only just have room for a thin liner the fingers (and thumb) may be too short, with your digits pressing against the ends. I have long thumbs and these usually suffer, until I bought a pair of Louis Garneau gloves from Evans that keep me toasty down to about -5, even without a liner. They were only a tenner…

Louis Garneau gel ex, ergo air

I suffer the same and even with a good core get very cold fingers
Have always used aldi winter gloves which are ok down to around 3 deg C for me but recently tried the specialized element 2.0 gloves after some good feedback on here.
At £45 and with gore windstopper outer and thinsulate insulation you would think they would be miles better than the Aldi’s in all honesty they are slightly better.
I do like the extended wrist section through.
Still getting cold fingers though, I even went one size up and tried my liners in on one sub zero ride and still had numb fingers.
I do find that if they start to go numb I can shake my arms and hands like crazy and this helps to get the warmth back.
Defiantly think there is nothing else to do other than pogies or try something to improve my circulation

As I get older I have more and more trouble keeping extremities warm.

I’ll be 50 this year so that may well play a part!

I guess that I’ve got nothing to lose trying a line.

Roll on the Spring!

I suffer from cold hands but don’t.

North Face Pamir Gloves are awesome – I’ve ridden them in sub-zero conditions, snow and biting winds and never suffered cold fingers.

If it goes really cold (-5 and below) I resort to split-finger gloves:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-road-windstopper-thermo-split-gloves/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360659452&kpid=5360659452&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=UK_PLA_Clothing&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7csF2ZWttaN_dc%7cpcrid%7c67090791662%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c5360659452uk

They have some downsides but I massively recommend the Glacier Gloves Perfect Curve. I have slightly bad circulation and I’ve tried loads of well regarded gloves, and never found anything else that’s even on the same page (I got some Fox Antifreezes, which one of the mags said were “too warm for almost all UK weather”, and got frostnip at bloody glentress!)

So anyway, they have some big downsides- they’re thick neoprene so they’re squishy, which affects feel and can be tiring. And because they’re totally waterproof, they don’t breathe at all, so in anything but cold weather your hands will sweat like mad. And all that sweat stays in there, meaning that unless you clean them regularily, they soon smell like death.

But! I’ll ignore all of that for warm fingers. Other gloves can keep me functional, these keep me comfortable. I probably couldn’t have done last year’s kinlochleven enduro without them…

PJay – Member

As I get older I have more and more trouble keeping extremities warm.

I’ll be 50 this year so that may well play a part[/quote]59 this year and I live in the frozen North. I guess I notice the cold a little more now but my methods above all work.

slightly bigger gloves, if you squash the padding then you get less insulation.

Keep your arms and wrists warm – I occasionally wear armwarmers with a long sleeve base layer and jacket as even though my core is hot and I’m sweating my arms are cold.

2 Pairs of glove – they get damp from sweat and become less effective over a ride. Nearly always carry 2 pairs in winter now as I suffer cold hands.

On the subject of sweating – don’t over glove, if your hands are too warm and the gloves not all that breathable they’ll get damp and cool down.

My favourite gloves are altura nightvision. They just seem to work for me. Tried more expensive high tech gloves and got no where. Silk liner if it is a little colder (<-5).