Once you get used to riding without gloves, it’s way way more comfortable. You get more feel of the bike, and it’s easier to handle and brake and change gear. No stupid wrist tan lines either. Easier to get stuff out your pockets, play with your garmin, etc. etc. too. One less thing to buy, one less thing to get worn out, one less thing to lose, one less thing to wash (technically two). I sometimes wonder if these stupidly padded gloves are one of the reasons why some people don’t hold on properly to the bars, cause it lets them get away with it.
Also I used to get really really cold hands during cold rides. Stopped wearing gloves at the start of summer, kept it going through the year as it got colder, and my hands just grew used to it. Never had cold hands since. And when you go out riding with others and you’ve got people wearing two pairs of massive gloves and they’re complaining about cold hands, and you’re gloveless, well that’s quite nice.
But you are right, if I do crash I might get some cuts on my hands. But then, I don’t crash very often, and all the times I have crashed, I haven’t cut my hands. Could say the same thing about kneepads I guess, too..
As you were..