I have some good options for cool weather, but with cold weather approaching in the northern hemisphere I’m looking for some true winter gloves. Would love to find some that aren’t too bulky, so as to still find di2 buttons. The Sportful “winter” gloves I used last season still left me with numb fingers at 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
I have real trouble keeping hands warm below 40F unless I’m on a long climb. The Pearl Izumi lobster gloves are the only thing that works for me. I’m seriously considering trying bar mitts.
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I need to replace my Castelli Mortirolo gloves this year after five winters. I am probably going to try the Espresso ones. Depending on speed/effort level, keeping hands warm requires me to keep the rest of me warm and to wiggle my fingers.
I’ve had great success in -5 to 5°C weather operating Di2 with the Specialized Element gloves, now renamed Softshell Deep Winter gloves I believe.
Bar mitts can be transformational…..you can get away with very thin long-fingered gloves when you use them.
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I agree. I use Wolftooth and Moosemitts pogies on my MTB, fatbike, and gravel bike, along with an appropriate weight glove for the specific situation. I’ve tried so many gloves over the years, and was never able to keep my hands warm consistently until I added pogies.Even bulky gloves and lobster mitts were not warm enough in some New England conditions, sometimes got too warm (and sweaty) as conditions changed, and really made using the controls difficult. Now I use pogies with a light or midweight glove in almost all conditions. If conditions are changeable, I may bring an extra pair of gloves (either lighter or heavier) just in case.
I set my my DI2 to full syncro mode and reprogramed both buttons on the right lever to shift up and both on the left to shift down.
That way I can just smack the buttons with big gloves and not worry about the fine details.
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Check out Toko, they make fantastic nordic skiing gloves that happen to work super well for cycling in colder temps. Cold Weather Cycling | Toko US
I haven’t been riding as much as I would like to - but BikeIowa makes an excellent Pogie that is a lighter material than the others (like Revelate or 45Nth). They are light enough to pack away if it gets too warm for them and while I wouldn’t take them on a trip to visit Santa Claus - they are more than enough for winter weather you’ll actually ride in (like down to -3, -4) and they are a good bit less cumbersome than neoprene or insulated options.
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Hey Brad,
I’m a big fan of the Q36.5 Super Termico gloves. Work really well for me.
I’ve also used Merino inners in gloves before too but have not had the need with these.
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Seconding the Pogie Lites…they work far (far, far!) better than you’re going to expect from looking at them, and you can roll them up/put them away if the temps rise and you just can’t stand being pogie guy.
Also last year I started experimenting with heated gloves and picked up a pair of OR sureshots on super clearance. Far less bulky/better dexterity than my giant ski gloves. Still seems to be super marked down stock available.
If anyone thinks there’s a market for thermostatically controlled items (bibs/vest/etc.), let me know. I’ve been thinking of trying to build something the past few seasons, but then it also seems like it’s for a market of one. Of course if the crazy Q36.5 suit can sell at that price, maybe there’s a way to bring a limited run into existence as a proof of concept. Might mean keeping the battery on the bike so you don’t have a giant Li-ion pack strapped to your body, but somehow still less cumbersome than all the layers coming on and off etc. ?
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I live in Saskatchewan and ride down to -20C with 45-North 3-finger gloves and light wool liners, add Wolf Tooth bar mitts on the mountain bike, and forget about Di-2 shifting at below -5C. I do ride the fat bike at colder temps but due to fogged up glasses, I just ride trails with Hestra mountain mitts. No issues with shifting.
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After braking different parts of both arms 7 times, I’ve had issues keeping my hands warm in winter. I bought a glove system from Dissent 133, in the UK. They’ve been pretty darned awesome with my hands staying warm down to at least 20°F. That the system has 3 gloves (inner layer, mid layer, and outer layer) makes it adaptable for changing ride . Another nice feature is that they are not big and bulky.
I concur with Robin, Dissent 133 for cold weather. I wear them down to -5C and keep my fingers warm on all but the worst of days. That’s when the wind blows and it’s more sleet than snow, then the wet can seep in and chill my fingers. But I do get cold hands easily so for those that ‘run hot’ they should be good.
They do have 4 gloves, a silk liner, grip grab mid layer and 2 different out gloves, heavier for best weather resistance and a lighter outer for a slightly warmer days.
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I have the AGU lobster mitts and like them a lot. I wear them whenever temps get below 5C and well into the negatives
I have been using Blivit Sports Gloves and accessories. They are out of Quebec City where it gets really cold. They work and they are a smaller company and will help you too.
Concur. Bar mitts under 30F for me. Hugely effective.
I really appreciate my Blivet insulated water bottle holder: Works well for the first couple of hours of playing on the local trails.
When it gets really cold I like my silk liners. But of course your outer gloves have to be sized for that so things don’t become too tight inside and blood flow gets bad. otherwise also good: ski gloves! e.g. from german brand reusch or chiba alaska pro lobster-style gloves make it work for me in sub-zero (C) conditions. i think lobster-style gloves are the best
My preferred solution now is regular summer gloves underneath and long-finger running gloves on top, I’m especially a fan of ones with a stowable windproof hood that covers everything but the thumb (but you can also e.g. leave the index finger in the open). My current ones are from Decathlon (under 15 euro a pair), but next I’ll probably try ones from Craft with a reflective hood and a neon yellow base glove. The base glove is nice and thin (also easy to take on and off and it’s touchscreen compatible unlike about half of my long-finger gloves) and ability to easily adjust the warmth during the ride is really convenient plus you can always take the overgloves off if it turns out it wasn’t that cold after all.
So far I have used this combo down to -5C, I’d probably try them with silk liners the next time it gets colder than that. (Until now I have used Assos lobster overgloves (prob discontinued) over whatever long-finger gloves I have been using otherwise.)