When it comes to bike rides, owning the best cycling gloves around will mean your hands stay warm and protected throughout your entire journey or efforts in a skate park.
Fortunately, to help you find the best gloves for you, we've put together a list of top picks based on the price, reviews, and any unique features that we think make these gloves worth considering to pair up with your best mountain bike, BMX, or road bike, for example.
Whether you're searching for warm gloves for winter, like these Supacaz SupaG Long Gloves, or a pair for warmer summer rides, like these Giro Bravo Gloves, we've got you covered right here.
Stick around as well because we've answered some of the most commonly asked questions surrounding cycling gloves to help you make a decision on which is the right pair for you and your bike rides. With that in mind, let's get into it.
Best cycling gloves
- Giro DND Gloves
- Supacaz SupaG Long Gloves
- Defeet ET Dura Gloves
- Giro Bravo Gloves
- BOILDEG Cycling Gloves
1. Giro DND Gloves
Best cycling gloves overall
Material: Nylon, Synthetic Leather, Polyester
The US-based company Giro makes some top cycling and mountain gear which includes these DND Gloves for biking.
Giro boasts the fabric is breathable, stretchy, and grippy which, as a combination, should suit cycling perfectly, especially if you regularly tackle tricky trials.
Moreover, these gloves come with EVA foam-padded palms designed to absorb impact without compromising dexterity, and to wick away moisture to help maintain your grip on the handlebars.
The grip has also been enhanced by integrating Silicone-tipped thumbs and fingers to, again, help you hold onto your handlebars as you tackle either the road or tough trail terrain.
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2. Supacaz SupaG Long Gloves
Best winter cycling gloves
Material: Polyester
These cycling gloves from Supacaz should be ideal for the winter months thanks to their reflective outer layer and warm design which would suit evening rides in particular as it gets darker and colder.
These SupaG gloves also come with seamless fingertips and Clarino palms which, working alongside the SiliGrip technology, will likely improve your control and feel of your bike through the handlebars, giving you the smoothest ride possible.
Moreover, the index finger and thumb are made from a conductive material designed to be smartphone-friendly which is ideal when you need to sort your cycling route on your phone's map.
All in all, as cycling gloves go, these long-finger gloves should make for the ideal bit of kit to keep your hands warm and protected whilst riding in winter.
Read More: Best mountain bikes under 1000
3. Defeet ET Dura Gloves
Best cycling gloves for grip
Material: Unspecified
The Defeet ET Dura Gloves have been designed to provide you with the most amount of grip possible thanks to numerous sticky pads on the palm to help you stay in control of your bike.
Furthermore, these gloves will likely keep your hands warm thanks to the woven fabric materials used to maximise the insulation of your hands.
Like the Supacaz gloves, these gloves come with touchscreen-friendly fingertips so you can access your smartphone if, for example, you stop for a break and want to check your phone halfway through your ride.
Also, the Defeet gloves come in a range of colours including high-vis yellow, black, and ocean blue so, whatever your taste, Defeet should have you covered.
4. Giro Bravo Gloves
Best summer cycling gloves
Material: Nylon, Polyester
When it comes to the summer, you'll most likely want to take your cycling outside.
If like so many others you enjoy riding your bike in the warmer weather then you'll probably be looking for some highly breathable, fingerless, and lightweight gloves like these Giro Bravos.
In addition to their lightness, these gloves come with absorbent thumb covers and rubber-reinforced straps which are designed to keep your hands safe and protected against the shocks passed on to your body through the handlebars.
On the whole, as summer cycling gloves go, these gloves tick a lot of boxes which helps make them one of the best pairs on the market.
5. BOILDEG Cycling Gloves
Best budget cycling gloves
Material: Nylon
If you're just starting your cycling journey and don't feel you're ready to invest loads into the most premium gloves available, then these BOILDEG Cycling Gloves might be for you.
Made from a breathable nylon mesh, these BOILDEG items have been designed to achieve a perfect fit for all hand types and sizes whilst also keeping them warm but sweat-free.
Moreover, like a number of gloves featured on this list, these gloves come with fingertip inserts so you can use touchscreen devices whilst riding if it is safe and legal to do so.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a pair of gloves within a small budget, then the BOILDEG Cycling Gloves should make for a great option to fulfil your needs.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
If you're new to cycling, probably have a few questions surrounding cycling gloves, but don't worry because we're here to clear up some of the more common queries.
Why do you need cycling gloves?
Cycling gloves offer several benefits to cyclists, making them essential for rides. Firstly, cycling gloves typically have padding in the palms and fingers to improve grip and control of the handlebars, especially in wet or slippery conditions. This can help prevent slips and falls, and make it easier to maintain control of the bike.
Also, by cushioning and supporting the hands, they can help reduce hand fatigue and numbness, especially during long rides. This is particularly important for road cyclists who spend many hours on the bike.
Moreover, cycling gloves can help protect your hands from the elements, such as wind, rain, and sun. Some gloves are also designed to keep your hands warm in cold weather.
Finally, in the event of a fall or crash, cycling gloves can help protect your hands from scrapes, cuts, and other injuries. The padding and materials used in cycling gloves can absorb some of the impacts and reduce the risk of injury.
Do cycling gloves need padding?
You can find both full-fingered and fingerless gloves with or without padding, although we'd recommend picking up a set with padding to keep you comfortable and supported whilst on a ride.
For instance, choosing gloves with padding in the palms should help absorb vibrations and distribute pressure, particularly during long rides or whilst travelling over rough terrain.
However, the choice is yours as you may prefer gloves without padding to increase your contact with the handlebars.
What style of cycling gloves should you get?
Typically, short-finger gloves, or mitts, are the gloves of choice in the summer for road cyclists in particular as they tend to be extremely ventilated and, therefore, more breathable.
Long-finger gloves normally suit off-road cyclists as they offer slightly more protection, but they can also be used in the winter as well when your primary goal is to keep your hands warm as you ride.
How should cycling gloves fit?
Ideally, cycling gloves should be a snug fit without being too restrictive in terms of movement as this can cause your hands to swell.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to buy a glove size that corresponds to the size of clothes you wear, for example, if you wear a men's medium top then you'll probably need medium-sized gloves.
If you're not sure, cycling gloves usually come with a size guide so all you have to do is measure your hands and compare them to the chart in order to get the correct fit.
How long do cycling gloves last?
There's not really a definitive answer to this question as it will vary depending on how often you wear them and the quality of the materials used to make them.
If you ride regularly, then you'll likely get a season of good riding in with them before it might be time to look at replacing your gloves. This means a set of padded gloves could last anywhere between six months to a year depending on their quality.
Ultimately, your gloves will wear down faster the more rides you go on. Fortunately, they're not overly expensive to pick up, which means replacing them shouldn't break the bank if you're a regular rider.