Who doesn’t love riding a bicycle? Whether for fitness or fun, it’s a great way to keep fit, work your muscles, and enjoy some time in the fresh air.
However, cycling, just like any other sport, is one that requires safety precautions to be put in place before you take to the trail.
A proper pair of cycling gloves will not only help to keep your skin protected, but they’ll also provide extra grip, so it’s important to add a pair to your cycling collection.
In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at the top five cycling gloves available on the market today.
Besides providing you with a review of each, you’ll also find a helpful buying guide that will help you to make the right choice.
So, without further ado, let’s begin!
In a hurry? Get your hands on our top pick:
The MOREOK Cycling Gloves tick all the boxes.
If you don’t have enough time to check out our full review below, here’s a quick breakdown of what sets them apart from the rest:
- Made of a combination of high quality elastic and knitted mesh fabric that will provide a snug, cool fit.
- To keep palms protected, these gloves feature a gel padding that will relieve pain and fatigue.
- They are water-resistant thanks to micro-fiber terry cloth.
- For extra convenience, pull tabs across the fingers make removal of these gloves easy.
- They’re fingerless to allow for extra flexibility.
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OUR TOP PICK
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The MOREOK Cycling Gloves are the perfect way to protect your hands, all the while ensuring that you stay comfortable thanks to integrated shock-absorbing qualities.
Boasting both breathable fabric and a comfortable fit, these cycling gloves are made of highly elastic lycra and knitted mesh fabric.
When combined, the lycra will give you a super snug fit that won’t require you to constantly readjust them every time you hit a stoplight, while the knitted mesh fabric will keep your hands cool and wick away sweat.
Across the palms, you’ll find an anti-slip suede material that will provide excellent grip, while the 5mm silicone gel padding underneath the suede will keep your hands protected from vibrations and bumps from pedaling along the road. The gel padding will also help to relieve any pains or aches.
Suitable for use during even the most strenuous of cycling sessions, these gloves also feature a wear-resistant soft cloth across high impact areas (such as the thumb) that will be able to withstand regular use.
These gloves are also very easy to take off. They have been designed with clever ‘pull tabs’ situated on the finger that will help you to quickly pull the gloves off, while the adjustable velcro hem across the tops of the gloves will stop the gloves from moving, and help you to feel more confident controlling the bike.
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Built-in ventilation and wear-resistant
- Shock absorbing
Cons
- Lacking in durability
EDITORS CHOICE
Prefer cycling gloves that cover your fingers? If so, the Firelion Cycling Gloves will be right up your street.
Ideal for road cycling, BMX, or mountain biking, these Firelion Cycling Gloves contain a soft, gel foam with padding across the palm pressure zones. These will help to absorb shock, relieve achy fatigue, and provide optimum comfort while you bike ride.
The surfaces of the Firelion Gloves are made with a hardworking mixture of lycra, mesh, spandex, and terry cloth. This makes the gloves durable yet breathable and will provide a snug fit all the while remaining cool and comfortable to wear.
In addition, besides being able to wick sweat away, soft absorbent microfiber across the tops of the thumbs will be better able to help you to wipe the sweat off your brow.
Plus, to ensure that you don’t have to keep pulling the gloves back into place, adjustable straps will allow you to adjust the tightness and secure the gloves around your wrists.
One of the most interesting features that stand out to us is touch recognition. Firelion has created these gloves with fingers that can be used on touch screens (such as the one on your smartphone) and means that you won’t have to worry about removing your gloves every time you want to reply to a text, check the time or answer an incoming call.
Firelion has also covered these gloves with a 30 days returns warranty, and a 12 months replacement warranty.
This means that, if you’re not satisfied with them, you have 30 days to claim a refund and you’ll also have 12 months to claim a replacement if anything goes wrong.
Pros
- Affordable
- Covered by a 30 days returns warranty and a 12 months replacement warranty
- Adjustable straps for a secure, snug fit
Cons
- May not be ideal for those who prefer fingerless gloves
BEST VALUE
If you live in a colder climate, or simply want a pair of cycling gloves that will be able to keep your hands warm, the Cotop Winter Cycling Gloves are just the ticket.
Made of a durable blend of windproof fabrics, the Cotop Winter Cycling Gloves have been made to withstand just about any weather condition.
They’re waterproof and can handle the rain, and even contain non-slip silica particles across the palms that will be able to prevent slipping across the handlebars.
Plus, to provide a much more enjoyable cycling experience, the cycling gloves feature a comfortable and flexible elastic fabric that will fit snugly to your hand without feeling too tight.
Plus. thanks to the zippers, you’ll be able to quickly adjust the size to suit the individual shape of your hands.
The streamlined design features silicone cross stitches that are non-slip, so you can have confidence that you’re not going to lose your grip.
In addition, the stylish black design will suit a variety of different cycling outfits and can be used for mountain biking, road biking, and BMX.
For added convenience, Cotop has carefully designed the fingertips of these gloves to be compatible with touchscreens.
This means that, while on your bike ride, you won’t have to stop and remove your gloves every time you hear a notification ping!
Pros
- Can be used on touchscreen devices
- Windproof and waterproof
- The zippers can be adjusted to tighten the fit
Cons
- Some have found the zips can break easily
RUNNER UP
If you’re looking for a high-quality pair of cycling gloves that won’t break the bank, the Aegend Adjustable Lightweight Cycling Gloves are a worthy choice to consider.
Boasting a heavy-duty design, the Aegend Cycling Gloves have been made of a durable blend of lycra, spandex, mesh, and terry cloth.
Not only does this ensure a stretchy yet snug fit, but it also means that these gloves are breathable, so your hands will stay cool.
Strategically placed pads across the palms will help to effectively absorb the shock and impact of riding on the road.
Armed with these gloves, you’ll be able to ease any palm fatigue and prevent achiness from developing.
Plus, thanks to towel clothes located on the thumbs, it couldn’t be easier to wipe away sweat midway through a cycling session.
You won’t have to worry about the size either. Suitable for both men and women, the ‘hook & loop’ closure will allow you to adjust the tightness to your ideal fit.
The notch design will also deliver maximum finger flexibility to make braking easier, while the subtle padding on the gloves will offer an additional layer of protection.
That’s not all, either! Offering total convenience, you’ll also be able to use your touchscreen. The highly sensitive touch-screen thumbs and index fingers can be used for your iPhone or smartphone.
Thanks to that, you’ll be able to change songs, check your navigation map, or even take phone calls without taking your gloves off.
Pros
- Purchase is protected by a 12-month warranty
- Can be used with touchscreens
- Durable material
Cons
- Some have found that they are not as breathable as stated
RUNNER UP
To offer you a slight alternative, last but not least we have selected the P.R.O AmFIB Lobster Gloves.
As you might have already guessed from the name, these AmFIB Gloves feature a unique ‘lobster’ design.
Created from 130g of Primaloft Gold Insulation and DWR-coated softshell outer, these lobster-claw gloves will be able to keep your hands a lot warmer than they would be wearing traditional full finger gloves, without sacrificing any dexterity.
In the palms of each glove, you’ll find Clarino synthetic leather, which has been chosen for its ability to provide both softness and durability and will prevent the gloves from getting worn down from regular exposure to the handlebars.
They feature a fleece-lined interior to keep your hands warm, while the anatomic design will be able to optimize finger dexterity which will make braking and shifting a lot easier to carry out.
Plus, across the surfaces of the thumb area, P.R.O has designed these gloves to contain an additional soft fleece fiber.
This material has been strategically placed here so that you’ll be able to wipe away sweat from your forehead, wipe away raindrops from the handlebars, or even clean your phone screen.
The main feature that stood out to us the most is that these lobster-designed gloves have been designed for use throughout the night, or in low light visibility conditions.
Across the tops of the gloves, P.R.O has placed reflective elements in a contrasting pattern, which will help passers-by, cars and other kinds of vehicles to be alerted to your presence when dark.
Pros
- Can be used in the day or night
- Fleece-lined interior to stay warm
- Great grip
Cons
- May not be suitable for use in the summer/a warmer climate
Best Cycling Gloves Buying Guide
So, after checking out our reviews, we’re hoping that you’ve found a pair that your cycling sessions have been missing!
But, before you go ahead and make a purchase, why not check out our mini-guide below on the top features to keep in mind while making the decision?
Quality
Right after deciding that you’d like to purchase a new pair of cycling gloves, you’re likely going to be thinking about how much that you’d like to spend.
Though you don’t have to break the bank while purchasing cycling gloves, it’s still important to make sure that you buy a high-quality pair.
Besides, if they’re made of better materials and manufactured to last, they’ll be more durable than a cheaper pair, and will likely serve you for a much longer amount of time before needing to be replaced.
Comfort
Another factor you should think about is how comfortable the gloves are going to be. In fact, behind the quality, comfort should be the next deciding factor on your priority list.
The last thing you want is to get set for a cycling ride, only to constantly find yourself having to adjust, itch, or re-tighten the gloves!
Speaking of itchiness, regardless of whether it’s summer or winter, a common complaint of cyclists is that their hands get hot while wearing gloves. To ensure that your hands stay nice and cool, make sure that you select a pair of gloves that features mesh material, or has been built with ventilation technology.
Not only that, but you’ll also want to consider how snug the fit is going to be. Ideally, the gloves that you select should offer a good amount of elasticity, this way you’ll be less likely to find yourself having to re-adjust the gloves as they’ll be able to offer a much more ‘fits like a glove’ fit. Get it?
Durability
Like we mentioned earlier, though they might cost more, cycling gloves that have been made with high-quality materials are likely to last for a much longer time than a pair of cycling gloves that have been cheaply/poorly manufactured.
A good indication of durability is whether they have been double-stitched, made of a man-made fabric mixture, and, of course, have a flurry of positive reviews!
Shock-absorbing
Another important factor to consider is whether or not your gloves offer any shock-absorbing factors.
Over time, the constant vibrations and bumps from the road can take an effect on your hands, especially your palms.
Not only can this cause an achy pain, but it can also cause you to lose your grip, which could be dangerous, so it’s important to choose a pair of gloves that will be able to offer some kind of protection from this.
Appearance
Though this might not be as important as the other considerations, it’s still worth thinking about. What do you want your gloves to look like?
Perhaps you have a favorite color, or maybe you have a set colorway for your cycling clothes and you want your gloves to be matching.
Whatever the reason, an easy way to narrow down your shortlist is to think about what you want them to look like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need cycling gloves?
Just like the way you need a good pair of cycling shoes, cycling gloves are just another essential part of your kit.
Though they often go overlooked, cycling gloves actually provide a lot of benefits, the main one being extra safety!
The best cycling gloves on the market will offer plenty of grip, which means you’ll have more control of your bike, especially in tricky situations.
Just think about it: if you don’t wear gloves and your body heat begins to increase from peddling, your sweaty palms or going to be in direct contact with the bars, which means that they’re going to get slippery and you’re going to have way less control.
Besides giving you an overall better grip, the addition of a pair of cycling gloves will also help to absorb some of the impacts of the road, which means you’ll be able to cycle for longer free from any achy palms.
How tight should cycling gloves be?
As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to make sure that your cycling gloves fit securely enough that they won’t move around, but not so tight that the webbing in-between your fingers is taut.
Do fingerless gloves make a difference?
Fingerless gloves were created as a ‘lighter’ alternative to fully-fingered gloves. This makes them a popular choice for cyclists in the summer months, or for those people that live in warmer climates.
You can get fully-fingered gloves that offer ventilation, although many bikers still prefer to purchase a fingerless pair, especially as they can offer more flexibility!