SUMMER CYCLING GLOVES
SUMMER CYCLING GLOVES
ROAD - GRAVEL - MOUNTAIN - COMMUTE
WHY WEAR GLOVES DURING SUMMER?
Three key benefits of wearing cycling gloves in the summer:
Comfort against road vibrations
Improved grip on handlebars
Protection against road rash
Add to these advantages the stylistic element of matching the gloves to the rest of your kit so your look is complete.
In this guide, we give you tips and tools to keep your hands happy throughout the warm summer rides.
THE TIPS
Understanding your needs is the key to unlocking the perfect gloves for you
COMFORT & control
The main benefit of padded cycling gloves is the comfort they provide, which helps to relieve pressure on the ulnar nerve. Pressure on this nerve can cause numbness and discomfort. On the other end of the spectrum: the benefits of unpadded gloves are the increased ‘feel’ and grip on your handlebars, with no impositions of padding between rider and bike. Summer cycling gloves come with full padding, less padding or no padding at all: so you can decide on the balance between comfort and grip that best suits your riding style.
SHORT VS LONG
Traditionally, short finger gloves are associated with road cycling, while long finger summer gloves are associated with off road cycling such as gravel riding and mountain biking. The reasons are both stylistic and functional. While road riders prioritise lightweight materials, breathability and performance features, off road riders prioritise crash protection – and the comfort of knowing that their hands have that extra layer in the shape of full finger gloves. Both types of gloves come with various degrees of padding and can of course be used interchangeably if preferred. They both offer exceptional grip, especially gloves with InsideGrip™.
Safety & style
When riding in urban areas amongst busy traffic, visibility can be a priority: a pair of hi-vis short finger gloves can make you stand out and be seen, especially when hand signalling. If a more stealth and subtle look is preferred, a pair of black, discrete gloves can deliver maximum functionality and blend in with the rest of your kit.
Marginal gains
When racing or in a performance situation, emphasis should be on aerodynamics, low weight, maximum feel, and control of the handlebars. These gloves are more technical and designed in collaboration with some of the world’s top male and female race teams. The gloves are super slim fitting and designed for speed with long cuffs to smooth airflow around the rider’s wrists. Aero specific gloves are often designed with padding that fits the aerobars of a time trial bike.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES
THE TOOLS
With a design team that believe in meticulous attention to detail, summer gloves come with a variety of features that enrich the ride experience.
RC LITE OR RC MAX
PADDING
GripGrab's new short finger gloves offers varied padding levels catering to the varied needs of cyclists, acknowledging that ride comfort is a personal preference. Whether you prefer the refined cushioning of the RC LITE or the extensive cushioning of the RC MAX, our new gloves are tailored to enhance your riding experience. With precision engineering, every cyclist can find their perfect fit for comfort and performance on any ride.
Shop Ride RC LITE or Shop Expert RC MAX
#neverloseyourgrip
Insidegrip
Compared to bare hands, wearing gloves provides a better grip, due to how the interface of the gloves and the bar tape connect and grip together better than bare skin. Then with InsideGrip™, silicone material inside the gloves (facing the skin) combined with a smooth outer palm (facing the handlebar), creates an optimal connection between hand and handlebars. You get superior grip and protection for your hands. For mountain bikers this is the ideal setup.
Sweat wiper
so fresh and so clean
An active body is an advanced chemical engine. Converting energy from food into muscular action, known as the metabolism process, creates heat so you sweat and your sinuses might produce mucus (snot). All very natural and part of the game, so the Sweat Wiper comes in handy as a convenient patch of super soft material that can be used repeatedly without irritating the skin.
pull-off tabs
Easy on - Easy Off
Between the fingers of the gloves, we have placed small tabs that are easy to grab when you want to remove your gloves after a ride. Simply grab the tabs and gently pull of the gloves. After a hard ride, such details have great significance as your body needs to recover and the last thing you need is unnecessary fiddling with getting out of your cykling kit. This is an example of our meticulous attention to functional details.
Aerodynamics
COMPETIVE ADVANTAGE
When we think of aerodynamics, we think of silence. A zen-like state that you can achieve as you cut through the air like a knife through butter. Aero gloves are designed to be smooth, sleek and silent as they are the first thing to hit the air when you are curled up in an aero position. Smoothing out the profile of your hands give you a lower drag co-efficient and an aerodynamic win.
Discover our aero collection
WHY I WEAR SUMMER GLOVES
Fields & forests
Putting gloves on my hands is like putting a cycling cap on my head: it has become a ritual and a way to kit up for a gravel adventure. The combination of style, functionality and culture is as inheritent to my cycling as the dust and sweat that I wipe off while riding through fields and forests.
Martin![]()
GRAVEL, BIKEPACKING
Crash & Grip
Crash protection and grip are my top arguments for wearing short finger summer gloves. The fit of these gloves is perfect and they have become a natural part of my riding outfit.
Frederik![]()
ELITE ROAD
Style & functionality
Short finger gloves are a natural part of my riding gear. Not just for grip, protection and comfort, but also because it feels completely natural to me, to put on the gloves, position my sunglasses, clip in and ride off.
Dan Erik![]()
ELITE ROAD
Revolutionary grip
There are lot of riders out there who ride without gloves. They need the grip they say. But they clearly haven’t tried InsideGrip™ gloves. Simply revolutionary! These are the best gloves I have ever tried - and I’m not easy to please. We all want the best grip: these gloves deliver it.
Danny![]()
ENDURO, SLOPESTYLE, DOWNHILL
