Keep Handy and Warm: Your Review for Best Cycling Gloves for Cold Hands [Top 5]

We sent some messages out and got back a dozen of sets of winter and spring gloves to test out for you all. Five cycling gloves for cold hands were picked out and we are leaving our thoughts for them. We dressed warm and took them out in days where the fog was fairly brisk, and took rides out to up Mount Tam and back to Muir Beach where the dew point tends to be high and precipitation comes down a bit more often in the early spring. Read on and enjoy the list of best cycling gloves for coldness. To jump to the warmest gloves that we have found, press here.

How do I stop my hands from being cold when cycling?

The easiest way to stop your hands from being cold while cycling is to wear gloves. The most efficient way to do this is to warm your body up before you begin riding.

Have you ever seen the person in the middle of the winter walking back from their lunch-time run in shorts and a t-shirt? This is because they have warmed up their body first and are still warm from the effect.

Another question to ask yourself is – are you riding within your aerobic threshold? This is a prime way to keep your body warm and stabilized in the cold. If your heart is pumping and circulating oxygen, warmth will come along with the process as well in the body.

If you warm up before hand, you will be surprised how different you feel when you are riding with a quality pair of gloves. Here is a full guide on all of the accessories that you need to include to keep warm while cycling.

What are the warmest gloves for cycling?

The warmest types of gloves for cycling typically have some form of merino wool, fleece, and, or mixed with a synthetic to help with keeping out water. These are all great materials that are breathable, flexible and warm.

As the temperature drops, the gloves will begin to have more bulkiness as more fleece is stuffed into the glove to help keep you warm. This affects some riders who favor their dexterity, and ability to reach their brakes while riding. If your face needs warming, check out these cycling facemasks as well.

Neoprene gloves are also great when there are wet conditions.

Best Cycling Gloves for Cold Hands

1. Best Cold Cycling Gloves Overall (Down to Freezing): Castelli Estremo Gloves
2. Best Heavy Duty Cold Cycling Gloves: Gore Wear C5 Thermo Gloves
3. Best Cold Cycling Gloves for Fall & Spring: Decathlon Triban 500 Cycling Gloves
4. Most Breathable Cold Cycling Gloves: GripGrab Ride Cycling Gloves
5. Best Cold Cycling Gloves for Heavy Rain: Castelli Men’s Diluvio Glove

Best Cold Cycling Gloves Overall (Down to Freezing)

Castelli Estremo Gloves

I can’t stop raving about the Estremo’s. These are now my go to for in the cold gloves. My favorite feature of these gloves are the wrist strap that is able to keep cold air out and the warm air that your body generates inside of the cycling glove.

I took these out early in the morning on the backside of Hawk hill where the temperature is just about freezing. My hands were solid and they do not go cold. My fingers are fairly slim and I found that I had air pockets in them.

This goes to say that if you have larger fingers, your fingers will be well fit in these.

My one concern is that I know that these will not work very well when you are dipping below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I don’t find this to be much of an issue because I have my own specialized gloves for those specific temperatures.

Of course, any gloves for that temperature when riding in Tahoe will also be trading out a large amount of dexterity for the warmth you will receive.

Therefore these are always my go to for anything down to 30 where I need to keep my hands toasty, comfortable, slim and breathable.

Best Heavy Duty Cold Cycling Gloves

Gore Wear C5 Thermo Gloves

These are the gloves that you choose when you absolutely know that your hands will get cold in the lightest of winds. They have extra padding and will cause you to feel toasty and without discomfort.

I wore these and knew that I could bike in these in any condition – even below zero for periods of time. My main concern is that if you are not going below zero very often, there are more dexterous and breathable options available, but of course it is Gore Tex.

What you are getting, and what I felt with these gloves are the high quality stitching, and the unrivaled warmth, snugness and comfort within the glove.

Choose these if you value your warmth above anything else.

Best Cold Cycling Gloves for Fall & Spring

Decathlon Triban 500 Cycling Gloves

These gloves were so fun to ride in that I bought a second pair for my car for long drives in. The grip is excellent, there is no slippage on the bike and I even question if my bike needs grip tape while wearing these.

I love how dexterous these cycling gloves are and they are excellent for rides right at the 45 degree mark. Anything a little lower is where your hands will begin to go cold.

Of course for the price, these are excellent all around gloves and also do well if you happen to be caught in a light rain. In a heavy rain they did soak through when I rode with them to Tam.

If you are looking for a light pair of breathable gloves with reliable grip, these are your pair.

Most Breathable Cold Cycling Gloves

GripGrab Ride Cycling Gloves

I spoke about how dexterous the previous gloves were and these are on the same level. What really stuck out to me was not only is the color wonderful and the material is high quality, but also the grip is far more sturdy than any other glove that I wore of the dozen choices. I also enjoy the padding that they have in the palm.

My main concern for these gloves is that they are not long enough to put your sleeve into. So on a day with high winds, these are great cycling gloves for coldness but your wrist may be a little frigid.

These are excellent for the fall and spring time when there is no consideration of rain or condensation.

Best Cold Cycling Gloves for Heavy Rain

Castelli Men’s Diluvio Glove

These gloves are neoprene, so they are fantastic for being wind repellent and water repellent. It actually felt like they took some of my diving gear and cut it into the shape of a glove.

It is meant to keep you warm if you happen to find yourself biking in heavy rain very often. This also includes biking in high dew points where the water in the air can soak straight through the glove and into your bones.

When I switched to these from the Estremo’s, I felt a different type of warmness that was based off of the waterproofing of the glove as opposed to the fleecing of the glove from the Estremo’s.

It is important to note that if you are biking in the rain, I would choose these over any other. However, if you are biking in the frigid cold, then I would look at one of the other more toasty options as the neoprene is a material best made for waterproofing.

How do I keep my hands warm when cycling?

There are a couple of ways that you can keep your hands warm when cycling. Of course, you should wear a pair of gloves that are listed below to help keep your hands warm, though there are other steps that you can do to help keep your body warm while cycling.

It’s important to make sure that you warm your body up thoroughly. This means that you should do more than run your hands under hot water before a bike ride. It is important to actively warm the body up by doing body weight exercises or dynamic stretches beforehand.

This will raise your body temperature and circulate the warm blood to your extremities. If you do not warm up correctly, and your body is cold while riding, the body will take the warmth from the extremities (your hands, legs and feet) and begin to warm the torso, neck and head (what the body views as its’ most important parts).

You can also always breath into your hands when your hands get cold, or place them in a warmer area of your body. In a pinch we tend to stick our hands in our armpits for warmth during a rest stop.

Are bike gloves good for cold?

Yes, bike gloves are great for the cold. The reason why bike gloves are great for the cold is that their insulation is made specifically for biking. They are made to go down to (and below freezing temperatures while still remaining dexterous in comparison to their snowboarding and skiing counterparts.

There are many options for cycling gloves that you will love for the cold and to keep your hands from feeling as if they are disappearing from your body.

When choosing the right pair of gloves, make sure that you are choosing according to the correct temperature. As the temperature goes down, the gloves will be bulkier and become less dextrous.

When the temperature goes below freezing, we have found that using a thin glove as a liner and grouping it with a thick glove is the best choice over choosing one large bulky glove with only one type of insulation.

Conclusion

There are plenty of cycling gloves for cold hands to keep you warm and keep you riding. When riding in the bay area we come across plenty of times when you need to keep your hands warm and it is important to get the best cycling gloves for coldness that you can. These are my favorite 5 options that I tried of the dozen. If you don’t want to cycle in the cold, check out these top winter destinations for cycling in America.