In winter, it's clear: cycling gloves are a must. In summer, many think – too warm, sweaty, just annoying. Wrong. Summer gloves have little in common with winter models. They are breathable, often fingerless, cushion the handlebars, protect the hands on longer rides, and save your palms in case of a fall.
A study by the Kaiser Permanente hospital group (USA, 2018) showed: in bicycle accidents, the palms are the most frequently injured body parts – in 70 percent of all bike crashes. With good gloves, the risk of palm injuries is reduced by 65 percent. In summer, people ride more often and more frequently – the risk of falling is correspondingly higher.
Why summer gloves make sense
1. Vibration damping: Even on asphalt, small vibrations constantly occur. Over hours, they lead to numb fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome-like symptoms) and pressure pain. A thin padding in the palm area of the glove distributes vibrations and reduces fatigue.
2. Fall protection: When falling, the reflex is to catch yourself with your hands. Without gloves, scraped palms and broken thumbs are inevitable. Even thin summer gloves provide noticeable protection here.
3. Sweat management: In summer heat, hands sweat – this makes the handlebar slippery and brake levers harder to operate. A good summer glove has a sweat-absorbing inner fabric and an anti-slip coating on the thumb.
4. UV protection: On long summer rides, the sun shines on the backs of the hands for hours. Sunburn and, in the long term, increased skin cancer risk. Gloves with UV-protection material (UPF 30 plus) are a sensible solution here.
Fingerless or full-finger?
Fingerless gloves are the summer classic. Advantages: maximum breathability, free fingertips for shifting and braking, easier operation of the speedometer or smartphone. Disadvantages: no protection for fingertips in a fall, no UV protection for the fingers.
Full-finger gloves made of thin summer material mostly come from MTB brands. Advantages: complete fall protection, UV protection for all fingers, somewhat better pressure distribution. Disadvantages: less breathable, sweatier hands, harder to operate for fine motor tasks.
Rule of thumb: For city and trekking tours, fingerless gloves are sufficient – lighter and more breathable. For MTB, gravel, and longer day tours at high speed on mixed terrain, full-finger gloves – more protection, more pressure distribution.
Ventilation: What really works
Three designs for breathable summer gloves:
- Mesh material: Fine mesh fabric on the back of the hand and between the fingers. Lets wind through, sweat evaporates quickly. Popular option in premium models.
- Ventilation holes: Punched holes in leather or synthetic leather. Works, but less effective than mesh.
- Bamboo fiber lining: Inner fabric made of bamboo or Coolmax. Quickly absorbs sweat and releases it to the outside. Feels noticeably dry on the skin.
In the Alpensattel summer clothing collection you will find various models. On long tours, a good cycling shorts with multi-density pad are also worthwhile as a complement.
