Cycling is one of the easiest activities that will keep you both mentally and physically fit. Whether you are cycling to stay fit, using it to commute to work, or you are a professional cyclist, cycling gloves is a must have.
They keep your fingers warm, retains finger grip, and protect your fingers from the occasional bumps.
Just like the riders, these gloves come in all shapes and sizes. Just the search for “cycling gloves” in Amazon.com will give more than 1000 varieties.
On one end, you have the full finger thermal gloves for the winter made from sweat absorbent fabric and elasticated cuffs.
On the other extreme is the half-finger bike gloves for the summer just to absorb your sweat and keep your fingers well-gripped and airy. However, all types of gloves provide some basic functions.
Common Benefits of Bike Gloves
Protection
Gloves can act as a defense during a crash. They prevent you from getting painful bruises on your palms in case of any falls.
Grip
Cycling makes you sweat a lot, even your fingers. Due to sweating, you may lose grip on your handles. Gloves help to soak up the sweat and allow you to maintain a firm grip.
Comfort
When riding, you are placing pressure on your ulnar and median nerves, which causes numbness or pain in your fingers. Wearing good, cushioned gloves can make a huge difference.
Style
A stylish pair of gloves also makes you look cool.
Finding correct bike gloves, especially for summer that you truly love can take a lot of time and effort. When you find it, the one you adore, it’s natural to want to maximize its life expectancy so that you can wear it year after year.
This fact is even truer when you have purchased high-quality gloves with your hard-earned money.
By the way, good-quality summer bike gloves don’t come cheap either. They start anywhere from $15 and go up to $45 a pair on Amazon.
You can check some cool Summer Bike Gloves on Amazon.
If you are interested in buying one, the most important thing you should mind is the proper fitting of the gloves. Here is my article which will give you detailed instructions about How to measure Bike Gloves?
So, once you get hold of a good pair, you would need to give them the utmost care to increase their shelf-life.
And, we have some simple tips for you to keep that pair shiny and functional for a long time. Here they are:
Before Washing
After you’ve used the gloves for the day, give them some twitch to make sure there’s no dirt inside the gloves, especially down in the fingers.
If necessary, flip a glove inside-out. It’s important to remove those sweaty dirt beads from the crevices so that they don’t harden inside the gloves.
Know Your Cleaning Products
It is always a good idea to wash your gloves before storing. Placing a pair of gloves unwashed can set stains that become difficult to remove later.
Summer clothing tends to get sweaty, dirty, stains, germs, so are bike gloves. Thus it’s essential to wash them according to the label’s directions.
This could be using machine wash, hand wash, or dry cleaning. However, it’s important to only use a cleaning product that matches your gloves’ fabric type.
There are generally two types of fabric: leather and mesh (textile). Mesh gloves are like cleaning any other fabric. But it is the leather gloves that need particular care.
Materials Needed
- Soap bar / Detergent
- Leather cleanser / Leather conditioner
- Lukewarm / cool water
- Soft luffa / soft brush
- White vinegar
Hand-Wash Bike Gloves
If the label on the gloves says “Hand-Wash Only,” then realize it is mentioned for a good cause.
The best way to wash is to put on your gloves. Close the Velcro tabs or gloves fasteners. Run some warm water and apply mild detergent.
Keep in mind if the water is too hot for your hands, it is hot for your gloves too.
Scrub it gently, especially in the area covered with stains or dirt. You can also use a soft brush or luffa if the stains are too deep.
Wash it two to three times to make sure no soap is left. Rinse the gloves and squeeze gently to remove excess water without wringing them. Remove the gloves from your hand and place them on a flat surface or hang them up to dry.
If you want, gently massage your gloves with a small amount of leather conditioner, only if part of the glove is leather.
Machine-Wash Bike Gloves
These days many gloves are made from materials that can be easily cleaned in machine. You may wash it with other items.
However, be mindful of the material, so that the color of the gloves doesn’t run and ruin your other items.
Before placing them inside the machine, close the Velcro tabs or other gloves fasteners so it doesn’t spoil or stick your other clothes.
Add laundry detergent to your machine and then select the water temperature. Cooler water temperature will help prevent bright or darker colors from fading.
If your gloves are too dirty, grimy, sweat-stained, add one-fourth cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener slot of your washing machine.
Lay the gloves on a flat surface or hang to dry completely.
Useful Instructions
Read the label carefully before washing. To find out if your gloves are colorfast, wet a cotton swab and rub it on an inside corner or seam and see if the dye transfers to the swab. If it does, hand wash the item separately.
If the stain is still there, never put the gloves in the dryer. Use a stain remover and rewash. Be sure to use the correct stain removal technique for each type of stain. Do not use chlorine bleach.
Both cloth and leather gloves may be inflexible once dry, but do not worry. It will soften up with short use.
Let them Dry
Check the manufacturer’s guidance for the correct aftercare of summer gloves. Do not use a regular dryer unless it’s recommended.
Excessive heat dries may damage the delicate fabric and structure of your gloves for next summer. It would be best if you hang them out in the sun to dry. The sunlight will also sanitize the gloves.
Now your gloves are all cleaned, sorted, and ready to go for next year. Your gloves will look and smell like new! Well almost.
Packing Your Summer Bike Gloves
Not to forget, if you are storing it away, make sure they are dry inside and out if you want to avoid any nasty smells next year!
Here is what most people don’t bother about. After intensive care, you don’t want to dump your expensive, stylish gloves in your attic, basement, or garage, right?
Store it in a sealed Ziploc bag or garment bag and lay it flat replicating the original packing style.
Storing Your Summer Bike Gloves
Keep away from direct sunlight to avoid color fading.
Make a space where it doesn’t catch moisture and pests easily. Pests like beetles and moths manage to sneak their way into your storage, even though you think it is well sealed.
The best way to keep your gloves fresh and pests-free naturally is by placing a dried lavender, mint leaves, or rosemary. This would be the icing on the cake.
When you follow these simple steps, your gloves will stay in impeccable condition. You will be able to show off your classy, fresh gloves when the summer rolls in again.
