Which Kind of Cycling Gloves Works Better for You? Road Biking Gloves or MTB Gloves?
by Souke Sports on Jan 04, 2022
![Which Kind of Cycling Gloves Works Better for You? Road Biking Gloves or MTB Gloves?-Souke Sports](http://www.souke-sports.com/cdn/shop/articles/21494e6a7ce43415be9bf9a71b721563_{width}x.jpg?v=1652772902)
As cyclists, we can occasionally suffer numbness and discomfort in the hands, simply from prolonged periods of gripping the bars. So choosing a pair of fit gloves is very important. It can help us address this issue and enjoy our cycling better.
Different gloves have different functions. Which kind of gloves will work better for you, gloves for road cycling or gloves for mountain biking? Here are some differences between the two kinds.
Differences in back of the hand:
- MTB need more protection whencyclists brush past bushes and branches. So there will be some tougher or thicker materials on the back side of the MTB gloves to protect your knuckles. On the contract, the back side of road biking gloves is made with thinner materiel to increase the breathability since road cycling doesn’t need too much protection, many of road cyclists will choose half-finger gloves to enhance articulation .
- Some MTB gloves will choose more stretchable materials to increase abrasion resistanceand flexibility. But for road cycling, wind is a big enemy, so gloves for road bike usually are designed with stretch windproof rear panels to reduce the impact of wind.
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Reflective accents for low visibility ridesis necessary for road bikes gloves, as high-speed mobiles or cars are dangerous in the dark. but it doesn’t have too much impact on MTB cycling without this factors.
Differences in palm:
- The terrain is cragged when cycling in mountains, so MTB gloves need some padding across pressure zones for hand protection and shock absorption.As it is flatter to ride on the road, gloves don’t need too many functions like this, the padding on the palm will be thinner.
- Grip of the bars is also vital in less-favourable conditions.There areanti-friction factors on the bar of mountain bikes to avoid hands slipping down. So there is no need for too many Silicone prints on the palm, but the silicone fingertip prints are important to offer a slip-free grip of the brake levers.The bar of the road bike is bend so we need more silicone anti-slip prints on the palm to keep you connected with your devices
- Gloves for road cycling pay more attention to their breathability and comfort, so normally they will be designed with perspiration holes or use Sweat-absorbent materials, such as Lycra and mesh fabric.But MTB gloves usually use material with high wear resistance and absorption of vibrations, such as Gel, foam, and EVA.
Normally, gloves for road biking is exclusive for road cyclists, but we can use MTB gloves in both two situations.
Here we will recommend three styles of gloves to you.
ST1901 and ST1902 are for mountain biking.
ST1901 is a half-finger glove, which equipped with 5mm(0.3in) rebound foam padding in the palms to offer shock absorption and impact resistance, reducing fatigue to help you perform longer.
ST1902 is a full-finger gloves for winter,which are made from a water-resistant and windproof outer shell and lined with thermally insulated fleece which helps ensure that hands remain warm and dry in light rainfall or snowy conditions. The extended knitted wrist cuffs provide better coverage and more warmth without excessive bulk.
ST1904 is recommended for road biking. The high-reflective factors on the upper boost visibility in low-light conditions. The simple, slip-on design is for easy on and off. Stretch mesh finger gussets increase airflow and dexterity. Because of nylon material on the backing and mesh palm, they’re still breathable and lightweight. You’ll be able to get your hands on the bars, feel the road without the friction and prevent sweaty hands.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0050/5806/8593/files/st1904_cycling_gloves.jpg?v=1640747274)
What else difference you see between MTB bike gloves and Road cycling gloves? Leave your comment below. :)