Gloves For Cross-City Scooter Commutes

[crimsonthunde...]

Wearing gloves pisses me off. Like, in general. But especially when I'm trying to do something.

Now, I fully appreciate that they're an essential bit of kit when you've got a "real" bike and you're travelling at 40mph+ all the time on motorways and country lanes and stuff.

But is it really that essential when you're just commuting to work on a scooter, mostly in traffic, and the top speed you can legally travel at is 30mph (20 for a large portion of my route)?

Maybe it's just the fact I have bad gloves, but over the last 3 days of riding, I've accidentally beeped about 4 people whilst trying to turn the indicator on/off (Honda FES S-wing, the indicator is a rocker switch right above the horn), turning off the indicator without indicating the other way is almost impossible, and trying to do literally anything once I've stopped that isn't immediately removing my gloves is just not worth the hassle (I've then got to put the damn things on again, which is another hassle).

Today I rode without gloves, and I could indicate! I didn't piss off any motorists by beeping at them for no goddamn reason, and the alarm didn't go off once when I was trying to get my keys out of the ignition. Bliss!

I just feel like I'm more likely to CAUSE an accident while faffing about with the indicator with gloves on, than I am to mash my hands up without. I know that "I'll regret not wearing them when I come off at high speed", but let's face it, I'm not going to be doing high speeds at rush hour. If I'm going for a pleasure ride then I'll wear them, out of guilt more than anything, but do I just have terrible gloves? Or is there merit to not using them for intra-city commuting?

[vespertinesta...]

I'd consider them essential but then I like my skin. Gloves come in all shapes and sizes, something will fit and be comfortable so go try on a few pairs.

Indicators are push to cancel, you don't need to try and push it back to the center.

[Beehive Bedlam]

30mph on a moped is no different than 30mph on a 'real bike'.

[Undinist]

You need gloves even at low speeds because when you fall off you instinctively put your hands out. And grazes on your hands really hurt. And you can easily do permanent damage to some important nerves just below the skin. E.g. if you cut the ulnar nerve in your palm you won't be able to grip properly. You just need thin, lightweight quality leather gloves which fit. Can you try some on in a shop?

Short gloves are quick to put on. Thin leather close fitting gloves allow you to do fiddly jobs, e.g. undoing a helmet, without taking them off. But if the leather is thin it must be quality stuff from a decent manufacturer.

I like the look of these for town use. Not cheap but will last many years if given some leather food occasionally:

https://www.getgeared.co.uk/held_summer_motorcyle_gloves_rodney_air_tan
https://www.getgeared.co.uk/icon-pursuit-gloves-air-black

[Rogerborg]

If it's a question of these-or-nothing, then have a look at "tactical gloves", generally sold for paintballing or to MilSpec gun bunny fantasists. Thin, light, tend to have hard knuckles, and look for leather fingertips and palms. You'll barely know you're wearing them.

I stress that they're slightly better than nothing.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[crimsonthunde...]

[Northern Monkey]

Alpine stars SMX2
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Fisty: after polishing the tank with the glistenng beads of sweat from my full hot scrotum, I filled the headrace bearings with 10cc of my manmilk

[vespertinesta...]

[Undinist]

Sorry to repeat myself, but when buying thin leather, avoid the fashion industry stuff that you get on non-bikey clothes. It's about as abrasion-resistant as wool - I have the scars to prove it! (My first crash was in leather skiing gloves. Only 30 mph but it was as if someone had used a tea spoon to scoop lumps of flesh from the heels of my hands.)

[crimsonthunde...]

[hellkat]

Gloves can stop you from getting road rash when you put your hands down and fall off, but they can't stop you from breaking bones.

I know this because I acquired a metal plate and pins in my scaphoid (wrist) within a year of riding.

But I'd stll rather ride with them than without.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[BTTD]

Get yourself to a motorcycle shop that sells a range of gloves and try several types on. There are plenty of gloves that have very good feel. A big part of that will be getting a decent fit so don't be rushed, either by by anyone in the shop, or your own dislike at wearing them.

[Undinist]

Too late, he's already ordered some!

[rhys99]

I orderd the SMX a while back returned them, felt like MX/Bicycle gloves with knuckle protections. I wouldnt bother. Something like this would probably be better https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/55763

[M.C]

Gloves are like anything else, some fit better than others. I've got two pairs of Crivit gloves from Lidl, both medium, but they changed the design for the second pair. The revised gloves are annoying, find it hard to use the indicators properly, and just in general feel wrong. The original pair I bought (and use regularly) feel amazing, just a shame they're starting to wear out

And yes you need gloves, I did this: https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=4228672#4228672 coming off at (probably) 20mph, without gloves it would have been a lot worse.

[andyscooter]

[WD Forte]

Why has no one mentioned string backed driving gloves?
The cool, lightweight, stylish option for the man about town.
I have a beige pair that match my safari suit and hush puppies rather well

https://5.darkroom.shortlist.com/980/df64d6c7b436bb1ab2ce1bfa07de0053:43667f231a2b98c65993b0ef844059e2/cruiser-arriviste
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bikers smell of wee

[wodge]

My Bikes have manual returning indicators and never had a problem with tight fitting gloves.

I have a pair of Alpinestars that only go up just past my wrist and a pair of Frank Thomas guantlets. Both are tight on my fingers and I don't have podgey digits.

If your gloves fit like snow mitts, you will be stuffed!
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nolidge iz pouwur.
Yamaha RXS100 RS100

[chris-red]

[wodge]

Yep, I think my Alpinestars are S-MX's

[Monkeywrenche...]

[KnightsFall]

[kilroy was here]

I use the Cheif gloves which were £60

https://www.675.cc/675/attachments/sdscn0010-jpg.22143/

& the Arctic DS gloves which were £75

https://images.esellerpro.com/2189/I/405/12/4205-Alpinestars-Arctic-Drystar-Motorcycle-Gloves-All-Colours-800-0.jpg

Slid off the bike @25 - 30 mph when off roading on grass & gained a friction graze on lower left forearm where the jacket rolled up wearing the Arctic DS gloves. On tarmac roads it would have been a lot worse, when i have the dosh i may be going for the full cuff Valparaiso DS

https://images1.revzilla.com/product_images/0079/1159/alpinestars_valparaiso_drystar_gloves.jpg

or something a bit cheaper coz £80's just fucking extortionate

[Snowdonia Rider]

I wear RST Blades which are leather gloves with no padding and hard knuckles. Never had a problem with the indicators on any bike I have ridden with them.
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