# mtb gloves with thick gel padding



## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

need some gloves with thick gel padding. trying to reduce hand fatigue


----------



## tenbsmith (Dec 31, 2004)

Go ahead and try gloves with thick gel, but I don’t think that is the long-term solution to your hand fatigue problems. Rather, I think you need to work on some combination of the following:
1) Don’t white knuckle the handlebars. Hold the grips firmly without tensing muscles.
2) Increase your core strength.
3) Make sure that your bike set-up doesn’t force too much of your weight forward, on your hands.
4) While riding, try to support your weight with your core/back, not your hands. 

There are some good threads on this topic buried somewhere on this forum.


----------



## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

Thick gel gloves are like thick gel seats...they feel good for a few miles, then actually make things WORSE.

In addition to what tenbsmith mentioned, you might look at the grips your using. Many riders enjoy the Ergon grips (or the multiple imitators nowadays) to reduce hand fatigue.


----------



## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

i ordered some avenir comfy soft grips a couple of days ago from amazon. I also have high rise bars but was using some cheap cushion grips. I have back problems and knee problems. biking is better on my knees then walking. so i have no choice but to put more weight on my hands then my back. i like to ride my bike just trying to reduce my pain level


----------



## Bigwheel29 (Feb 9, 2012)

I use to have this problem when I restarted riding last summer. Tried Pearl Izumi gel gloves, they are quite nice. However the problem didnt get better, just got abit worse, numb hands and stuff after that. I then used a bar riser which helped. Tried Ergo grips after that which helped abit to.

Now I am back to using a non gelled glove and its working just as well. I think the angle and the reach of your wrists and how much weight you are applying are bigger factors in comfort than a thin lining of gel in a glove.


----------



## Jfdawson (Feb 15, 2012)

I'm not a fan of the gel glove for MTN biking, but I have the short finger version of this Pearl Izumi glove for road biking...

Pearl Izumi Men's Elite Gel Vent FF Glove

Amazon has them for around $38 - 45

they are vented and can be washed.


----------



## Stumpjumpy (Sep 7, 2011)

In addition to all of the above, try ESI silicone grips. Super comfy and lightweight, too


----------



## edley (Dec 8, 2006)

I've used Specialized Body Geometry gloves for years - well sorted design. Ergon grips are also winners. That being said, your position on the bike is the real key. Go to the Competitive Cycle web page and go through its bike fit protocol as a great start.


----------



## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

i know that big wheel 29. weight is a factor. more biking = more weight loss


----------



## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

thanks for all the suggestions.


----------



## tenbsmith (Dec 31, 2004)

Good luck 29ernb, hope you figure out how to reduce hand fatigue. 

I have intermittent back problems which got much better after I had a physical therapist set me up with core strengthening exercises.


----------



## RCook (Jul 29, 2006)

I'd look into getting a bike fit done by someone that knows what their doing. I finally got fitted using Specialized's method at my LBS and it's night and day. I was beginning to get tendonitis in my elbows along with numb toes and fingers. All of this is now gone away. 

It can be expensive, cost me $230. That included a new stem and shoe insoles as well. It was easy a 1.5hr deal, the only thing I had set correctly was my seat height. Otherwise the stem, grips, bar angle, seat angle, and cleat position were all changed. 

Was it worth it? Yes, every penny. Trust me when I say that unless you know what your doing and have the experience you don't know how to properly set up your bike. This will make a much bigger difference than gel grips ever will.


----------



## Wryknow (Mar 13, 2012)

I paid for a 3 hr ergo fitting at my LBS and was amazed at how much of a difference it makes! I was having a lot of hand tingling/numbness issues on long rides but it had a lot more to do with to how I was sitting and the angle of the handle bars than the gloves. We switched the handle bars to ones with a bit of a sweep and added some Ergon grips and now my wrists are in a neutral supported position and it feels much better riding. I highly recommend trying a fitting and seeing if that fixes things.


----------



## dieselcruiserhead (Aug 3, 2007)

The best grips for fatigue reduction are ESI chunky silicone. They are cheap and disposable and soft and you usually replace them about once a year. I've tried a number of grips including the Ergons and they are fad, whereas the ESI are awesome and soft. 

For gel gloves, I agree about some comments here about not too much gel, so I use a Pearl Isuzmi light weight light gel glove that is great and still retains control. For my dirt bike i found out that a lot of downhillers run an industrial glove called a Ironclad Impact with nice thick gel padding, and this rocks. I bought a whole slew of them on ebay and have an extra 6 pairs for super cheap ($20 shipped) if anyone is interested in a pair. I think they'd be great on a MTB if you're suffering from fatigue or hand vibration issues...

Finally good wide bars went a long way for me. My arms used to fall asleep at night when I had the narrow bars my bike came with. This is called thoracic output syndrome, if this helps...


----------



## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

the avenir comfy soft grips are not comfy at all. i will be trying esi chucky grips next and see if that helps. i got some pearl isuzmi gel gloves and they seem to help. thanks for all of your suggestions.


----------

