GlennR

So winter is finally here and temps are in the low to mid 30s.

I already own a pair of Pearl Izumi 5 finger winter gloves, but my finger tips are cold and I need to stop to warm them after 40 minutes.

Will Lobster gloves help? I don't want to spend $75 if they won't keep my finger tips warm with temps in the low 30s.

PoorInRichfield

I can't speak to whether the lobster mitts will keep your fingers warm, but these heated gloves seem like a good idea (just don't look at the price):
SealSkinz Waterproof Heated Cycle Glove review | Cyclingnews

My fingers always take a long time to warm-up, and I'm inclined to think that the lobster gloves would only help marginally... and my thumbs would still freeze-off! The heated gloves are pricey, but there's a safety element to staying warm and perhaps they'd be worth the price if you ride outdoors a lot in cold temperatures.

GlennR

While they are 2x the price of the Lobster gloves, that's not a real problem.... just look at the cost of a good set of bibs.

The deal breaker for me is they are not washable.

But thanks for the link.

LAJ

I'm a firm believer in lobster style gloves. There's more opportunity for the heat to stay in because a couple of digits are sharing the space, each giving of a bit of heat.

MoAlpha

I use lobster gloves and like them. As with all heavy gloves, just make sure they have something nice and tacky on the fingers so you can brake from the drops.

I have electric gloves too and while they’re okay, the heating elements are on the back, whereas I seem to lose more heat from the palmar surface into the bars. They were also too expensive to use on the bike.

GlennR

How are they with mechanical shifting?

I have Sram 1x so the only shifter is on the right side.

LAJ

Use them on both mechanical and electric.

RGMN

I'm not a fan of Lobster gloves. The loss of dexterity is much more severe than the increase in warmth is helpful. When I've ridden with lobster gloves I find I cannot push the upshift lever on my Ergo shifters. I usually use 5 finger insulated gloves when it is in the low-30s like these:

Any colder and I go to some 3 fingered ski gloves, pogies if it is colder than 20°F

Pridedog

I love their warmth, but I find them difficult to shift brifters. They are ok on flat bar thumb *****rs. But they are warm.

LAJ

Since we're talking Toko, I use these religiously. Toko Cycling Overmitt | Toko US I use a decent glove underneath, and then these over the top.

GlennR

Sram double tap mechanical shifters have a single large paddle to shift. They have to be easier than Shimano mechanical and much easier than Di2.

MoAlpha

I have had no problems with the PI and Bontrager lobster gloves I own. They both scare me on group descents, on bad pavement, in the drops, but the fear warms me up.

LAJ

Fear is better than any old glove, at least for a little while.

GlennR

Fear is relative, I ride on Long Island, home of the giant SUVs and crazy people driving them. You get used to them hitting your elbow with the right side mirror.

RGMN

For me with the Campag Ergo it isn't the size of the paddle - I can find the paddle when I'm wearing lobster gloves - it's the bulk of the glove and space needed for 2 fingers that is the problem. I find that there isn't enough room for the 2 fingers in the glove to slide between the handlebar and the brake lever. The glove tends to "hangs up" on the handlebars when I try to push the downshift paddle and I can't get enough motion to shift a gear.

MinnMan

If you want a relatively inexpensive solution and your current gloves aren't too snug, the first thing I 'd try is a pair of glove liners.

With that said, I like lobster claws. Shifting is a little clumsy with them, as is pushing buttons on my Wahoo, but you can manage it.

GlennR

My gloves are a large and a snug fit.

Fox Farm

I used them in the early 90s and found that actually my fingers go colder faster! So I gifted them to a friend. I also found that my dexterity was greatly reduced with having big fat dual fingers.

I find that Assos heavy winter gloves to be the best. Not inexpensive at about 100 euro but I have never been disappointed with anything Assos.

The suggestions for using some glove liners such as thin wool runners gloves might be worth a try before you jump at some newer gloves. I probably own 6 different pair of gloves all based upon temperature(s) that I will ride in. One thing to consider is the grip or adhesion that some different gloves will offer you while in the drops or on the hoods. I have a pair of Rapha's most heavy winter glove but the synthetic leather on the palms, etc is very slippery and I find that I have to grip the hood to stay in place. I end up with my hands feeling tired or sore from this constant effort and I hate them for this and only wear them off the bike anymore. A real design flaw. I have some equally heavy Pearl Izumi gloves that must be from the early 90s that offer much better grip. My go to for the sever cold are the Assos....

Carbonfiberboy 

Giro 100 Proof gloves work very well. I've ridden 75 miles in a steady 36° hard rain with them. Amazon has them, though I'll not do that again at least not on purpose.

ThermionicScott 

Would you like to buy an "F"?

Another happy Pearl Izumi lobster mitt user. I wear them pretty much whenever temps are at or below the freezing point. Around 10-15°F I start thinking about wearing thin liners under them. I don't have shifters to deal with in the winter, so the loss of dexterity isn't an issue.

Seattle Forrest

I'm going to get rich making heated handlebars. I have a flashlight brighter then my high beams that's warm to the touch, maybe instead of bar end caps it'll have tail lights.

lasauge 

This is just a single data point, but lobster mitts proved to be no better than ordinary ski gloves when I tried them myself, and ultimately nothing but pogies (and relatively light gloves to insulate my hands from the cold handlebar) worked to keep my fingers from becoming painfully chilled when riding in below freezing temperatures.

JohnJ80

I live and ride in Minnesota. I bet I have a veritable fortune in gloves for cold weather riding. Nothing worked until I went to a layered strategy. I have had the Bontrager lobster gloves and they didn't work for me either - pretty much that $75 failure that you're worried about.

What as been the best is the Phew.cc glove system (lobster over glove with a windproof fleece under glove) and the Dissent 133 system. The Dissent 133 system, I use primary the wind (not the rain) overshell and then some insulating liners underneath. Both feature a wind proof layer overlaying an insulation layer.

What I'm going to try are some battery heated liners under the shells this spring. I think that will be pretty much the best yet.

The advantage to the liners is that you can start off with the whole set and if you get too hot, you can pair it back.

Other than that, I have not found a pair of gloves other than winter full on ski mittens that can take the continual cold wind hitting them from the front and stay warm. Far and away, I've had better luck with a windproof shell over an inner glove that is more insulation but also windproof. That tells you something - it's the wind leaking in through seams and stitching holes that is the problem.

I ride most of the winter. I ride on my road or gravel bike until the ground freezes over in early December. So that means in temps well down into the 20s. I ride my fatbike, weather permitting all winter, and I'll ride that down to -5F. I will use Bar Mitts pogies for the fatbike and I also have a set for my road bike. They work very well on the road bike but I find the hand position fixed to one spot fairly confining.

One of the big reasons I ride SRAM eTap is the paddles. With heavy gloves on, it's very easy to shift Shimano wrong. With SRAM, I sometimes will ride with full mittens without a problem or even noticing it's an issue. eTap has superb ergonomics for cold weather riding, IMO.

J

dennis336

I've been using a pair of Pearl Izumi lobster gloves for quite a few years now and I like them. I haven't had any issues shifting (mechanical/brifters). If I ride when it's down into the 20s, I may wear a pair of five finger liners underneath which has the added benefit if you need to stop and do something that requires more dexterity. But don't need the liners if the temp is in the 30s. I'm a fan and have been happy with them.

crazyravr

I have PI lobster gloves and I have tried many and I do mean many other ways to keep my hands warm. Nothing works for me when the temps are near 0C. Issue is that my hands sweat. Sweat will make you cold. So too think of a glove and my hands get cold because of well, cold. Too thick and they get cold because of sweat. There isnt a single solution. Heated gloves are great because you get constant heat, but they are way too bulky for shifting. I have also tried neoprene hood mitts, and these work OK with heat packs in them, but again over 1h and my hands get sweaty and the circle continues.