What's the purpose?

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Jul 1, 2012 | 11:29 AM

#51

skratch

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Joined: Jan 2007

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From: anacoco, la

one thing not mentioned, have you ever seen what your sweat does to the stock rubber grips after a while?

Jul 1, 2012 | 11:35 AM

#52

nevil

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Joined: Jul 2008

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From: southeast PA

On real hot days I wear fingerless gloves. I don't feel that my hands are any hotter wearing the gloves. In any weather I always wear some kind of glove. And boots. I've read where they say that the only skin that can't be grafted is your palms and soles of your feet. I need to protect my palms or I wouldn't have any sex life at all.

Jul 1, 2012 | 11:48 AM

#53

JHL-ShinySideUp

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Joined: Dec 2010

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Nobody else mentioned the best reason of all: Tan Lines at the wrist. Like a doo rag or chaps, except i can be a biker at my desk.

Jul 1, 2012 | 11:51 AM

#54

Pysces

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Joined: Aug 2010

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From: Seattle

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHL-ShinySideUp

Nobody else mentioned the best reason of all: Tan Lines at the wrist. Like a doo rag or chaps, except i can be a biker at my desk.

I just completed Seattle to Tahoe and back and looking at my tan lined wrist

Jul 1, 2012 | 01:25 PM

#55

MJHJEA

Thread Starter

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Joined: Mar 2009

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From: Toledo, Ohio

Protection? Yes, OK that's what I thought most of you would say. Fair enough. But they must offer some type of protection for holding beer bottles or protect your finger tips from worn out juke box buttons too? No, I think I'll just stick to my theory about image for most guys. By the way, I'm no Newby, just getting aggravated a bit more in my old age.

Jul 1, 2012 | 01:35 PM

#56

oldairboater

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Joined: Jan 2008

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From: Republic of Texas

I wear gloves for protection. Cuts, calluses, road rash, and stings. I have to wear them at work and I have to use several different types tailored to the individual job. So gloves for riding feels normal. Never noticed gloves making my hands hot but I have noticed gloves not keeping my hands warm.

Jul 1, 2012 | 01:43 PM

#57

fat_tony

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Joined: Dec 2009

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From: Potsdam, NY

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJHJEA

For all you guys that wear gloves in this unbearable heat? Or any other time except when the cold season arrives. I've never figured out what other purpose they serve. I like to feel the soul of my bike when I ride, and dread to have to put them on in the late fall. I could maybe understand protection from a fall, but most of the guys I see wearing them are helmetless, so that doesn't really make much sense. So just wondering ( not a slam) why you wear them?

Sit on your hands in your driveway, then have someone pull you by your feet 20ft across the pavement while not moving your hands. Afterwards your hands will look like they would after a get off. The purpose of a helmet can be demonstrated in a similar way only with a hammer or baseball bat.

Last edited by fat_tony; Jul 1, 2012 at 01:46 PM.

Jul 1, 2012 | 01:46 PM

#58

Arizona

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Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 5,878

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From: The Desert SouthWest

I had the same attitude about gloves (cold weather only, otherwise what's the point?), but when I got cut off by some idiot making a left turn in front of me I got launched off the bike. Both my hands got pinned under my torso and I slid face down an unknown distance (I was knocked out cold for 20-30 minutes so no recollection of anything actually). The backs of both hands got ground up really bad as the weight of my body used them as skate pads I guess. The road rash was down to the bone in the knuckles area of my left hand. That road rash took 3 months to heal.

Now I wear those scars for the rest of my days, and also gloves no matter what the weather...

When you go down on a bike, if your conscious, you'll nearly always throw out your hands to catch yourself. Heaven only knows what damage your hands will take in that process. Healing from a crash is bad enough and road rash is arguably the most miserable of injuries to suffer as far as prolonged pain goes (and getting it scrubbed out at the hospital), but to have your hands also thrashed just adds to the misery of your recovery. What don't you do with your hands every minute of the day? So I will always wear gloves after that little lesson in life. On hot days they're not fun, but it only takes one time getting your hands ground up to realize "you gotta have them".

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