[Closed] Uncomfortable track mitts - advice required

Why can't you just wear the Troy Lees?

I’m after something with a palm insert for cushioning.  The Troy Lee’s have a really thin palm - ideal for mtb, but not what I’m looking for here.

I'm a huge fan of Decathlon gear but there gloves are a bit crap IMO. Specialized are lovely as are some of the Endura gloves if you want to buy from an LBS, online the Planet-X gloves are quite good and dirty cheap.

Specialized BG gel mitts have always been my go to choice for road/gravel riding.

Gore trail mitts are v comfy. However ,their sizing seems to have changed in the last couple of years. Normally id be a medium(9) but the large(10) was a good fit for my hobbit hands when I bought a new pair t'other week.

Have you tried the troy lee's?

I sometimes find that it's the extra layer allowing a bit of sliding/wobble that does the trick rather than the thickness of the padding. A bit like the chamois in shorts, or blister socks, they doesn't need to be thick, it's just adding another layer to reduce friction.

Also, try raising your bars, the drops should be comfortable for extended periods so don't slam the stem and make them unusable, if you can spend time in the drops then it gives the rest of your palm time to recover.

You could also put gel pads under your bar tape, would give you the cushioning you want and allow you to ride gloves free?

I've worn plenty of cheap mitts as well as various long fingered gloves from the MTB and scoffed at why anyone would wear anything else. Then, I went on holiday and left them at home, and the LBS only had expensive Castelli ones in, so I had to pony up for them...

...and damn it, they're bloody awesome! I can wear them all day and not get any discomfort, rubbing or, in fact, any problems at all. They're so comfy that I usually end up wearing them around the house before my wife points out that I've forgotten to take them off again.

Highly recommended. I can probably find the specific model if you care enough to be interested.

If you're used to riding without gloves, just ride without gloves. I don't find riding with gloves any comfier (possibly less so) than riding without on the road

Have you tried just doing longer rides without any if that's what you're used to? I've not worn mitts on the road for years, I put a pair on for Ride London due to the increased likelihood of going down the road and they were not comfy at all, much better with nothing on!

Do you  know thqat you need gel mitts, or just think you should?

I hate them.

not a fan of gloves here, either.  There's always something annoying about them, and the more complex they are (e.g. gel bits) the more likely it is that something's going to rub, pull, get on your (ulnar) nerves, however comfy they feel in the shop.

I do have long fingers, so thick grips feel nicer, and are more natural shape for my hands to wrap around and pull on, especially on the SS mtb .

So thick/cork gel bar tape with a short length on the top of the bar, underneath the wrap is what I go for, and it means all my needs for cushy goodness are met.

Spesh bar phat tape gives you a gel pad to do the job of the extra bits underneath^

I’m now pushing the distance up a bit in preparation for London to Brighton and decided that a pair of mitts would be wise to add some comfort.

And as per the 3 above me, maybe you'll be just grand without them.  Loads of positions to shift around on drops, too.

and the LBS only had expensive Castelli ones in

Startcycles have Castelli mitts for a reasonable price. Also Scott ones, I recommended them before, but I suspect because they're so cheap on Start that people think they're crap. They aren't! £8 at the mo, so even if you don't like em it's little wasted.

I’m after something with a palm insert for cushioning

Might be worth a look at the Specialized Grail Mitts / Gloves then.  They've worked for me reducing pressure on nerves and the like.

https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/12569/2018-grail-gloves/

Startcycles have Castelli mitts for a reasonable price. Also Scott ones, I recommended them before, but I suspect because they’re so cheap on Start that people think they’re crap. They aren’t! £8 at the mo, so even if you don’t like em it’s little wasted.

For reference, mine are Castelli Entrata in size XL and fit, well, like a glove.

sounds like you got the wrong size gloves to me, gloves will make your hands be warmer and thus swell up slightly, this then caused you discomfort in your fingers. Can you return em and go a size up? or just buy the next size up?

I like track mitts because they tell me I'm going for a ride. When I got back into cycling buying a Coventry Eagle in 1984 for a long time I had no kit that was cycling kit and no helmet but I did buy a pair of track mitts and to this day I when I put them on everything else can do one, I'm off for a ride. Put them on and all's well with the world.

Sorry no real recommendations, I'm using cheap Lidl ones at the moment which are fine on long road rides, I've done over a 100 miles wearing them but I'm thinking I need something better for my rigid mountain bike.

Thanks for all the responses.  I didn’t wear mitts on a recent 25 miler and was just getting to the point whereby I was wondering whether I should put some on, more through rubbing on the heel of my palms rather than pain through pressure, however the discomfort was much worse with mitts.  Do I need them, maybe not, perhaps more thinking it was the done thing. I’m fine on bar position comfort wise and do switch up where I have my hands.

I think I’ll look into some of the alternatives suggested above, try my Troy lees,  and also consider different tape.

I'd say increasingly it's not the done thing, your palms will toughen up. I'd not bother, certainly wouldn't do it because you feel you should.

You’re probably right njee. And a good dose of man up is the cheapest option too!