Up here in Yorkshire I see a fair few riders, going gloveless all day at a Trial

 

Do you wear gloves and not bother ever

 

Do you get better control, going gloveless??

rules from my local club.

"Helmets, suitable calf length boots and gloves, along with appropriate clothing must be worn at all times whilst riding a machine at our events"

the thin modern gloves seem fine to me and wearing no gloves just doesn't feel right after years of riding on the road.

For a few, it's wearing gloves that just doesn't seem right. These people have a history going back to the 1970s, when of course Malcolm Rathmell coined the phrase that wearing gloves is like washing your feet with your socks on.

The guy who is teaching me to weld hates gloves as they reduce feel, but I always wear them.  Last week I managed to weld a bit that was neat enough he reconned it was better than his ... I'd say reticense over gloves is just being awkward with no real benefit, but they're your hands

Anytime i try to ride a bike bare handed it feels like my hands are gonna come off the bars. I just dont have the grip, though i do have sweaty palms

I usually wear them nowadays but back in the 70's the leather gloves we had did not offer good feel and very little grip if wet or muddy, not helped by the fluted black rubber grips.  Not to mention being cold when wet on the road between sections; sometimes it was warmer without. There was also going in to work on Monday and Tuesday with black, or red if you had fancy gloves, hands. Hence we seldom bothered.   I think there is still a faint mark on my throttle thumb where the skin used to wear away☺  I remember trying goalie gloves for a while though.

The first bike I remember having decent grips was the 348 Montesa (only one of many improvements it had over other bikes of the time) - they really seemed to be designed to grip well to bare skin and were comfortable.

Modern gloves are much better, though can still be a bit slippy if mud covered, but I wouldn't expect them to protect me from real injury, grazes yes, but not if clobbering a rock.  

Edited March 20, 20179 yr by 2stroke4stroke

Down here in the south east (UK) land is at a premium, often our idea of a hard section is multiple turns between trees on a cambered bank ( rocky streams are few and far between) gloves are an absolute must unless you enjoy loosing the skin on your outside fingers.

Many the time I have bashed my hand so hard going for that 'clean' that I have not taken the glove off until I am back in the car park for risk of ruining my day looking at a skinned finger only to find no damage. Even the thinnest Hebo type glove manages to slide past a tree and enable me to escape injury free.

Also stops blisters, gloves every time !

 

 

As soon as its warm enough that I can feel my fingers the gloves come off,I don't get blisters and hate wearing gloves. Gauntlets for the road bits then off they come !

Gauntlets!! Last time I saw those on a trials rider they were teamed with the old ankle length storm proof footing coat, excellent for disguising dabs from observers.

37 minutes ago, cleanorbust said:

Gauntlets!! Last time I saw those on a trials rider they were teamed with the old ankle length storm proof footing coat, excellent for disguising dabs from observers.

You want to try riding a road based trial like the Golden Valley March Hare on thin trials gloves when its minus whatever and pi--ing down with rain or snow.Road gauntlets are the answer over trials gloves for the road bits,then they come off for sections along with the thin gloves if your blood is going around...

I am not in the UK but I always wear gloves. It gets really hot here in Texas but when I crash it seems my hands hit first so I like wearing gloves. I guess I could stop crashing, but gloves are more realistic  . 

Only when its brass monkeys.  Wearing gloves exacerbates wrist pump for me and struggle with sensitivity. Not worried about scrapes on trees ect Builder/carpenter so hands like old boot leather and always sporting cuts and gouges. Anything major and trials type gloves will be as much use as a chocolate kettle. Boots and helmet are a must.  

Back in the days ( the early 70's ), yes yes, I'm that old, if you where serious about trial, you needed boots. Helmet was for beginner and if you where really serious, you had to wear glove. I was in a group that '' thought '' they where really serious, so glove ever since and it does not feel right if I don't. Of course I learned since then, I force myself to wear '' some protection '' on my head.

Guy

I wear gloves both due to choice and necessity due to some injuries from the past.