Lost, and Found Again

Brand New Pearl Izumi "Ride Thermal Lite" Gloves with Decade-Old Gloves a Saint Returned and my Orange Hat
While the Orange Hat is "Just a Hat," its Color Probably Helped Find the Gloves

Nearly ten years ago, in a post, here, I related how I bought a pair of good winter cycling gloves (Pearl Izumi Softshell Gloves) at a bargain price at the Hotter 'N Hell 100. Unlike the shoe covers I also reported on at that time, I've gotten almost constant use out of the gloves in colder weather. They're good from about 25 degrees (-4C for any Canadian friends that use French temperature units) up to about 55 (13C). Outside that range and things are either a bit chilly or a little sweaty. For $15 gloves (they sell for about $60 on Amazon), they have proved exceptionally durable and versatile. While they no longer look new, they remain in good overall shape, with only a some of the extraneous rubber non-slip dots falling off through the years. The gloves are a size too big, which turns out to be perfect, since they're easier to get on and off; pretty much mandatory at coffee stops.

Well, they WERE until all this Coronavirus stuff cropped up. You see, as things started to ramp up (while the NYC Mayor was still working out at his local YMCA), people got confused. Even I, grumpy as I sometimes am, elected to purchase groceries for an entire week rather than my usual every-couple of days routine. Well, to make a long story short, that entailed using a shopping cart, and I left my cherished gloves behind, along with an orange hat I frequently use to keep my head warm.

I rode back to see if I could find them, or if they'd been turned in. Alas, I was out of luck. I even looked in the store garbage can in case someone had taken it on themselves to dispose of items that might be contaminated. No luck there, either. Sigh.

Later, at home, I was resigned to purchasing another pair as much like the originals as I could find. I was somewhat dismayed to find the "non summer HH100 price" was $60. In an attempt to be frugal, I bought a pair of lighter gloves, figuring I could always use a liner with them. The cheaper Pearl Izumi gloves were still $20, and, as we will find later, work more in the 50-60 degree range.

The day after the new gloves arrived, I inquired one more time at the grocery store lost and found. Hallelujah! They had them and the mention of the orange hat helped them pick them out of the pile. For the remainder of my ride home, I put those new gloves in the pouch of my hoodie and thought kind thoughts towards every one and every thing. What can I say, I'm not grumpy all the time.

Still, the new gloves were not a waste of money. They do work in the warmer ranges of what we see in Ocean Shores, Washington. Now that we're headed towards May, I can see myself using them frequently. They are called "Pearl Izumi - Ride Thermal Lite Glove" and the blurb on Amazon claims "A top seller, these lightweight unisex gloves are ideal on their own when the weather gets cool. Or use them as liners under our P.R.O. Barrier WxB Gloves in truly cold temperatures." More importantly, the new gloves gave me hope for a brief period that Pearl Izumi made good "not quite so cold" gloves.

Well, they certainly ARE lightweight, but there is no noticable insulation on them. They're just another pair of non-waterproof, full-finger cycling gloves. While I've not tried it yet, they might work well as liners for my softshell gloves for those rare "really cold" Ocean Shores or North Texas mornings. We shall see. OTHO, such mornings also seem to work well with ski gloves.

Salute to France

Cycling Gloves help Grip the Opinel Lock Ring on this New Knife. A Multitool Screwdriver also is Handy

As in many other areas of life, we continue to discover new goodies that work well on our bikes. Recently, I discovered one that, while it remains new, makes good use of full finger gloves and the multitool that most cyclists carry with them.

Most of you have long known about Swiss Army knives. Unfortunately, they generally are bulkier and heavier than is ideal for a cycling accessory and they have lots of junk you probably won't use on a long cycling day trip. My wife loves them, but her purse isn't something I'd want to carry around even in a trunk bag.

Thanks to the bicycle blog world, I ran across a bit about Opinel knives on the Velo Orange Blog. I've purchased Velo Orange products in the past and found them to be reasonable values for the money they cost. They're better for the cyclist who is prepared to do a bit of fiddling and improvising than for someone satisfied with only a "turnkey" solution.

However, they introduced me to an excellent accessory for cycling or hiking. The Opinel knife has been around since well before the parents of anyone reading this were born. It's simple, and elegant. It's won lots of design awards. It is inexpensive and light. So I got one. It is everything people have said and Wikipedia has a good summary of it. It is VERY sharp as received. However, I did encounter a downside that I was alerted about by a few of the reviews. The locking mechanism on a new knife is pretty hard to engage or disengage. Presumably, this will get better with time. I suspect that if the knife locking worked too easily when new, it'd get sloppy before long. In that way, perhaps it has more in common with a Brooks Saddle than might immediately come to mind.

In the meantime, I quickly discovered that cycling gloves and a multitool make quick locking and unlocking a breeze. NOW you know what gloves and multitools REAL design goal was - to enable the famished cyclist to easily whip out his/her simple but elegant knife to slice up bread, fruit, or cheese (or to make some tinder for a quick campfire). C'est bon! Who says the French no longer make quality cycling items? Everything you need in a pocketknife and nothing you don't.

Falling Over in Glove Love

It's Not Hard to See THIS Hand Has Been Covered Up by GLOVE LOVE!

I wear gloves most of the time when I cycle. In the past, in this blog, I’ve described many of them, including mittens and heavy winter gloves. Yesterday, I was reminded of why I also appreciate gloves as personal protective equipment.

I was riding home, much like any other weekday. As occasionally happens, I encountered a motorist at a four way stop that tried to be nice and waited for me to go. She didn’t realize that not only did she have the “right of way” by virtue of having stopped at the sign before me (and to my right to boot), but that my intention was to make a left turn and that she’d then have to make a lane change to pass me immediately afterwards simply due to her confused courtesy. There seemed little point to creating yet another passing situation simply because people aren’t following the rules.

Well, to make a long story short, I then fell over at the stop sign. The lady was somewhat flabbergasted. After all, it is not every day you try to wave on a cyclist, only to see him simply fall over. It is one disadvantage of my clipless pedals. Stop for long enough, and if the bike starts to tip over away from the unclipped foot, there may be no way to stop the fall. And so it was yesterday. I hadn’t PLANNED on a LONG stop. Fortunately, since I habitually unclip my right foot, when I fall, I fall towards the non-drive side of the bike, so the handlebars are the only real bike component at risk.



I Fell at This Intersection - In the Photo, I was Moving from Left and About to Turn Into the Photo

Yesterday, my left glove saved me from the embarrassing added personal indignity of “hand rash.” My Glove love indeed. Perhaps my loyal reader never falls over, but I do.

Captain Picard Contemplates Steve...

Texas Needs Training

Insulated Gloves Help Keep Hot Coffee From Burning Your Hand

Texans can be as silly as Angelenos about the weather. Cycler's comments about the Rice students staring in amazement at a little snow had me chuckling, but this morning, the "news" had stories almost as good. Due to a very light dusting of snow, schools around the area were closing. The weather/traffic people all advised us to leave "at least an hour early."

In truth, I did leave for work about twenty minutes early, just in case I encountered any slick spots. I arrived about eighteen minutes early. I did encounter four weather-related problems. First, the stretch of road crossing Highway 183 was a bit squirrely due to overenthusiastic use of deicer. It wasn't slippery - more like it had gravel on it, but the potential corrosion to my frame had me mildly concerned. Second, the handicap ramp entry to our building was really slick since they hadn't put any deicer on it - and I almost slipped. Third, I'd gotten so fascinated by the "news" that I clean forgot to bring along a fresh work shirt. Luckily, I keep one at work so that wasn't a big problem. Finally, and perhaps most serious, I forgot to bring along sugar-free coffee syrup, leading me to drink "plain" coffee on the way home. We DO have to make sacrifices to deal with the weather!

We'll see how these Texans harden up. Last night it got to 29F. Tonight, it's supposed to get to 22F, with 20F or maybe even a bit lower tomorrow night. By Friday, people may be wearing shorts when it gets back up to 40F. Me, I miss snow.

Warning. Falls Will Result in Uncontrollable Slides. Stevens Pass. Washington State

Maybe Cold Enough

Pearl Izumi Softshell Gloves

Last summer, when most at the Hotter 'n Hell were shopping for summer cycling stuff, I was stocking up on leftover winter items. This weekend, I actually got to wear the gloves for the first time. They work well, though I fear they will require a supplemental covering when the temperatures drop below 20F, and their comfortable upper temperature is about 50F.

Gloves for Bicycles

Shooting Gloves - Good for Winter Cycling?

I have problems finding the right balance of warmth and flexibility in winter gloves. Ski mittens are plenty warm but awkward on the shifters and brakes - and they're horrible if one wants to take a swig from the water bottle without a formal stop. Work gloves even come in "high vis" colors, but the mesh backs leave my hands not much warmer than cycling gloves. Adding "convertible mitten/gloves" to the work gloves seem clunky and they don't stop the wind well enough on their own. The knit also seems like it won't wear well with shifting and handlebar work. It does look cute, however, to see my "high vis" work glove-covered fingertips sticking out from the knit mittens. This combo works best with the LH hand fully mittened and the RH hand in convertible mode - the better to work the shifter with.

Well, thanks to Andy, over at Carbon Trace, and his talk about his great coat from Bass Pro Shops, I decided to do a little looking of my own. Anybody use "shooting gloves" for cycling? Like shooting, a fold-back index finger would come in handy on occasion when cycling. Anyone have a theory about what insulation weight to use for cycling between about 20F and 40F? If I believe the Cabela's "Glove Guide," it'd be between 70 and 100 grams insulation. Below 20F, the Motorcycle Meter is too low for me around here anyway!

As described on the "Cabela's" website:
The sensitive tactility and amazing dexterity provided by the synthetic palms of these gloves make them a must for any hunter who demands technical performance and successful results. Hands stay toasty warm in 150-gram ArmourLoft™ insulation. Soft and comfortable brushed tricot lining. The fold-back trigger finger is great for squeezing off a shot or reloading. Water-resistant fabric repels moisture and wicks it away. ColdGear® liner cuff and adjustable wrist for a wind-tight seal. Imported.

Sizes: S-XL.
Camo patterns: Realtree® AP HD®, Mossy Oak® Treestand®.
 
Hmm, while I'm not a "high vis" fanatic, perhaps going from black to camo is a step in the wrong direction? On the other hand, I DO like green. Good thing I carry multiple lights...

Convertible Half Finger Mittens from REI

Warm but not Wind Resistant - and they Run Small

Before you know it, all this will be academic anyway. The days are getting noticeably longer already...