A thin under-glove layer can make a big difference in how well a glove works—just make sure you still have plenty of room to move your fingers! A set of gloves like the ones from Dissent listed above are great because they’re designed to be layered, so they fit together well. And if you do opt for an extra liner, make sure it’s merino wool or polyester, not cotton. Any tips for emergency glove situations?

Mitts - Winter Accessories - Quad Accessories Hand Mitts - Winter Accessories - Quad Accessories

The mittens remain upright and open so you can slide your hands in and out of them, and have space to shift and brake. Wanting to ride on the very top of my hoods in an out-of-the-saddle position proved a bit challenging however. The openings of the Bar Mitts don’t extend far enough forward that I can comfortably ride on the top of the hoods. But this is largely due to my choice of a size Small mitten.

Known as one of the true leaders in the industry for bike pogies, the mittens can easily be installed when the temperature gets to a certain level. Most people do not want to ride with these installed at all times, so it makes sense to wait until the colder months to utilize them.

Bar Mitts Cold Weather Mountain/Commuter Bike Neoprene

Bar Mitts provide an alternative that promises to keep hands warm when they’re resting on the brake hoods, but still let riders easily grab food, water bottles, or other items. Similar warmers called pogies or Moose Mitts have been available for many years for flat handlebars, but the Bar Mitts are the first version that I’ve seen that are designed to fit road levers. Some gloves are billed as ‘winter’ or ‘cold weather,’ but as you can see above, the definition of winter varies wildly. Look at your local weather and average temperatures that you’re willing to ride in, and find a glove that’s comfortable in your range. Look at the Material To learn how to use pogies while riding, it takes some practice of taking the hands in and out. If something bad happens, there is also the opportunity just simply to rip them off. Final ThoughtsI also think being able to unzip the sides of the old-Shimano-shifter model as temperatures warm is very useful, and I’d buy that model even if I had newer Shimano shifters (or Campy or SRAM) that don’t need a zipper for the cable.