Another 'No' vote from me... the only luxury item I have in a sprint tri is my cycling glasses, with lenses appropriate to the weather/lighting conditions.
I can manage with chilly hands, if conditions are bad. Can't manage with a stone in the eye though, so the glasses go on.
I do occasionally go out for a short (say 20km) ride without my gloves on, just to make sure there are no odd grip or blister-causing wrinkle issues or anything.
I'm giving the no gloves thing a go at Oulton Park on Sunday. 45 minutes or so, how cold can your hands get?
Last year I had to wear gloves as I was on my hybrid bike with "twist" style gears which I couldn't operate with sweaty hands. I forgot a couple of times to take the gloves off in T2, which lead to me having very hot hands on the run.
I wouldnt bother... Its just another thing to worry about doing in Transition.
It is only 25k so like you say 45mins. Unless its freezing cold ie winter then your hands are not gona get that cold.
I have done an Olympic distance where my hands were that cold at the end of the bike I couldnt undue my helmet clasp and my hands and ceased closed in the shape of gripping the Tri bars....This was because it absolutely poured down all day. Not the best feeling in the world....
I dont even wear gloves on Long course stuff. I find that i dont generally grip the bars tight anyway... just rest and if i have to turn the bars the control with shifted weight and elbows:)
Another vote for no from me. But then I only really wear gloves when it's cold, not for grip. It depends, I suppose on your reasons for wearing them. if it's a 10 - 12 mile race then I don't think you will suffer much, and if it adds 10 sec in each transition, that's quite a lot of time.
sfuller
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I suppose another factor could be weather, if its chilly or raining then youll probably lose time due to discomfort.
Do you train without them?
I can manage with chilly hands, if conditions are bad. Can't manage with a stone in the eye though, so the glasses go on.
I do occasionally go out for a short (say 20km) ride without my gloves on, just to make sure there are no odd grip or blister-causing wrinkle issues or anything.
Last year I had to wear gloves as I was on my hybrid bike with "twist" style gears which I couldn't operate with sweaty hands. I forgot a couple of times to take the gloves off in T2, which lead to me having very hot hands on the run.
It is only 25k so like you say 45mins. Unless its freezing cold ie winter then your hands are not gona get that cold.
I have done an Olympic distance where my hands were that cold at the end of the bike I couldnt undue my helmet clasp and my hands and ceased closed in the shape of gripping the Tri bars....This was because it absolutely poured down all day. Not the best feeling in the world....
I dont even wear gloves on Long course stuff. I find that i dont generally grip the bars tight anyway... just rest and if i have to turn the bars the control with shifted weight and elbows:)
Another vote for no from me. But then I only really wear gloves when it's cold, not for grip. It depends, I suppose on your reasons for wearing them. if it's a 10 - 12 mile race then I don't think you will suffer much, and if it adds 10 sec in each transition, that's quite a lot of time.
going long = whatever makes you comfortable. Extra seconds in transtition make no difference, extra comfort does.