DIY for Cold Hands: Moose Mitts

It definitely seems appropriate to target winter riding advice during this time of year - at least in this hemisphere. For those in cold climates, keeping your hands warm and still being able to maintain finger dexterity can be a challenge. I have some neoprene bike gloves that work pretty well for keeping my hands warm, but if I want to undo zippers or even buckle my helmet on, I have to take off a glove. I just can’t feel very well through the material.

Handlebar mitts on motor scooters are fairly common, but it is rare that I see them on bikes.  had Nickjohnson’s flickr photostream provides a simple hack to try to keep your hands warm on cold rides.  Here is Nick’s description:

When the weather gets cold, some people put on gloves. Personally, it’s always bothered me to have anything between my hands and the brake levers. Here’s another solution: “moose mits” are insulated mittens built around your handlebars. You slide you hand inside, and have unencumbered access to your brake levers, but your hands stay warm.

This is the simplest design possible: I wrapped an old t-shirt around each brake lever, and tied it in place with an old inner tube. Voila. Warm hands.

Comments

[Torben Putkonen]

This is not a solution for cold weather. Maybe this works at Jens Voigt Factor 1, but at any higher level this is stupid and useless. To make it work at cold weather, the fabric should be water and wind proof. And the metal in handle bar and brake lever still conducts heat away from your fingers.

Hacking is fun, but it is not the right solution to all problems.

Gloves work and are completely safe to use. They even provide better brake lever grip in wet conditions. This hack only removes all other handle bar positions, except the hoods.

[Matt]

This person can't live anywhere very cold... I live in Virginia and it's not nearly as cold here as other places - but I sure as heck know t-shirts wouldn't have worked out yesterday morning when it was 19 degrees (plus windchill). My hands were cold even in my windproof, lined gloves.

[Niklas]

Also, how easy is it to remove your hands in case you fall for whatever reason? I wouldn't like to have my hands tied down if the wheels go flying on an ice patch.

Personally I use a pair of unlined leather finger gloves, with another pair of insulation gloves (thinsulate or surplus wool :) ) underneath. Having 2 layers allows me to separate them so they dry faster in case of sweat or rain.
As long as I keep my core temperature up it works pretty well down to -10C(14F) or so, and since I have a short ride to work it sort of works down to -20C(-4F). I'm a pretty warm guy though.
After that the only thing that works are mittens.

I see the kids bike around with their hands in their pockets, and I always shake my head...

[Sean]

these would be much better if they used an old fleece pull over or blanket bought at a thrift store for $5-$7.

a few minutes with a scissors and sewing machine and you would have some useable Pogies.

I have a pair of fleece gloves that once I get warmed up are good to about 5F. below that I have a pair of snow board Mitts that have kept me warm down to -15F. even with the Mitts I have no issues with the brakes or my Bar end shifters.

[mattyfu]

I've been considering a pair of boot liners with a hole in the toe but I think it might take my winter cycling from abnormal to complete nutcase in the eyes of the casual observer.

[Kevin ferguson]

You're on a bike. You are already a nut case to the CO.

[Honest Engine]

I'm not (too much of) a snob for pretty bike things, but can we agree to a baseline of elegance for bikehack? T-shirts tied with innertubes? What, didn't have any worn out wife-beaters to class it up?