As cyclists, we often neglect our hands. We ride through cold, wet, blustery conditions in pursuit of miles and get stuck in when our chain falls off. But more often than not, taking care of our hands can be an afterthought, put to one side until we wind up with sore, cracked, calloused mitts.
But it needn’t be that way; with our simple tips and just the tiniest bit of effort, you can keep your hands in tip-top condition with our DIY cyclist’s handcare routine.
The first thing you need is a good pair of gloves. Subjecting the delicate skin of your hands to sub-zero temperatures and the howling winds of winter not only makes you uncomfortable on the bike, you also end up with the hands of a hardened Navy officer.
Another useful piece of kit is protective gloves for when you need to work on your bike. Get some latex gloves from a pharmacy or nitrile gloves from a tool shop and keep them with your spare tubes and pump. Pop them on before you change your tube or fix your chain and you’ll avoid the need to scrub the skin from your hands and ruin your nails in an effort to remove grease and grime. You’ll also avoid the need for harsh petrochemicals to get clean.
