How to Measure for Bike Gloves? | Fit In 60 Seconds

To measure for bike gloves, wrap a soft tape measure around the widest part of your hand below the knuckles, excluding the thumb.

For the full breakdown, see our best Bike Gloves guide.

One wrong measurement can send back a perfectly good pair of gloves and leave you riding with numb fingers or loose palms. The fix takes less than a minute and requires only a soft tape measure — the fabric kind, not a metal one. Here’s what to do.

Getting The Hand Width Right

Start with your palm open and fingers together. Wrap the soft tape measure around the widest point of your hand — that’s the area just below the base of your knuckles, where the hand is its broadest. Keep the tape snug but not tight; pulling it too hard compresses the flesh and delivers an undersized result.

Two things to avoid:

• Never include the thumb. The measurement is around the palm only, so the tape should sit below the thumb joint.
• Don’t measure over a glove. Bare skin gives the true number.

If one hand is bigger than the other — most people have a dominant hand that runs slightly larger — measure both and use the larger one. Several manufacturers explicitly recommend sizing to the bigger hand.

When The Chart Asks For Hand Length

Some sizing charts want more than circumference. Planet Bike’s glove chart, for example, asks for both hand circumference and hand length, with sizes running from XS to XXL. Liv Cycling’s women’s accessory sizing guide does the same, asking you to measure palm width at its widest point and then length from the tip of the middle finger to the wrist.

To take that second measurement correctly:

1. Keep your hand flat, palm facing up.
2. Press the end of the tape at your middle fingertip.
3. Run it straight down to the crease at your wrist.

If the two numbers land in different sizes, the brand often tells you to go with the larger one. Planet Bike’s own chart states that instruction explicitly. When in doubt, follow the specific glove model’s chart rather than a generic size label — a medium in one brand can easily be a large in another.

How To Read A Brand’s Sizing Chart

There is no universal bike glove size. Charts vary by manufacturer, and some are simpler than others. A few use only palm circumference; others require both circumference and length. That means the chart for the exact glove you’re buying matters more than any general size guide.

One useful rule whenever the numbers conflict: some brands tell you to use the larger measurement the same way you’d size a shoe — it’s easier to tighten a slightly roomy glove than to stretch a tight one.

Checking The Fit — And Reading The Chart Right

A properly fitted bike glove should feel snug across the palm with no bunching or gaping, while letting your fingers move freely. The cuff should sit comfortably at the wrist without pinching. If you’re ordering online, measure your hand in the evening — hands swell slightly during the day, and that gives you the more realistic size for actual riding conditions.

Keep your measured numbers handy when you’re ready to order. If you’re browsing options, a well-reviewed roundup of bike gloves can save you from navigating dozens of brand charts separately. The same measurement data applies to most brands, including mountain bike gloves and women’s cycling glove lines.

Sizing logic for bike gloves also carries over to similar gear — some manufacturers reuse the same measurement approach for motorcycle and dirt-bike gloves. The takeaway stays the same: measure carefully, follow that specific brand’s chart, and choose the larger result when the numbers split.

FAQs

Do I measure with my fingers together or spread apart?

Keep your fingers together and relaxed when measuring. Spreading them increases the circumference reading and pushes you into a larger size than you actually need. A flat, natural hand position gives the accurate number the sizing chart expects.

Should I size up if I’m between two glove sizes?

Usually yes, especially when the brand’s chart doesn’t specify. A slightly larger glove is easier to adjust with the closure strap, while a smaller one can pinch and numb your hands. Some manufacturers, like Planet Bike, instruct you to choose the larger measurement when your numbers fall in different sizes.

Do winter or padded gloves need a different hand measurement?

Take the same base measurement, then check the specific product page for guidance. Heavily padded or insulated gloves sometimes run small and brands advise sizing up. The hand measurement itself stays identical; only the chart interpretation changes.