The temperatures on my rides the past few mornings have hovered below freezing. With temperatures in this range, I often arrive on campus with frigid fingers—despite trying multiple varieties of gloves designed for riding in colder temperatures. This winter has been different. I picked up a pair of Bar Mitts “pogies,” which are specially-designed “mittens” that attach to the bike’s handlebars. They are roomy enough inside to permit easy use of the brake and shifting levers all while keeping your hands protected from the elements.

The mitts are made from thick neoprene, so they provide insulation in addition to gloves. But more importantly, they block the wind, which seems to be the biggest culprit for my cold hands. The model I purchased for my commuter bike attaches by means of four Velcro straps. One goes around the bar end (inside the mitt) and three wrap around the bar near the stem. There is also a zipper to snug up the mitt around the cables. With a bit of practice, getting them on and off goes smoothly and takes just a minute. I remove them when I arrive at work since the rack where I park is in an unsecured area.

I needed little adjustment to riding with the mitts on. It took me just a few days to get the hang of pulling an arm out for signaling, wiping my glasses, etc. However, this is a fairly minimal barrier and the wonderful benefit of warm hands far outweighs it. You can find Bar Mitts designed for most handlebar styles and I highly recommend them for cold weather cycling.