* Gloves are important because riding can cause sore hands, no matter how softly padded the handlebars are. Riding too long without gloves can even be dangerous because it can damage the median nerve that runs in the webbing between index finger and thumb, which causes numbness that can take extremely long (weeks or months) to recover. Bicycle gloves have special padding that protects the hands.
Short gloves (with the finger ends cut off) should be made of a thin lycra top and a soft leather (or similar material) palm. The area between index finger and thumb must be padded with extra layers or pads. The palm has extra padding consisting of foam sewn between leather layers. There are also gloves padded with gel pads but I do not think the extra expense is justified.
Long gloves come as five-fingered gloves and ``lobster claws'' that are split between middle and ring finger only (this reduces surface area while still allowing two fingers to reach the brakes while the other two hold the handlebars). Long bicycle gloves have extra antislip padding, but in a pinch ski gloves work too. My favorite vendor is Roeckl.
See also an article on "Helmet"
