Without the right hand protection you will soon find yourself experiencing chafing and blisters and in some cases even numbness in the hand. A good pair of gloves will have breathable fabrics with strategically placed padding and soft materials to prevent chafing. When it comes to long or short finger gloves there is no one system that fits all but road bike gloves are usually fingerless while MTB gloves are long fingered to protect against branches, rocks and other debris.