Conference noted::bicycle

    I have a pair of Spenco pads, not gloves, and find them a lot
    cooler to use in summer.  However, they do not appear very
    stylish if you are into that...
    Tom
    

    re .0	The cheap ones with soft pads wear quickly.  This is
    because the pad squirms around and disintegrates, then the two pieces
    of leather rub each other to bits.  For riding and falling I recommend
    the thicker leather ones with almost no pad; for riding only I prefer
    no gloves, just let the hands harden up a little.

    	Reg
    
    
    	Yeah, I *KNOW* !   Ya can't know ahead of time when its gonna
    be a fallin' down day.
    
    
    
    	Unless you fall most days, or hardly ever, or oh_never_mind...
    

    I've used both.  The ones with the cotton back are cooler and can
    be used (UGH) to wipe sweet of your face.  There isn't really a
    big difference.  Just make sure that the padding is decent.
    
    Actually, the cotton gloves I've had always lasted until the leather
    rots.  You really get quit attached to them.  One pair of lycra
    gloves I had ripped very quickly,  the other pair is still ok.
    

    I think an important consideration is, "How much do you ride or plan
    to ride?"
    
    2 hrs or less a day, 10 hrs or less a week?  You can use anything
    and be comfortable.
    
    More than that, including hot days? I'd go for cotton, whether it
    be the crocheted type or the newer type that's half lycra half terry.
    
    Other than "falling down days" there're the days when you want to
    get stuff off your tyres (or tires), gloves are good for that unless
    you let your hands get tough enough then you can use you bare palms
    then, too.
    
    ed

    
    I've had the best results over the years with Cycle-Pro lycra padded
    gloves.
    
    CdH
    

    I hope I don't get shot for saying this, but I use a pair of Spag's
    79 cent garden gloves.  They're leather reinforced in the palms
    and work fine.

    	RE: -1
    
    	I'm loadin' the musket now, Kratz, and heading for your
    	office.
    
    	Spag's gardening gloves, indeed.

    This needs a line like:
    
    Nothing gets between me and my Brake levers.
    
    Sorry, couldn't resist, it's been a rough day -- what with all that
    sunshine and such.
    
    ed

    	The latest Bicycling Magazine says lycra backed gloves can save
    up to 8 seconds over 100 miles due to improved aerodynamics.
  	Now, if I can get 100 pairs at 8 seconds each...  	

    I just bought a pair of the Spenco gloves which have gel-filled
    sacs which act as padding.  They're not very heavy and seem to
    provide the best grip and the best protection from road vibrations.
    
    I was previously using the Bike Nashbar brand gloves which worked
    fine until I started riding more frequently.  I still think they're
    a great buy for under $6.
    
    Glenn

I hope this reply gets "found", being attached to an old note.

I have found that riding my mountain bike even 4-6 miles makes my hands 
tingle.  This never really happened on a 12 speed.  I have $15 Novara (REI) 
gloves, synth. leather palms with padding - but the tingling happens with or 
without gloves.  

I'm perenially suspicious of Spenco gel-filled everything, but could Spenco 
gloves do more than regular gloves?  The handlebar grips a sponge rubber, not 
the hard rubber on many ATBs.  So, potentially, I've got all the padding I need.

I realize that more of your weight is on the handlebars when riding an ATB, 
but there must be cure for this.  (Maybe I could have that nerve in my hand 
surgically moved ;-)....)

Steve

Steve,

The same thing happened to me when I rode my motorcycle. It was a Honda 
Intercepter (cafe racer style street bike). The thing had low bars and of
course only one hand position. Much like a MT-bike. When I rode a friends bike
with higher bars, I didn't have the tingling hands. Maybe raising your bars
might help take the weight off your wrist.

OR ride no hands ;-)

Tom

    I would first try re-angling the bar and/or the last note of
    raising lowering.  In addition, I believe that firmer grips provide
    better protection than softer ones.
    
    A lot of older mountain bikes have extremely wide handlebars.  Most
    better bikes have narrowed considerably.  You could evaluate this
    and perhaps saw the end off of each bar.
    
    steve

    	See note 129 (Numb Novice) for a discussion on how Spenco
    Gloves helped me with this problem.  Nerve damage can be perminent
    so it's not something you want to wait a long time with before
    finding a cure.
    
    						Jerry
    BTW - I'm on my fourth pair with no further problems.

< Note 307.15 by 32635::JSMITH "I Bike Solo II" >

>>>>    BTW - I'm on my fourth pair with no further problems.


After reading note #129, I guess I'll get the Spenco.  But have you worn out
4 - $25 pairs of Spenco gloves?  I guess if they work, then money is not so
important.

Does Spenco make a gel-filled handlebar grip for Mountain bikes?  I suppose
I'll get the gloves first, then worry about grips of any type.


It does seem like too much pressure is on my hands.  Perhaps I should
experiment with positions/stem heights, too.  I asked a few shops 
about longer stems, and they said that they were not common for an ATB.  
(I suppose a low stem (handlebar height) should make for better control in 
the woods - but I need comfort first!)  

Thanks for all the input....


Steve

    I'm wearing out my second pair of Spenco gloves.  Don't tell the
    company, but as far as I'm concerned, each pair is worth more than the
    last. $25 seems like nothing when I don't have them!  When my family
    asked me what they should bring from the U.S. when they came to Italy,
    I didn't hesitate.... 
    
    MATT
    
    PS -- They're well made, too.

    	As Matt said in -1 they are well worth it.  Now that I know that
    I have to have Spenco I'm always alert to sales of odd sizes.  For 
    example I picked up two pairs at Goodales of all places on sale for
    uner $12 a pair, reason being that they were size extra large, so
    I slip on a thin pair of poly ski glove liners and wala instant
    winter or cold weather gloves (about 6 mo/yr in N.H.).  Also, I
    have seen many mail order houses run slales on the older black
    gloves with the mesh knit backs since the new lycra back gloves
    have been on the market.  Once you find a good thing you tend to
    stick with it regardless of the price.  Besides, isn't bicycle
    bargin hunting a fun part of the sport?  
    						Jerry

    re .16
    
    I also have the problem of pressure on my hands while riding my
    MTB (Mongoose IBOC).  I did not have this problem with my fuji
    cadensa  it had bars with a "rise" in them, and a city bike stem.
    With a gell seat this was comfortable for hours, but for serious
    riding, more so climbing, was a problem.
    
    Depending on your riding needs, you may want to try different bars
    (ones with some rise).
    
    
    				John
    

    John_who_can't_wait_for_the_rain_to_stop_so_he_can_ride_his_NEW_PARAMOUNT!