Help - Gel gloves or shock absorbing hood pads

[Helene2013]

Since I had my 3 falls just 2 weeks ago, my right hand absorbed lots of the shocks. Luckily I had padded gloves. BUT I do have pain (bruising is at least mostly gone from the outside). My physiotherapist gave me some exercice to stretch that area, etc. I applied ice also. She told me to try to pad temporarily my bar where my palm (near thumb) and thumb are affected by pressure when I'm on the brake hoods, which is 98% of the time. She said a small rolled towel would do the trick but I can't see myself going around with a towel taped to my girly bike. hihi My pain is barely there on a normal day, but as soon as pressure is applied by bike bar, I'm on for ice and Aleve.

Soooo. My question is : does anyone would have idea on how I could soften up my road handlebar - a quick fix as it should not be forever, I hope anyway?

I was thinking of certain options:

1) better gel gloves (where there would be some extra soft padding inside where palm and thumb can use it the most right now)
2) apply more bar tape (can it be doubled???) to what I already have right now
3) read about some gel tape you can put under your bar tape. Something like this but it would mean going back to bike shop to have my tape removed and put back on some new one. I would not want it on top of tape. I don't think it would look good/makes sense
http://www.wiggle.com.au/fizik-bar-gel-2-set/

Also saw this but the reviews were not so great.
http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gea...-and-pads.html

I went for 2 rides (yesterday and today) and my palm and thumb - when stretched (like when braking) hurt a lot after being a while on the bike. I did not have issues before the falls and PT is confident it will get back to normal but it will take time and I can't abuse either. On trainer I can relax my hand by not putting it on the bar a lot but it is not the same once on real road riding.

I don't want to do major changes if possible as sometimes you solve on issue but create another one.

Any experience people here to guide me in going the right direction? I have a 90km ride next Saturday and may have to carry an ice pack if it gets too sore, which I hope I can get away with if I can find a better padded solution.

Thanks a million.

Edited: I had a flash. Maybe I could try a gel pack (you know those that you can heat/freeze). There must be some that are small enough. Or something I could make myself in a tiny bag or something.... I'll keep thinking. More flashes may come up.

[ny biker]

I don't know if you can find gloves with padding where you want it, but could you buy a larger pair of gloves and add some kind of padding inside one of them to provide cushioning where you need it?

Otherwise I would (a) look into the cost of having the gel strips put under the bar tape or (b) find a towel or other cloth to use as a temporary cushion that is the same color as the bar tape.

[BikeDutchess]

This may sound silly but instead of taping a towel to your bars, could you use foam pipe insulation?

But I think a 90 km ride will result in soreness regardless of the temporary measure used.

[Helene2013]

Thank you for your replies.

I like the idea of pipe insulation. I have different sizes of those at home. I'll see if I can have one of those sizes fit the bar (with some tape to make it stick - no rolling). My husband thinks it may be too thick, even the smaller size.

It is raining today (what's new here as we've had crappy weather for a month now. So unusual.) so I may stop at my LBS and see what options they would have for some gel near the hoods, etc.

I know that I will be sore at the end of that ride on Saturday but my main concern is that palm/thumb combo. And I need my strength to break safely. At least while on nice road parts, I will be able to change the positions of my hands to relieve the pressure applied to it. Yesterday we did a 26km ride (had to come back as the storm caught up on us and we opened the garage door with perfect timing. ) But my hand (where it hurts) was so numb that I had to stop for a minute to shake it and give it a rest. I was fine afterwards. But since I was going fast to avoid the storm, I was holding on (too tight too due to stress) the hood part for the whole return so not helping my case by not giving it a rest. So I do expect to have to stop once in a while during that "challenge". But I will survive. I'm also "learning" to sit back and relax my grip when I go fast. But yesterday with the rain I needed to feel steady and safe on the return of ride so totally forgot to

And this week is a slow week for training (pre-challenge - yeah) so my hand will have a good break from the pressure I apply by holding on the bar.

I will keep you posted on what solution was used and if efficient.

[Helene2013]

I went to my LBS and talk with the owner. I explained my situation and told him I was trying to find an option for that palm/thumb.

He said he could put the gel tape under my bar tape but it would not really solve my problem and those gel tapes are not as "soft" as you'd think. And it would also thickens oo much the hood, etc.

When I told him about the soft ice gel pack he told me it would be the best solution, as long as they were not too bulky. I checked what I have home and they are 4x6''. Too big for my bar. So I'll see if I can get smaller one at drugstore tomorrow. If not, some sort of facecloth wrapped around (even if it means I have to cut it to make it fit) will have to be it.

[Helene2013]

Thank you Muireen.

My Physiotherapist sent me an email and is also looking for a solution, if we can find one for that 90km ride. So far, I have not seen small enough gel packets. I found some gel beads. They are sooooo soft. It would have been perfect but nothing comes in small enough. I had wondered if I opened one to put in small package but I don't have any and it would need to be sealed. Ziplocks would not be safe enough to be "gripped".
http://www.amazon.com/RELIEF-BEADS-T.../dp/B0065O8T7G

So I may go shop for a thick facecloth that I can cut and custom-fit until it heals. My issue is the hood and side of it (so the rubber part) and not so much my handlebar, which has good tape already. So not that easy to find some "softness" without changing the access to the brake and may create more stretching of my injured hand. Not good.

I did order gloves from Castelli that seem to be thick where I need it (but for the in-between thumb/index) which should get here on time for Saturday. I wanted the pink one to match my kit. http://www.mec.ca/product/5031-490/c...gloves-womens/

Until the 90km ride on Saturday, my personal trainer (PT/Kin) has put me on rest week. Last week was 7 hours tough training but this week I only have to log in 3 hours. Whewhouuu! Tonight will be done on trainer so I don't really have to apply pressure on that hand, and my next bike is a very easy going ride Friday - no hills, no speed, etc outside if possible. And one muscu session that I won't be using much of that hand - on pressure anyway. So that gives me 6 days of rest. It should help.