uh oh! i don't like my new bar phat!

[caligurl]

hmmmm ok... so i've mentioned i don't like to wear gloves in the summer cuz i get icky tanlines.... (so please don't recommend that as a solution!) but my hands tend get sore on longer rides..... (i can do 40-50 with no gloves... no problem)

also.... when i switched over to pretty silver fizik tape on ruby.... it is the type with holes in it.. the stupid OEM bar phat (which is just globs stuck on the bar... NOT like the nicely packages stuff you buy in the store) started oozing through the holes.... also... the fizik take is MUCH thinner than the nice cushy tape that came on ruby...

sooooooo i was in the bike store looking at the bar phat display.... they had a handlebar with one side 2.5, the other 4.5.... i really liked the feel of the 4.5 stuff! nice and cushy... thought it would be nice for non-glove rides!

sooooo i bought some.... also had read at bikeforums about double wrapping my bar... thought i'd do that! extra cushy! well... it's not double wrapped yet... need another package of silver fizik first.... but with just the 4.5 bar phat and cushy tape... i THOUGHT i'd like the bar... just holding it after hubby did it... felt nice... but last night i went for a ride after work.. and my hands were.... not sore... but bothered.. and all red on my palms... now part of me things MAYBE it's cuz i did two longish rides sat and sun.... but the other part worries that the cushy bar is actually hurting my palms not helping!!!????

now i'm considering taking the black off and just wrapping the thinner silver over the bar phat! that should result in a thinner diameter bar but still cushy from the bar phat! i'd better get this sorted out before saturday! i have a double metric to do and don't need sore palms/hands!

if you've made it through all that... any thoughts on the bar phat actually hurting my hands? or do you think it's just they were irritated already from the weekend?

[Squirrel 2]

I think you simply have too much going on there. My guess on your soreness issue is that there is so much thick stuff on your handlebars that in trying to grasp it your hand will move around & get friction. The double-wrapping suggestions you encountered elsewhere would probably refer to the traditional, thinner handlebar tapes. I don't think anyone conceived of double-wrapping with 4.5 bar phat!

You're not going to like the easiest fix for your double metric -- re-wrap the tape to what first came on your lovely Ruby (probably the 2.5, which should be plenty cushy), & get a pair of well-padded gloves! I ride with the 2.5 bar phat, but can't imagine riding without gloves. My hands get too sweaty to safely grip, and I get callouses & areas that are rubbed raw. If the tan-lines make you crazy, you can address those later with better living through chemistry (ie, sunless tanning lotions).

[caligurl]

unfortunately.... i'm sure hubby threw out the glops of gel that they called bar phat!

i think i will have him rewrap tonight... taking off the black... and seeing if he can get the silver to fit since it won't have the black...

i tend to agree that maybe there's too much going on (and it's not even double wrapped yet!!!!!)

the bike shop did try to warn me! lol! worst case... i'll have to spend the money to rebuy the 2.3 that is nicely encased (vice the glop that came on my bike!)

hopefully that will work since the silver really IS that much thinner than the black specizlized!

(makes me think of people saying gel seats... although cushy... sometimes cause problems!)

too bad i didn't have time for him to rewrap before i ride tonight! but i can suffer one more ride!

editted to add: i actually seemed to have less pain when riding on the gloppy stuff and the silver tape... without gloves... than on the cushy 4.5 and black tape!

as for fixing the problem with sunless tan... tried that last year.. doesn't work! lol! and it gets all over my clothes!

[KnottedYet]

What about putting sunscreen on before you ride, so you don't get tan lines in the first place?

I'm really interested in this thread, because I'm thinking of putting drops on my Kona (I know, more money on the cheap bike....) so I can change hand positions more often. I'm thinking Ritchey BioMax, but haven't decided on a wrap yet. Hadn't thought of bar phat, either.

Keep us posted on what works!

[Susie]

I have that exact same bar tape and I love it. I did put the gel pads on, though and they really do make a difference. I'm sorry they aren't working for you.

Susie

[caligurl]

What about putting sunscreen on before you ride, so you don't get tan lines in the first place?

I'm really interested in this thread, because I'm thinking of putting drops on my Kona (I know, more money on the cheap bike....) so I can change hand positions more often. I'm thinking Ritchey BioMax, but haven't decided on a wrap yet. Hadn't thought of bar phat, either.

Keep us posted on what works!

i wear sunscreen! but i still get tanlines! sunscreen doesn't block ALL the sun! wearing gloves during the summer isn't an option! lol!

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, I forget that you guys get real sunlight... Around here we have clouds blocking a lot, and a layer of sunscreen really will keep you from getting any color!

I've got the frog-belly white skin, courtesy of genetics and Seattle sun! (or lack there of) Coppertone fake tanner is my legs' friend.

[caligurl]

ok..... rode with the tape and bar phat as it was.... still didnt' like it! i guess it's a case of TOO MUCH cushy!

i started getting sore palms at 6.5 miles! by the time i got home.... only 8 miles... my palms were red! go figure!

so hubby took off the thick cushy black tape wrapped the fizik tape over the phat.... it seems much less.... well... big! it almost feels the same as it did before... but i know this is thicker... so more dampening! i'll see tomorrow when i ride how i like it! (i did NOT like that the OEM goop oozed through the holes! so this should be gbetter in that respect at least!)

(previously i was able to ride for hours with the fizik tape and OEM goop stuff gloveless!)