Bar Mitts keep you riding all winter

Ride All Winter With Bar Mitts

www.barmitts.com

  I received these last March, so only had a very few cold days to test them out, but in November cold days came early and sub-freezing temps could not keep me from riding thanks to Bar Mitts. update: yes it got cold

  Bar Mitts are a neoprene handle bar cover fitted specifically to your road bike, mtb, or even other sports uses.  I have the mtb pair.  The idea is to keep all the wind from sucking heat out of your glove, and also insulate your hands in a warm cocoon that allows you to easily operate your controls.  Keeping your hands warm on a cold ride makes a huge difference for your over-all comfort.

  Entry and exit is very easy.  My method of entering is to make a pointy-hand by folding my thumb and fingers together.  Concerns of missing the hole fold when you realize the Bar Mitts are playable enough to grab on the outside.

  The Bar Mitts come with an internal hook & loop strap to attach the end to the grip securing the Mitt from moving around (you can see a red flap inside - see below why it is not attached).

  To attach the Bar Mitt simply unzip the lower cable opening, slide on, and zip up.  Two external straps close the opening to reduce air flow.

  Note that some air flow is necessary to prevent your hands from sweating.  The small gaps at the cable provide this.

  On a sub-20 degree day you can wear 50 degree gloves when using the Bar Mitts.

  Users report loving using regular gloves as the bulk of winter gloves just does not feel right and isolate the rider from the terrain.

 I have modified the grip strap by attaching a screw and washer through the Mitt and into the bar plug.  It has the same effect, but eliminates the inner strap which can either come off, or in my case, just bug me.

Bar Mitts now come with an expandable bar plug to do the same thing, and requires no tools.

  My only complaint is cold knuckles when wearing thin gloves.  My top knuckles can press against the fabric and get a chill.  The insulation comes from the warm air pocket inside the Mitt, and with my knuckle pressed against the fabric this decreases in that particular spot.  Likely a one size larger Bar Mitt would solve this, but I have to tinker…

Where I had screwed the Mitt to the bar plug is the solution.  I simply moved the screw hole back 1/2 inch to make more room in front of my hands, and this solved my issue.

Bar Mitts also has one called the Extreme.  Founder and creator, Ward reports:

The larger sizes have a gusset in between the two halves giving them more body/hand room.     …I made an Extreme version, its fleece lined, has a removable cuff, a large ventilation zipper and comes with the expandable bar end attachment plug. 

Pros: Everything.  This is a product that has almost all positives:

Warm hands, does not interfere with riding, easy to use, can be left on if temps rise., no more bulky ski gloves.

Cons:  Cold knuckles.

www.barmitts.com

UPDATE December 8, 2014.

Two new innovations since the initial review are entry slits and a bar plug mounting option.

 

 First, is the addition of the slit-entry to the previously tested Bar Mitt.  Seen here mounted inside out for visual clarity.
   The red is the same neoprene fabric as the Bar Mitt, and it is held on with velcro.  The purpose is to make a more air tight seal around the wrist to prevent heat loss.
  The neoprene is just stiff enough to keep the Mitt in a nice oval shape.
Entry and exit are quick.
  Mount this black side out so the velcro does not show, and so it will shed snow or rain better.

  The new Bar Mitts come stock with the slit-entry.  To the right is the Extreme Bar Mitt.  The only size is XL.  The 5.5 mil neoprene is thicker and lined with a fleece interior for extra warmth.
Viewing inside out here shows the bar plug mounted into the red fabric, which is sewn to the inside, so the bar plug remains fully inside the Mitt.
  To mount the plug a small hole allows a 4mm allen wrench to tighten the expanding plug.  It is securely attached when mounted, so removal on the trail will require that 4mm wrench again.

  Here is the bar plug shipped as an upgrade for older versions of Bar Mitts.
  The red tab seen above on the Bar Mitts has a hole just big enough for the allen bolt to slide through and is held secure between the rubber thingie and the purple cap.
  The washer is actually the nut which the bolt threads into.
  The red tab is big enough to allow the user to reposition the bar plug so as to fine tune position of the Bar Mitts on the bar/brake lever assembly.






  Not pictured here, but a small detail on new Mitts, is that the zipper unzips from the edge. The significance is that the zipper does not detach at the end when open anymore.  Mitts no longer require getting the zipper started as on a jacket, but rather a quick zip like on a jersey.

  Bar Mitts is a small company with innovation always on their mind.
5 Stars!

Update February, 2015:
It finally got cold.  With highs barely getting above 20 I finally got to test these further.  The bigger size of XL made it possible to wear ski gloves, which is nice to wear at these temps.  In my size Large the space is just too tight for bulky gloves to fit neatly.  I was glad to have the bigger size on cold days.  With temps in the high teens my hands were sweating a little.  The trick is to open the velcro closure a little to allow some airflow.

Roundtail

Tortola Roundtail

A crazy looking bike, but with purpose.  It is fun that the frame circle almost matches the wheels, but there is more to it than ascetics.  The giant circle is essentially a leaf spring.
The initial reaction to riding it is that no noticeable difference in ride quality is felt.  The real benefit is on longer rides when the micro-shock from tiny bumps in the road would normally start to agitate the rider.  After about 2-3 hours in the saddle the rider will start to appreciate the comfort of the Roundtail.  After the initial ride the effects are noticeable even at the start of a ride.
It does have a small suspension effect.  The rider notices bumps that are usually uncomfortable are now much smoother.  Test riders noted that they were looking for instead of avoiding bumps just to feel the action of the frame.
The frame is designe on CAD where finite element analysis can be studied.  The frame not only smooths out the bumps, but dampens the high frequency vibrations, the ones that can feel like holding a power sander.   Durability of the frame is improved since strain is transferred around the circle and not on any one specific point as a triangle would have.
Frame testing beats it up with 100,000 cycles, and the Roundtail surpasses a traditional frame.

I got the chance to ride this bike for a few days.  I had mixed feelings about it.  While it does ride very nicely, there are those shortcomings that I cannot do without personally.  The biggie is that the 2nd bottle cage mount on the would-be seat tube is missing, leaving only one mount, thus one bottle.  The next, and much lesser, is that there is extra material in making the rear round, so there is a weight trade off for your comfort ride.  This really is not a problem for the intended end user who does not intend to enter competitive racing.
I like the frame and the ride quality, but coming from a mountain bike background I feel that smoothing out road bumps pales in comparison to what happens off road.
A much better application of this technology would be in a hard-tail mountain bike frame where there is a greater need for smoothing out the bumps.
It's not for me.  I need two bottles on my road rides, and am not willing to give that up for creature comforts, but if you are looking for a cool frame that rides excellent, the Roundtail might be for you.

Boreas Bolinas Day Pack

BOREAS

Bolinas Pack
http://boreasgear.com/products/bolinas/

Boreas Bolinas pack, 30L

This 30 liter pack touts its versatility that it is a bike pack that can convert to a long-haul day pack.  The goal of this pack is pure function.  Where other pack offer big padded shoulder and hip straps, the Boreas crew knows this can be over-kill.  The secret is in the suspension system.

30 Liters of storage, water resistant, expansion segments, 3 external zipper pockets, hydration bladder compatible, daisy loops tucked into access pockets, and most important the trampoline suspension system that adjust to fit the contours of your back for hiking or cycling.

The key to the packs versatile function is the internal wire frame that also serves as a spring.  The ends are aluminum for light weight, wile the center is spring steel.

By tightening the tension straps you can have the pack flat on your back for hiking, or more rounded for cycling.  Finely tuning the curve ensures a perfect fit.

The frame sits behind a trampoline mesh which provides ample air flow on the users back.

The frame is not meant to be removable, but is possible as we found out for purposes of showing you how it works.

The pack opens by unrolling the top, which holds its shape thanks to a semi-rigid plastic strip in the seam.

Rolled inside out to show the water bladder pocked with velcro strap, and a side pocket.

I first took this pack out on an overnight bike packing trip.  One complaint is the corners of the mesh trampoline did rub my hips the wrong way and eventually became uncomfortable.  A more upright position might prevent this. Also, accessing anything in the bag during a quick stop was not easy. It is one big compartment, and everything disappears when you want to find it.  Some side pockets would make storage more organized, but at the same time would also add weight.

The pack was comfortable riding all day, and the minimalist design kept the work space clutter-free.  Strap adjustments are easy to make.

The big downside is the lack of external zipper compartments.  The pack is intended to haul your stuff into camp and then be unloaded.  If you want to have quick access to little items all during your trek this pack might not be right for you.

Overall, this is a great pack for day trip hiking or cycling, and even for light-weight camping trips.







From Boreas site:

• COLORS:Farallon Black, Golden Gate Red, Marina Blue
• FABRICS:210D nylon ripstop with UTS impregnated silicone coating
• SUSPENSION: Our variable suspension, aka SUPER-TRAMP (patent pending), lets users adjust their pack with the tug of a strap. Tighten the strap and it’s a trampoline suspension, perfect for biking and hot weather travel. Loosen the strap and the pack reverts to a standard suspension, moving the weight closer to your back for more stability while hiking or climbing. And because the tension setting is infinitely variable, you can pick a spot somewhere in the middle for the best of both worlds
• BODY: Rolltop lid, waterproof  side pocket, stretch panels allow the pack body to expand and curve depending on load and suspension setting, hydration or laptop sleeve with two hydration ports, hidden daisy chains, removable hipbelt and adjustable sternum strap

THOMSON Carbon Road Bar

THOMSON Carbon Road Bar

I have had the chance to put some serious miles on the Thomson carbon road bar.  It is a carbon bar, what makes it better?  Well, any carbon bar will have the desired ride characteristics of damping road vibration while maintaining strength and light weight.

What sets Thomson apart is their fine quality and exact specifications.  A nice touch is that the bar is exactly 31.8mm diameter under the clear coat.  The clear coat compresses when clamped, so mated to a Thomson stem that is exactly 31.8mm you get a perfect fit, and a reduction of stress to the bar as well as a tighter fit.

The bar comes with a tiny tube of carbon application lube, that is a gritty gel to increase friction between the stem and the bar. This reduces the clamping force necessary to hold the bar.  A torque wrench should be used to 4Nm when tightening the stem bolts to avoid over-clamping and crushing the carbon.

Thomson found that the sticky goo other bars have at the clamp area only cause the bar to slip easier, especially in the drop test.

The bar comes in different widths, and there is also a CX version for the winter racer.

The Thomson website reports:

Our road bar features a mild wing shape on top, clamping area wide enough for aero bars, mid-compact reach and drop. This is the modern bar for the modern road bike. Our Road bar wing section is small enough not to restrict hand movement when riding on the top and allows bar angle adjustment with out “locking out” your wrists. Shaping on the bottom side of the wing allows housing to be taped out of the way without the use of narrow housing channels or internal routing, both of which shorten bar life. Certified to EN, tested to DIN+.

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For Cyclocross we present the KFC-One, Katie Compton Signature ‘cross bar. Katie brings her multiple National Championships and European racing experience to give you a bar built her way for cross. The natural transition from your Thomson road bar for the ‘cross season. Twin flats on the bottom of the bar allow taping your housing to create a completely round bar when wrapped. Top profile is round and as wide as possible. This allows auxiliary brake levers to be safely used and still leaves lots of room for your hands. Certified to EN, tested to DIN+.

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Layup uses 3 different fiber types with different tensile strengths and tensile modulus, including High Strength carbon fiber. This helps allocate stiffness and flex where needed.

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All carbon fiber is produced by Toray and uses tailor made Nano Epoxy Resin for very high impact resistance. Toray is the main supplier of carbon fiber for Boeing and Airbus.

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Both the Road and Cross bar are made in one piece, not three pieces co-molded and glued together.

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Bars are molded over an EPS mandrel to avoid wrinkles inside the layup during molding. Most other bars are molded over inflatable nylon bladders.

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Reach for the Road and Cross bars is the same at 78.5mm. Drop is proportional. Road drops are: 40CM 137mm, 42CM 140mm, 44CM 140mm, 46CM 143mm. Cross drops are: 40CM 131mm, 42CM 133mm, 44CM 135mm.

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1.5K woven impact ends help prevent damage to uni-directional fibers from impact

Model Number	Handlebar Description	Weight	Retail Price
HB-E104	40cm center to center-Road x 31.8	188 g	$249.95
HB-E105	42cm center to center-Road x 31.8	190 g	$249.95
HB-E106	44cm center to center-Road x 31.8	192 g	$249.95
HB-E107	46cm center to center-Road x 31.8	194 g	$249.95
HB-E110	40cm center to center-KfC-One-Cross x 31.8	202 g	$249.95
HB-E111	42cm center to center-KfC-One-Cross x 31.8	204 g	$249.95
HB-E112	44cm center to center-KfC-One-Cross x 31.8

usac's UCI Rule Enforcement

Mountain bike racers have long raced all kinds of event and always will.  The sense of adventure and need to compete and test their skills will draw them in many directions.  The American governing body of cycling, the one recognized by the Olympics and the UCI (world governing body), known as u-sac or USA Cycling has been riddled in controversy since its inception in the mid 90's.  They have made many enemies, but none so motivated as the  US  Cup guys.

During the 2013 season this rule came up and ShoAir-US Cup looked into fighting it, but decided it was not worth it.  Since then usac has been wooing them, the final results not fully public yet.

USAC asked the UCI to make it look like the UCI was making USAC to enforce this rule.  USAC asked the UCI to enforce this rule world-wide.  The UCI typically had let each governing body decide wether to enforce this rule or not.

USAC wants this rule so they can maintain a monopoly, possibly an illegal one given America's anti-trust laws.  A law that needs a challenger to test it in court.  No takers so far.

America's best mountain bike events are non-usac. Many racers and promoters literally hate usac.  Steve Johnson is "owner" of usac and has been observed to literally hate the sport of mountain biking.  A former road racer himself, he saw mtb gain popularity and take all the athletes and money away from his beloved pavement sport.  To gain control back NORBA, the original governing body for mtb, was tricked into merging with USCF (original road body) under the banner USA Cycling.  Control of the money left the sport of MTB and the 35,000 MTB licensees suddenly were paying for improvements to the road scene (14,000 members).  

MTB events went downhill as usac knowingly put much less effort into the quality of these events, but did everything for the road events.  Just recently, Mica Rice, was quoted in a usac.org article as calling the road racing their "marquee event".  If that was a slip, or if they just don't try to hide it anymore, it is clear that USAC is a road bike organization.  They just keep MTB around to satisfy the UCI and Olympic committee's regulations that a governing body must encompass all cycling disciplines.  It did not hurt that they had license and promoter fees coming in weekly from those 35,000 mtb racers. 
Now the mtb'ers have abandon usac, or gone to the road in their love-affair with Lance.  USAC MTB license numbers are way down, but USAC must keep it under their wing nonetheless.  Keep its head under water would be more accurate.  By maintaining the minimal requirements for the sport, or to rephrase, make it just good enough no one leaves, but bad enough that people are not in love with it, this tends to make the road scene more attractive.  Those talented mtb'ers, "should come to the road", as Steve Johnson told me in person.  I did give him a earful to no effect, but he confirmed everything I knew and suspected about USAC and their devious ways.

I could go on about the corruption at usac, but will stop here.

Will this rule be enforced in 2014?  That is to be seen.  My prediction when all this started was that they will enforce it of course.

The ShoAir/ US Cup, the largest promoter of big mtb events, left usac to host their events without the burden of usac, and this was very popular among the racing crowd, but the very few top pros that needed usac to gain access to UCI World Cup events pouted.  The US Cup has come to some agreement with Steve to join the dark side again, but unless power and control have been taken and given to a mtb advocate then little will change, and in the long run nothing will.

Time will tell.  There are few mtb'ers left who remember what the sport was before usac.  The new crowd can not see reality, wether they are a world cup pro or a weekend warrior matters not.

Many, many promoters are non-usac and have always been. This, in part, explains the low usac mtb license sales, as many refuse to buy a usac license, and have plenty of quality non-usac mtb events to attend.

Star Wars fans might recognize usac as being run by an evil Sith lord, but most mtb licensees are painfully ignorant that the very organization they are supporting is the very one causing hard to their sport.

If you agree you can refuse to purchase a usac license and tell your local promoter that you are choosing to support supporters of mtb rather than those that harm it.  The small local promoters are the ones driving support for usac and, thus, their preferences for the road.

Below is some more info on how the rule all started.



Just in case usac decides to remove this post here is what they said the UCI told them:

Clarification of UCI Rule 1.2.019 and related sanctions

 

 

 Email     Print 

To: USA Cycling Members
RE: UCI Rule 1.2.019

There has been a tremendous amount of discussion and misinformation recently in articles and forums regarding UCI rule 1.2.019, which prohibits all UCI licensed riders from competing in events that are not sanctioned by a national federation. USA Cycling received the following letter from the International Cycling Union (UCI) on March 26 to all national federations clarifying its expectations in the enforcement of rule 1.2.019.  It also explains what the few possible exceptions to its rule are.

The UCI confirmed that Rule 1.2.019 and the related sanctions in 1.2.020 and 1.2.021 must apply to every UCI-recognized national federation in the world. Therefore, as a member of the International Federation, USA Cycling will comply with the direction from the UCI.

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INTERNATIONAL CYCLING UNION

President

To all National Federations

Sent by email only

Aigle, 26 March 2013
Ref: Presidency

 Re: forbidden races


Dear President,

It has recently come to our attention that some National Federations are experiencing difficulties in the interpretation and  application of  the rules relating  to "forbidden races",  namely  Articles 1.2.019,
1.2.020 and 1.2.021 of the UCI Regulations.

With this in mind, we would like to provide the following clarification which we hope you will find useful. Article 1.2.019 of the UCI Regulations states:

"No licence holder may participate in an event that has not been included on a national, continental or world calendar or that has not been recognised by a national federation, a continental confederation or the UCI.

A national federation may grant special exceptions for races or particular events run in its own country."

The objective of this regulation is to protect the hard work and resources you pour into the development of your events at national level. It allows for a federative structure,  something which is inherent in organised sport and which is essential to being a part of the Olympic movement.

Of course the regulation also allows the UCI, in line with its mission as an international federation, to guarantee uniform regulation.

Article 1.2.019 applies to all licence holders, without exception. It does not solely concern professional riders or just the members of UCI teams, contrary to certain statements in the press and on some blogs.

The second paragraph of Article 1.2.019 affords each national federation the facility to grant a special exception for specific races or events taking place in its territory.

Special races or events are understood to be cycle events which are not registered on the national calendar of the country's federation or on the UCI international calendar. This generally concerns events that are occasional and which do not recur, most often organised by persons or entities who do not belong to the world of organised sport. For example, an event may be organised by an association that does not have a link to the National Federation, such as a race specifically for members of the armed forces, fire fighters or students or perhaps as part of a national multisport event.

With the exception of these special cases, the National Federation is not permitted to grant an exemption to a cycle event which is held, deliberately or not, outside the federative movement. For example, in no case should an exception be granted to a cycling event that is organised by a person or entity who regularly organises cycling events.

CH 1860 Aigle I Switzerland
Q)+41 24 468 58 11      fax +41 24 468 58 12
www.uci.ch

The objective of Article 1.2.019 is that exemptions should only be granted in exceptional cases.

Licence holders who participate in a "forbidden race" make themselves liable not only to sanctions  by their National Federation, as scheduled by Article 1.2.021 of the UCI regulations,  but also run the risk of not having sufficient insurance cover in the event of an accident.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please accept our kindest regards,






Pat McQuaid
President

CH 1860 Aigle I Switzerland
Q)+41 24 468 58 11      fax +41 24 468 58 12
www.uci.ch

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Clarification on affected riders: The letter from the UCI confirms no UCI licensed rider, in any discipline, may participate in an event not sanctioned by a national federation recognized by the UCI (USA Cycling is the sole national federation in the United States). Originally, this was described as only affecting those UCI-licensed riders on UCI teams. The UCI has subsequently clarified that the rule extends to ALLUCI-licensed riders, even those not associated with a UCI team. This rule only pertains to those riders holding an international/UCI license.

USA Cycling Working to Ease the Transition
USA Cycling understands the fact that this rule enforcement has a far-reaching impact on riders and race directors alike, particularly in the mountain bike discipline. To help manage the impact and assist riders and race directors with the transition, USA Cycling will work with non-sanctioned mountain bike events by providing the following for mountain bike events permitted with USA Cycling after April 1, 2013:

• For any mountain bike event that occurred in 2012, but did not sanction with USA Cycling in 2012, USA Cycling will waive the permit fee (2013 only). USA Cycling will also subsidize $1 of the $3 dollar per rider insurance surcharge. The per-rider insurance surcharge for mountain bike events that occurred in 2012 but were not permitted in 2012 will be $2 per rider (2013 only).

What a USA Cycling Event Permit Provides for Race Promoters:

• Low permit fees. A mountain bike race of less than 500 riders has a maximum permit fee of $100 a day. The only other fee USA Cycling collects is a per-rider insurance charge of $3 which covers one of the most robust insurance packages in cycling for the race director, the landowners, the sponsors, and excess accident medical coverage for participants. Comparable insurance coverage cost per rider is much more expensive.
   
• Racing infrastructure for a safe and level playing field including anti-doping, rules and trained officials. As the only USOC and UCI recognized cycling organization in the U.S., riders in USA Cycling events can be subject to the groundbreaking USA Cycling RaceClean™ anti-doping program to create a level playing field.
   
• Access to USA Cycling's online registration system that allows riders to register for events and sign electronic waivers on the USA Cycling website or by using the USA Cycling smartphone app.
   
• A $0.40 rebate to race directors for each registration when you use USA Cycling’s online registration system.
   

Why you Should Support USA Cycling Sanctioned Events:

• USA Cycling spends more than $4 million per year supporting American athletes in development and international competition programs. Much of that money is generated from the racing activities of our more than 74,000 members racing more than 600,000 racing days each year in sanctioned events. Every time you race in a sanctioned event, a small amount of revenue is generated to support critical athlete programs.  Most importantly, virtually every dime USA Cycling generates as a result of your racing activities is reinvested in the sport.  However, when you compete in an unsanctioned event, nothing goes to support these important programs that help to maintain our international success and create the heroes and role models that are so important to the sport.
   
• In 2012, USA Cycling spent more than $530,000 in support of mountain bike development programs, world championships and pre-Olympic camps to help riders achieve their dreams on the world's biggest stages.
   
• Professionally-licensed riders are the direct beneficiaries of USA Cycling's significant investment in athlete support. As such, they have a vested interest to support the sanctioned events that fuel that support.
   
• Insurance protection at sanctioned events is some of the best available and provides coverage not only for the race directors, but also for the volunteers and officials working the event, as well as the racers themselves. At unsanctioned events, there is no guarantee that the insurance provides adequate coverage to anyone other than the race owner. Most unsanctioned events will claim they have comparable overall insurance coverage for their event when compared to what USA Cycling’s insurance program provides, but our own research and analysis have shown that is just not the case.
   
• Sanctioned events provide a safe and level playing field by a consistent standard  for athlete protection such as accident insurance, an enforceable code of conduct and USA Cycling's RaceClean™ anti-doping controls conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
   
• Sanctioned events provide licensed participants with the opportunity to be part of the USA Cycling National Results and Ranking System that allows you to compare your results to everyone else in your age group by city, state, region or even nationally.

For complete information on fees, benefits and how to sanction an event with USA Cycling, click HERE

This Article Published April 5, 2013 For more information contact: bkellick@usacycling.org

Two-Fish Bottle Cage Mount

Here is a little product that should be in every one's arsenal for that special occasion.  No, not your sisters wedding anniversary party, but for that time when you will need extra water, but do not have extra space for it.

Simply, this is a water bottle mount that can be put almost anywhere.  It has a rubber half-circle backing and a big velcro strap.  The back side of the seat post is the most common placement, but for my one-cage bike, I sometimes use it under the top tube while racing long events.

I have ridden a few hundred miles with no issues, but finally lost it in the woods with it strapped to the post.  I found the bottle a month later, but someone decided to keep the Two-Fish.

It straps on in seconds and is usually pretty secure.  With it under the top tube I have never had any issues.  Access to the bottle is fairly easy and did not interfere with my other bottle on my size large frame.  Smaller frames might require only using the smaller bottles.

Here is my old race bike set up for a summer camping trip.

 This model came with an alloy cage, but can easily be changed out to your cage choice.

The rubber backing molds to any shape or size application and is tacky enough to stay in place.
The velcro is wide and strong.  I only experienced a little wobble with it mounted, but was not an issue - not until I lost it.


Two-Fish has many other products for bottle placements.



Update:
Since the review I have continued to use the mount.  Mostly it is used on the back of the seat post, but it fell out on a not-so-bumpy trail.  I found the bottle a month later, but someone kepis the Two Fish. I now use a modified bottle cage and hold it in place with an automotive hose clamp.  If you are worried I suggest using a hose clamp in place of the velcro.