Bar tape and bar shape

[ogre]

when i've been riding recently i've found that my 'the moon' and 'mars negative' area of my hand are uncomfortable. (excuse the stupid diagram and names, it's the only picture i could find that suitably labelled a hand for the point i'm trying to make) i think it's caused by the upsweep of my bars; with the highest point pushing into my hand at the MN and TM points. would some flatter bars like the inspired uber risers, alleviate this? i'm running trialtech highrise bars currently.

Second point:

anyone have any success using bar tape (roady stuff) on their trials machine? i have some spare, and thought i could have it thicker towards the centre of the bar, and thinner at the end, to create a 'flatter' grip for my hands.

any thoughts?

my bike/bar angle can be seen here. the rise on my bars pretty much follows the angle of my stem.

Edited December 18, 2013 by ogre

[Luke Rainbird]

May well be the sweep. Roll them back a little and you'll get a bit of an idea what flatter bars would be like.

Grips may also make some difference (as would decent gloves, though I'm aware not many people like riding trials with them). What are you running at the mo?

[FamilyBiker]

that uncomfortable areas you got there were the beginning of my wrist problems...

i´m using bartape now,its awesome.

do you know that oldskool bartape (fabric stuff)?

wrap some of this at the stress areas first,then put your outer bartape over it with the normal wrapping.

sort of cushioning the areas,works a treat

[ogre]

May well be the sweep. Roll them back a little and you'll get a bit of an idea what flatter bars would be like.

Grips may also make some difference (as would decent gloves, though I'm aware not many people like riding trials with them). What are you running at the mo?

trialtech highrise bars and trial tech foam grips.

[err]

+1 here for rolling your bars back, i find my tt high risers are far more comfortable now i've changed my bar angle.

It hasn't affected my riding either (i'm shit though)

[crilin202]

I use the same bars way rolled back and I find them much more comfortable.

Been using tape for a while now, you lose that spongy feeling obviously but once you get used to them the feel awesome and they last forever, I have never looked back I ride with gloves by the way

[dave33]

Roll them forwards. The end is sticking upwards so that's going to push into that area of your hands

[Jake.]

I had that at one point too, just change the bar angle until you feel like it doesn't hurt anymore.

You'll get people telling you to roll them back and people telling you to roll them forwards, but imo try both and see what's more comfortable for you.

For me it was rolling backwards due to the fact I thought if they went forward beyond the point of where the back sweep went directly upwards I thought it looked silly.

[ogre]

i like the thoroughly pitched forward bar angle. i'm not sure if the issue is only there when i'm rolling, or if it's just because i've been off the bike for so long that it's just one of those trials niggles.

[dave33]

From my experience if it's blisters To that area it's due to your hands not being used to trials, and should cure its self with time on the bike.

If its a feeling of extreme amount of pressure on one place then I'd day position.

If I run my bars in a certain angle I get the same pain.

Also I find tennis/ squash grip tape to be better at absorbing shock. Roadie tapes a bit harder unless you spend £15

[FamilyBiker]

yes,unless you go for the super tacky tennis tapes,theyre just 0.5mm and called overgrips for a reason .

i´d imagine a layer of this over a normal griptape to be pretty nice

Edited December 18, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[ogre]

i've got some fairly priced gel tape spare (i fell off the roady and it cut one strip in half ) it isn't blistering, it's definatley discomfort from the position.

[dave33]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001ADFCB8

This stuff is thicker than .5mm more like 2mm and you overlap it.

[ben_travis]

Definitely recommend using tennis racquet grips over the roadie bar tape you get. Generally less expensive (1 racquet worth did both sides of my bar easily), and a much longer lasting compound in my experience.

You'll get them at a sports direct (other shops are available) so they aren't difficult to get hold of....

[A.Baxter]

I use this dunlop badminton over wrap from sports direct mate, its been on half price for that past however many years haha, its great but very thin I only wrap once and i like it but sometimes it gets a bit painful. I think i'm going to double wrap it when i re-do them but i highly recommend it, super grippy and doesn't slide about.

Adam.