noglider 

Has any of you made DIY hand covers for your handlebars? I think if I did this, I could ride in lower temperatures. My hands are the first body parts to get cold. Somehow, my feet have been OK.

I have two bikes (among many) with upright handlebars, so that's a start.

wphamilton

This was only for a few days so not a lot of care went into it, but it was amazingly warm in single digit temperatures and impervious to the ice and sleet.



Multiple layers of fleece wrapped loosely above the hooks and around the brifters, wrapped by vinyl and taped. After I got the design set I cut them off with incisions on the inside, then it took about 15 minutes to put on and tape last Monday.

fietsbob

Its not that cold here, now .

Have a sewing machine? got some old sleeping bags to cut up for the insulation?

cplager

Here's my solution.

Matariki

I whipped some up using some plastic bags and duct tape. They worked pretty well; however really looked crappy. I plan to try a few more mockups to create a pattern for some nice ones for next year (which will guarantee that temps next winter will not go below 35.)

mtndragon

I took a pair of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and modified them with a bit of velcro and a couple of straps. They work great, and fill all my flat bar bikes very well.

I started making them from scratch, and quickly realized I was going to have more in fabric invested than if I just bought these and spent 10 minutes moding them.

wipekitty

I've been using a version of the plastic bags and duct tape model. The inside layer is bubble wrap bags - I think some bike hubs were shipped in them once. I covered these with some thicker plastic used for mailers. The outer layer is some high visibility duct tape I had laying around. I used reusable zip ties to secure them, making for easy removal on "warm" days, and cut a slit on the one side big enough for my rear view mirror.

No style points here, but no cold hands, either, after quite a few below 0F commutes.

vol

The only drawback of these bar mitts is they affect handlebar mirror mounting. They do look nice and warm, some I saw on the streets are even cute looking and look so warm that I felt like putting my hands into them

erig007

Duct tape and aluminum foil inside leather mitt shells (without mitt liners) that's all it takes for me (plus my basic ibex wool liners good at around 40F). I rode this winter at below 0F and my hands were too warm. Night and day with my previous solutions.
Another plus is that i also improved greatly dexterity vs gloves since the hard leather mitt shell allow to put them on and off in less than 1s plus the lack of fluffy mitt liners allow a better grip on the handlebar. I got better dexterity with those mitts than with my snowmobile gloves and can go through Canadian winter without even adding the mitt liners.

What i did:
3 layers of aluminum foil put together and then covered with duct tape, then inside my mitts that's all
For the thumbs, i had already sewn another leather layer on it so i don't need an aluminum layer there but it should work with aluminum as well i believe. Should work with pogies as well obviously.

fotooutdoors

I haven't gotten to it yet, though this winter would have been the one to have pogies. At any rate, this thread on MTBR seems to have some good ideas for flat bar pogies. Good luck!

fietsbob

I saw one , on the MTBR link using the sleeves off An old coat .. someone else already did the sewing ..

RaleighSport

hmmm.. what about scissors, oven mitts and duct tape?

noglider 

I have an old pair of neoprene socks which might be the beginning of some makings. I might not want to trash them, because I've found them useful occasionally. Believe it or not, I can wear them along with my sandals in the winter. Maybe I should buy a new pair and get started.

You should see some that I'm seeing on delivery bikes in my neighborhood. Some of them look like just a bunch of plastic bags in several layers. Hey, if it works, ...

fietsbob

Neoprene sheet same as wetsuits use is sold by the yard..

I've got a big square of it under my keyboard , right now.

Scissors and staples .. would do ..