Riding in this Fl heat is always a chore but I am getting my bars all sweated up and they get slippery.

Any innovative solutions for this? I don't want to carry a rag or wear gloves. So far I am just using my shirt to dry with but after 30 miles @ a real feel of 93 it is just wet on wet.

Mike

What sort of bars do you have and what is their current surface?

Without that information you'll get lots of inapporopriate suggestions, like "Change to real cork bartape" is appropriate for road bikes, but not for hybrids and MTBs.

Meanwhile, wear cycling gloves. I know you don't wanna, but do it anyway. Just like I don't wanna eat oatmeal instead of bacon and eggs, but I eat oatmeal anyway. Disgusting stuff, oatmeal.

Just a friendly reminder that gloves protect your hands in case of a tumble off the bike. Not that we want that to happen but sh*t happens.
Gloves, helmet and padded shorts are safety devices.

I don't like gloves much either, but after a few near falls the past few weeks I'm going back to them. Even with cork tape unless you've got a solid grip some rough road surface is all it takes.

-spence

Crap! I knew it would be gloves..sigh...oh well I guess I'll have to shop for some vented fingerless (we call 'em "Uncle Earnies" see: Tommy the rock opera) I was hoping for some miracle fix.

I am riding a road bike with cork tape BTW. I 'spose I'll have to get a helmet soon as well.


Thanks Guys


Oh, TSL, PS I love oatmeal!!

down here on the Gulf it's very humid, even for early in the a.m. bike rides

i get the most mileage out of my Specialized BG gloves, but for hot weather
and soaking up or wiping off sweat, the cheap Nashbar gloves seem to work
best for me (HINT: do NOT machine wash the Nashbar gloves as they'll fall apart;
hand wash, rinse and hang up to dry)

hth!

Gloves and wrist sweatbands are the only answer for a long ride. Makes you look dorky, but at 93 degree, I don't care how I look.

[QUOTE=bykemike;9542220].................................................................................................... ........................... I 'spose I'll have to get a helmet soon as well.
...............................................................................

QUOTE]

You do not need a helmet if you never fall off the bike. Just say NO to falling off the bike.

Hey!! I resemble that remark! (Note gloves and wristbands.)

Wrist bands! I'm gonna try a set later today and I'll be ordering some Nashbar gloves as well.

I keep hoping that riding in this ungodly heat is going to be good for me in the long run.


Mike

Dunno that Florida heat has anything over Texas heat Mike. Gloves help alot, I make my living (as it is) with my hands - but I bet most other people don't want to deal with the after effcts of palmabrasion either. I've even been known to wear a headband when it tops 100 and the humidity is high - you can't see with sweat in your eyes.

Irish oatmeal

Don

Irish oatmeal is the best! Takes a little time but well worth it

I see it now..headband, wrist bands and gloves..somebody stop me

Seems even hotter this year in FL than normal. After 20 miles I stop, wring the 6 ounces of water out of each glove, then go back out and ride some more. I wish there was a good solution too, but gloves are worth the extra heat. Road rash hurts and if you try not to land on your hands your collarbone or face will pay the price.

Mark

I sweat lie there's no tomorrow, heat and humidity has it pouring from every single cell! AND I have grip twist shifters! BUT, the rubber of my 18 year old bike's grips is VERY sticky, I've yet to feel the grips on any recent vintage bike near as sticky. Only one time was I too sweaty to shift. BUT I DO carry a towel as I frequently have to wipe off.

Got a great "handabrasion" story. Years ago, 2 buddies and I out west on BMW motorcycles. Going through Vernal, UT, an oil town. Decided to ride late at night to get past it before calling it a night. Long uphill after town... cruising along around 70-ish, Steve ahead, David behind me. Front end doesn't want to track, I think I had a blow-out. Pump brakes to slow down, but I WAS going to go down. Twisted the body so the bike went down in front of me, tried to gently lay it down and slid for ever. Forgot to grip my chest, realized I probably took most layers of skin off my hands. Look ,at my palms, jet back. Nighttime, so it looked like blood. Started to freak, slipped, fell, smelled the heavy scent of crude.

Not a scratch on the palms... there was about 1/2" of crude coating the entire roadway! It saved my hands, but also very much was the cause of the crash. Dave and I were fine, Steve got a bit banged up because he went into a ditch, while the other 2 of us laid the bikes down on the road.