Fugazi Dave

Today it was hot in Columbia MO. Hot as in a heat index of 116 degrees. I ran some errands on the bike this afternoon, and coming out of Kinkos I unlocked and hopped on, only to realize about 3 seconds in that I was burning the hell out of my hands. I'm actually surprised that I don't have blisters on the palms of my hands right now. I rode the rest of the way home holding on by the grips on the drops, because they effectively insulated my hands from the absurdly hot bars. The bars in question were steel Nitto track drops, the upper portion of which are half-wrapped (as in loosely so there's bar exposed between wraps) with friction tape. I'm wondering if black AL bars would have been even worse.

I don't really have a question to ask with this, I just wanted to comment on how ungodly hot my handlebars were today.

B17

My car is parked outside the garage until I can get this bike completed. I went out to drive to the store this afternoon. Had to roll the windows down, get back out and wait almost five minutes before it was safe to sit down in shorts without burning myself. When I got to the store, I couldn't hold the part of the key that had been in the switch.

It's hot out, man.

icithecat

White cork bar tape with all of it's inherant cleaning problems was invented because....

My volvo is a dark green metallic, thankfully the leather is tan, not black. The wheel is black though.:c

HereNT

Celeste tape doesn't get that hot, either... But I've got a tight wrap all the way to the stem...

freddiesan

Had to shut the window last night for the chilly air. The flies are dozing off like they do when fall comes. I'm listening to my "fall tunes" that I only start to listen to at the end of august. Yes it's cold and rainy - bring the heat on, I know you can weather god!

dolface

gloves?

riderx

Burn baby burn. Another good reason for wrapping (fully) the bars. Function before fashion wins every time.

2manybikes

That's a bike problem I have never heard of before. An interesting post, glad you mentioned it. You never know what you might learn in this place.

Do you have a black seat?

jim-bob

Friction tape? The sticky stuff my people use to loom cables together? I can't see that being much fun for your hands. How's about some nice cloth tape?

crushkilldstroy

the answer to this is a screaming, cursing yes.

slopvehicle

the solution is to go barless.

Fugazi Dave

Black seat, yeah, but not really a problem with BDU pants and cycling shorts in between it and my arse.

I just moved and I haven't found 'em again yet. They would certainly have helped.

Weird, I know, but I like it. Even though it leaves black residue all over your hands, etc. Call it an affinity picked up back in the day playing pond and street hockey and always having my stick wrapped with the stuff.

Clearly

Now you've gone and made me cry.

Ya Tu Sabes

Don't be impractical. Porcelain bars are clearly the answer.

cicadashell

beauty! or wood, some nice laminated strips of ash.

HereNT

Let us know how they hold up in your first wreck...

Ya Tu Sabes

The key to bars crafted from the finest bone china, methinks, is to make sure never to crash. Once I get that skill mastered, I'll make the switch!

celephaiz

Well if its the smooth cool touch you're after... i'd go for marble drops... they'd stay cool and they have a good weight to them.... makes em feel sturdy


--edit-- also, if you get that fine ITALIAN marble, you get lots of street cred

bostontrevor

See lots of people will talk smack about how dangerous it is to ride with porcelain bars. The thing of it is, when you ride them, you develop sort of a 6th sense that allows you to avoid danger and wrecking. In this way, they actually make you a safer rider.

You should also try housepainting wearing a noose around your neck tied to the top of the scaffolding.

westonboege

The heat sucks... here the heat index is up to 114 degrees farenheight.... I can feel my brain melting.... i guess its better than riding on ice though... when my bars get hot i used to think of winter. Then i realized that i could run coolant through my bars with a radiator from a car... problem solved.

stevo

"thing of it is, when you ride them, you develop sort of a 6th sense that allows you to avoid danger and wrecking"

niiiice,,,,

Ya Tu Sabes

No doubt. Also, having steel or alu bars just contributes to that superman syndrome and makes you ride more recklessly. That's why owning an impossibly beautiful, expensive bike is safer - you wouldn't dare get into a wreck with it. It's also why I never get in wrecks: I'm too good-looking.