Handlebar fins

On 11/10/2016 12:53 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 10 Nov 2016 19:14:51 +0700, John B Slocomb
wrote:

There is more to handle bars than most people seem to realize. I built
a road bike on a MTB frame and used the appropriate MTB handle bars -
nearly a straight piece of tubing. I found my hands getting numb after
only a few kilometers of riding. Tried the bar end gizmos and didn't
like them and finally put a set of regular old "drop" road bars in the
beast. No more hand problems.

I did a pedestrian trip and fall about 3 months ago and landed on my
palms and knees. Almost everything has healed quite well except my
right wrist which aches badly if I put a load on it for too long. Grip
padding helps but reducing the weight load on my wrist by raising
myself to an upright position is what works best. I've temporarily
installed a longer stem and reversed its position to point towards the
rear in order to elevate the handlebars. It feels awkward, but causes
no pain.

"Octagon Handlebar Height Adjustment"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oQYbZeQW0M
http://www.octagoncycles.com

I kinda like this except the web site seems to have evaporated:
"The first and only.......GOEZRIDE"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rJIW8qg6nM
"The only On The Fly Adjustable Handlebar"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7AjJQmQkDE

If the ideal grip does not exist, it should be possible to hand
fabricate a mockup using clay or putty and some sandpaper. Ugly and
hard as a rock are fine as this is just a mockup for testing the fit.
Then, make a Plaster of Paris mold around the mockup. I'm not sure
what to suggest for moldable grip material, but I think some hard RTV
or silicone compound might be a good start.

I was recently given some tiny samples of Sugru. I haven't used any
yet, but aside from the stuff being very expensive, I suppose it might
do the job. https://sugru.com/


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 9:37:03 AM UTC-8, DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH wrote:
new walker ? yawl ride under the bus ?


https://www.google.com/search?site=i...-fgAbnvnWeM%3A

Donkey Grips
https://www.google.com/search?q=donk...Bo YQ_AUICSgC

Scroll down to Presley

https://www.google.com/search?site=&...ental+mark+iii.

On Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:53:16 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I was recently given some tiny samples of Sugru. I haven't used any
yet, but aside from the stuff being very expensive, I suppose it might
do the job. https://sugru.com/

Yep. It would probably work nicely, but costs far too much. It's
also overkill. All that's needed is a "machineable" model from which
to make a plaster mold. That could be made from wax, urethane foam
blocks, expanding foam packaging packing compound, or even wood. Just
make something that fits the hand properly on the bicycle. Cover it
with liquid vinyl so it feels right. When the fit is good, peel off
the vinyl, smear it with grease, and bury it inside a two piece
plaster mold. When the mold has hardened, fill it with RTV or some
kind of rubber like compound. When that hardens, remove the mold,
finish off the rough spots, and dip again in vinyl.

Instead of plaster, you could also use a proper molding compound. I
have some of this but have only used it for small parts:
http://www.devcon.com/products/products.cfm?family=Flexane%C2%AE%2094%20Liquid
Note that Shores A hardness of 97 is VERY hard (100 is a rock) and is
probably unsuitable for making the actual grip. Presumably, there are
softer (foam) rubber compounds available.

My guess(tm) is will take a few trys to get it right, especially
clearing the hole for the handlebar and controlling the shock
absorption qualities. It's been many years since I've done something
like this, but methinks it should work. I did some googling but
didn't find anyone offering custom fitting grips. Might be suitable
as a service for an LBS because doing this via mail odor is not
possible.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Friday, November 11, 2016 at 11:47:48 AM UTC-5, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:53:16 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I was recently given some tiny samples of Sugru. I haven't used any
yet, but aside from the stuff being very expensive, I suppose it might
do the job. https://sugru.com/

Yep. It would probably work nicely, but costs far too much. It's
also overkill. All that's needed is a "machineable" model from which
to make a plaster mold. That could be made from wax, urethane foam
blocks, expanding foam packaging packing compound, or even wood. Just
make something that fits the hand properly on the bicycle. Cover it
with liquid vinyl so it feels right. When the fit is good, peel off
the vinyl, smear it with grease, and bury it inside a two piece
plaster mold. When the mold has hardened, fill it with RTV or some
kind of rubber like compound. When that hardens, remove the mold,
finish off the rough spots, and dip again in vinyl.

Instead of plaster, you could also use a proper molding compound. I
have some of this but have only used it for small parts:
http://www.devcon.com/products/products.cfm?family=Flexane%C2%AE%2094%20Liquid
Note that Shores A hardness of 97 is VERY hard (100 is a rock) and is
probably unsuitable for making the actual grip. Presumably, there are
softer (foam) rubber compounds available.

My guess(tm) is will take a few trys to get it right, especially
clearing the hole for the handlebar and controlling the shock
absorption qualities. It's been many years since I've done something
like this, but methinks it should work. I did some googling but
didn't find anyone offering custom fitting grips. Might be suitable
as a service for an LBS because doing this via mail odor is not
possible.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

divinity deleted buy foam from the factory in the NW

On 11/11/2016 11:47 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:53:16 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I was recently given some tiny samples of Sugru. I haven't used any
yet, but aside from the stuff being very expensive, I suppose it might
do the job. https://sugru.com/

Yep. It would probably work nicely, but costs far too much. It's
also overkill. All that's needed is a "machineable" model from which
to make a plaster mold. That could be made from wax, urethane foam
blocks, expanding foam packaging packing compound, or even wood. Just
make something that fits the hand properly on the bicycle. Cover it
with liquid vinyl so it feels right. When the fit is good, peel off
the vinyl, smear it with grease, and bury it inside a two piece
plaster mold. When the mold has hardened, fill it with RTV or some
kind of rubber like compound. When that hardens, remove the mold,
finish off the rough spots, and dip again in vinyl.

Instead of plaster, you could also use a proper molding compound. I
have some of this but have only used it for small parts:
http://www.devcon.com/products/products.cfm?family=Flexane%C2%AE%2094%20Liquid
Note that Shores A hardness of 97 is VERY hard (100 is a rock) and is
probably unsuitable for making the actual grip. Presumably, there are
softer (foam) rubber compounds available.

We have a little of this stuff around the house:
https://www.riogrande.com/Product/Li...und-1kg/701043

Similarly pricey, though.

I've wondered about casting parts out of RTV silicon. (Actually, long
ago I customized a cheap saddle by molding two sit-bone bumps out of RTV
silicon.) But my guess is it wouldn't be durable or stiff enough for grips.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Fri, 11 Nov 2016 12:17:24 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

We have a little of this stuff around the house:
https://www.riogrande.com/Product/Li...und-1kg/701043

40-43 Shores A hardness. Probably the right consistency, but without
the air bubbles needed to cushion the hand. My plan of the moment was
to use something that is kinda soft and probably full of foam. It
won't be durable, which is why I want to coat it with a vinyl dip.

Similarly pricey, though.

Yep. Probably quite suitable for small jewelry pieces, but not for
larger parts.

I've wondered about casting parts out of RTV silicon. (Actually, long
ago I customized a cheap saddle by molding two sit-bone bumps out of RTV
silicon.) But my guess is it wouldn't be durable or stiff enough for grips.

It won't be durable, but I think that a foam fill and vinyl coating
will do the trick. I've never really looked at what handlebar grips
are made from, measured hardness, checked if it variable density, etc.
I don't think the world needs $150 custom handlebar grips, but I've
seen stranger things sell.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On 11/11/2016 2:21 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Fri, 11 Nov 2016 12:17:24 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

We have a little of this stuff around the house:
https://www.riogrande.com/Product/Li...und-1kg/701043

40-43 Shores A hardness. Probably the right consistency, but without
the air bubbles needed to cushion the hand. My plan of the moment was
to use something that is kinda soft and probably full of foam. It
won't be durable, which is why I want to coat it with a vinyl dip.

Similarly pricey, though.

Yep. Probably quite suitable for small jewelry pieces, but not for
larger parts.

I've wondered about casting parts out of RTV silicon. (Actually, long
ago I customized a cheap saddle by molding two sit-bone bumps out of RTV
silicon.) But my guess is it wouldn't be durable or stiff enough for grips.

It won't be durable, but I think that a foam fill and vinyl coating
will do the trick. I've never really looked at what handlebar grips
are made from, measured hardness, checked if it variable density, etc.
I don't think the world needs $150 custom handlebar grips, but I've
seen stranger things sell.

I eventually decided that there's no upper limit to price for almost any
consumer product. And the price doesn't have to be related to quality.
Some people seem to relish the chance to pay more.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Fri, 11 Nov 2016 15:39:11 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 11/11/2016 2:21 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
I don't think the world needs $150 custom handlebar grips, but I've
seen stranger things sell.

I eventually decided that there's no upper limit to price for almost any
consumer product. And the price doesn't have to be related to quality.
Some people seem to relish the chance to pay more.

Conspicuous consumption in bicycles? Well, certainly price is no
object at the high end of the bicycling price scale:
http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-and-gear-features/reviews/10-outrageously-expensive-bikes
https://financesonline.com/the-worlds-10-most-expensive-bikes-cycling-with-style/
http://www.mostluxuriouslist.com/top-ten-most-expensive-bicycles-in-the-world/
but probably not for $150 custom handlebar grips, even if they are
gold sputtered and autographed by someone famous.

As for quality, you're right. Higher price tags are not a good
indication of quality. However, they are an excellent indication of
perceived quality. One of my friends was having trouble selling his
house. Instead of lowering his asking price to make it more
affordable, he raised the price. That brought in a completely
different class of buyer, whos perception of the value of the house
was quite different from the previous bargain hunters. There really
is an art to setting a suitable selling price.

I think I have a better way to make what hopefully will not become the
worlds most expensive bicycle grip. Start with modeling clay or
expensive molding compound inside a plastic bag in place of the grips.
Grab the clay and squeeze until it conforms to the shape of your
hands. Trim the result, let it harden, smooth with sandpaper, coat
with mold release, and make plaster molds. That should produce your
very own bicycle grip master, suitable for making additional grips as
needed.

Or, we can forget the molding process and go directly to a custom
grip. I found this article on custom handgun grips:
http://www.gunrightsmedia.com/showthread.php?415695-Molded-Pistol-Grip
which highlighted My-Grip:
https://www.amazon.com/FastCap-MY-GRIP-BLACK-Grip-Black/dp/B001RCU7CQ/
There is also a similar product for archery bow grips:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QFZWDC/ref=pd_sbs_469_2
and hand tools:
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=9987
At room temperature, the plastic is fairly hard. Stuff it into
boiling water, and it softens enough to become pliable. Seems like it
would work on a bicycle grip, except that there would be no foam
rubber cushion, which is probably why it's advertised for bicycle
grips. Still, it's tempting to try.

I wonder what drop bars would look like with custom grips located at
the various hand positions? Probably too horrible to imagine.



--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 11 Nov 2016 18:13:41 -0800, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Fri, 11 Nov 2016 15:39:11 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 11/11/2016 2:21 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
I don't think the world needs $150 custom handlebar grips, but I've
seen stranger things sell.

I eventually decided that there's no upper limit to price for almost any
consumer product. And the price doesn't have to be related to quality.
Some people seem to relish the chance to pay more.

Conspicuous consumption in bicycles? Well, certainly price is no
object at the high end of the bicycling price scale:
http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-and-gear-features/reviews/10-outrageously-expensive-bikes
https://financesonline.com/the-worlds-10-most-expensive-bikes-cycling-with-style/
http://www.mostluxuriouslist.com/top-ten-most-expensive-bicycles-in-the-world/
but probably not for $150 custom handlebar grips, even if they are
gold sputtered and autographed by someone famous.

As for quality, you're right. Higher price tags are not a good
indication of quality. However, they are an excellent indication of
perceived quality. One of my friends was having trouble selling his
house. Instead of lowering his asking price to make it more
affordable, he raised the price. That brought in a completely
different class of buyer, whos perception of the value of the house
was quite different from the previous bargain hunters. There really
is an art to setting a suitable selling price.

I think I have a better way to make what hopefully will not become the
worlds most expensive bicycle grip. Start with modeling clay or
expensive molding compound inside a plastic bag in place of the grips.
Grab the clay and squeeze until it conforms to the shape of your
hands. Trim the result, let it harden, smooth with sandpaper, coat
with mold release, and make plaster molds. That should produce your
very own bicycle grip master, suitable for making additional grips as
needed.

No! No!

Send us $25 and we will send you by return mail two of our special
grip design packages. (the red kit is Right!) Knead the enclosed
molding medium and hold the medium in each hand. It will become
somewhat warm and will quickly become semi rigid. (red with right,
green with left) Return your two custom molded design packages to us
with $50 dollars (no checks please) and we will return to you the
finished custom grips manufactured to fit YOUR hands to you within 15
days.


Or, we can forget the molding process and go directly to a custom
grip. I found this article on custom handgun grips:
http://www.gunrightsmedia.com/showthread.php?415695-Molded-Pistol-Grip
which highlighted My-Grip:
https://www.amazon.com/FastCap-MY-GRIP-BLACK-Grip-Black/dp/B001RCU7CQ/
There is also a similar product for archery bow grips:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QFZWDC/ref=pd_sbs_469_2
and hand tools:
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=9987
At room temperature, the plastic is fairly hard. Stuff it into
boiling water, and it softens enough to become pliable. Seems like it
would work on a bicycle grip, except that there would be no foam
rubber cushion, which is probably why it's advertised for bicycle
grips. Still, it's tempting to try.

I wonder what drop bars would look like with custom grips located at
the various hand positions? Probably too horrible to imagine.