Specialized Bar Phat Tape

[magnatom]

I've had problems from the start with numb fingers when riding on the tops of my drop handlebars. I now have two different bikes (one with wing shaped tops) and I get the problem on both. Padded gloves don't seem to have much effect.

I am considering getting the Phat tape (and gel pads). Has anyone actually solved numb fingers with this tape/pads? Is it just marketing hype?

 

[adscrim]

do you always wear gloves?

at the beginning of march I was out on a ride wearing my winter gloves and on getting a bit hot took them off. for the remainder of the ride I didn't suffer from my usual numb hands at all. Since then, I done away with gloves and have had no problems. I've put this down to being able to tell much earlier that my hands are getting uncomfortable and shifting hand position before numbness becomes a problem.

 

[magnatom]

I do. I've come off the bike before and the gloves have saved my hands. I wouldn't like to be gloveless. I have tried different gloves with different amounts of padding. No difference.

 

[Amanda P]

I've never suffered much from numb fingers, but I do like to be comfortable and I don't like wearing gloves. So I have Bar Phat on all my bikes except one - and that's got Grab-On.

Bar Phat is easier to fit, easier to find and most people think it looks better. I'd recommend it.

 

[Scoosh]

Co-incidentally, I made a small adjustment to my bars a couple of weeks ago and noticed the onset of numbness in my hands extended considerably. I wanted to check it further before telling you about it, as I remember we discussed it on the CC Ecosse Forum ride out of Dunblane last year !

What did I do ? Rotated the bars up a little. I'll need to re-measure to see how the current set-up differs from my BikeFit measurements and do some more juggling ...

I have Bar Phat tape and, while it is a soft gel stuff which increases the diameter of the bars ... I'm not convinced it makes that much difference .... (but I haven't ridden my current stead without it )

 

[magnatom]

Co-incidentally, I made a small adjustment to my bars a couple of weeks ago and noticed the onset of numbness in my hands extended considerably. I wanted to check it further before telling you about it, as I remember we discussed it on the CC Ecosse Forum ride out of Dunblane last year !

What did I do ? Rotated the bars up a little. I'll need to re-measure to see how the current set-up differs from my BikeFit measurements and do some more juggling ...

I have Bar Phat tape and, while it is a soft gel stuff which increases the diameter of the bars ... I'm not convinced it makes that much difference .... (but I haven't ridden my current stead without it )

Aye, I've just been getting on with it since last year, but the problem is still very much there. It's a bit more of a problem now that my commute is longer, so I get it twice a day. I can cope with it (I shouldn't have to of course) but I worry that I could do long term damage over time.

You have bikefit measurements? Where did you get that done? And dare I ask how much that cost?

 

[GrahamG]

Try raising the bars up a bit - could just be that too much weight is on your hands.

 

[Scoosh]

You have bikefit measurements? Where did you get that done? And dare I ask how much that cost?

Indeed I do, from Paul Hewitt Cycles in Leyland, nr Preston.

Really good, well worth the trip from Embra and the B&B.
Book in advance, £50 (offset against the cost of a bike/frame) and he takes as long as required.

See also this thread.

 

[magnatom]

Hmmm. The in-laws live reasonably close to Preston. Maybe the next time I'm down I should arrange a visit. I wouldn't be buying a bike, would that be a problem? I assume I should take my own bike?

 

[Globalti]

He will do it and take £50 off you but he's a reasonable bloke so I'm sure he won't mind having a look at your bike too. In fact he's so experienced that he can look at your position and see straight away what's wrong.

That Specialized tape is excellent by the way, I don't get numbness at all with it.

 

[palinurus]

I had a problem with pain in my hands, in the fleshy bit below my thumb. I measured all my road bikes and found my commute hack had lower bars and a longer reach. I wanted a new commute bike anyway so I replaced it and have been fine ever since, although I could also have fixed it with a new stem.

I do like bar phat though, have that on all of my road bikes (including the one which made my thumbs hurt!). Once you've got it you can leave it on and just replace the bar tape as required. Especially welcome on the 'cross bike (in that case with some dead expensive super grippy bar tape over the top).

 

[earth]

I've had problems from the start with numb fingers when riding on the tops of my drop handlebars. I now have two different bikes (one with wing shaped tops) and I get the problem on both. Padded gloves don't seem to have much effect.

I am considering getting the Phat tape (and gel pads). Has anyone actually solved numb fingers with this tape/pads? Is it just marketing hype?

I've tried this. I use fizik gel under phat bar tape. The problem has eased but has not gone completely.

I think it may be more to do with the bars themselves. I changed my bars to some that were more comfortable when on the drops but at the same time I started to get numbness. The difference between new and old bars is the shape, reach (less) and drop (less).

 

[Scoosh]

Hmmm. The in-laws live reasonably close to Preston. Maybe the next time I'm down I should arrange a visit. I wouldn't be buying a bike, would that be a problem? I assume I should take my own bike?

Not buying a bike is not a problem - Paul does the BikeFitting as a service in his shop. He spends time getting you set up, takes all the measurements and gives you a copy. This 'copy' is actually what you are spending the money on/for. If you then buy a bike/frame from him, he'll take £50 off the cost.

You don't need to take your own bike, he uses his own 'metal bike', a jig where he can alter all the various parameters - saddle height, saddle fore-and-aft, crank length, BB-saddle length ....... and so on. Half of the measurements he uses I didn't even knew could be varied (well not quite but you get the idea )

All you need to take are your shoes, pedals (if unusual), shorts and loads of questions . Paul is a top bloke, knows more than I have forgotten (er... hang on that should be the other way round ) and his place is full of interesting stuff, from the top end bling to the basic first bikes.

Plan on a full morning/afternoon - you can always spend time listening to the chat amongst the staff and with their customers. I learnt lots doing that - but I had a lot to learn too .....