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I've had it! Checkbook get ready to take a hit

Last Post 11/18/2014 02:46 PM by Justin jmdirt. 19 Replies.

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Spud

Posts:525

11/18/2014 11:00 AM
Hey a man has to do what a man has to do! Its all about performance, and if the canti brakes aren't cutting it, time for a change. Sucks about that DNF.

vtguy

Posts:298

11/18/2014 11:25 AM
I swapped my canti brakes for a set of TRP mini V-brakes and they work great. They don't allow as sensitive modulation as discs, but it's a heck of a lot less expensive than buying a new cross bike...not that I'd try to talk anyone out of a new ride.

79pmooney

Posts:3189

11/18/2014 12:05 PM
There's another approach to warm hands no one has mentioned. I guess our memories have become too short, because we all used to wear them. The "gloves" that use the warmth from one finger to warm the next. Mittens. I know, when you were seven and dad gave you your first gloves, you vowed you would never go back. I was lucky. My dad split wood wearing "chopper mitts". Big deerskin mittens with wool liners. They double as great cycling mitts. I still wear them, In fact, I did 45 miles in them yesterday. LL Bean has resumed carrying chopper mitts, as have many others. No surprise. They work. Buy them big for cycling. Bean's largest is XL. I am now using XXLs which are better (more hand positions). If you can find synthetic liners, go for them; they'll last longer. For something as intense as CX, those mitts and liners should be good to 5F at least. And the rest of the time, if temps go above freezing, it is easy to pull out the liners and wear them to 60F or warmer. Yes you will lose a hand position or two, but you will also gain a few because they are so grippy, you can drape your hands fully relaxed in positions that would be asking for trouble any other time. Another plus, a real advantage on long rides, is that it is easy to pull them off and put them back on, so reaching into pockets barehanded to find that energy bar is easy. And after a flat repair, when your hands are really cold, they WILL warm up in those mitts when you get going. I love those mitts. Ben

SideBySide

Posts:444

11/18/2014 02:43 PM
I may try some of the chemical warmers slipped into the metal grips then capped. I may try some wrap on the grips for insulation. Right now they are bare metal. I don't want to add too much thickness though.

jmdirt

Posts:775

11/18/2014 02:46 PM
I tried to find the grips that I used but can't find them on the www (maybe the went OoB). AME here: http://www.amegrips.com/mountainbikeheated/heated-mtb-ergo-tri-0 I tried rigging up the heated grips from a snowmobile with a battery pack from a light system, but they only warmed for about 45 minutes (I already had the grips and bat. so it didn't cost me anything). A newer battery pack could certainly do better.