Tingly arms

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Tom in Kingman

Tom in Kingman

Member
Aug 21, 2010
37
2
8
Kingman AZ
Today after several relatively short trips around the block and such I decided to go for a "bit" of distance. I live rural on a dirt road. I have some friends that live about 4+ miles from me. I rode out to their house on my 500HP MB (OK, maybe 2 HP) and learned something. The road has about a jillion "riffles" which some refer to "washboard". I fought to keep the bike in tire tracks that were left by cars and trucks but I was not successful most of the time. Reason is that cars and trucks are not so plentiful. You can see more snakes than cars on that road. As a matter of fact for the entire 9 or so mile round trip there was not ONE vehicle (and thankfully NO snakes). The guy I visited told me about some kind of sponge hand grips that will keep my arms from tingling due to the road conditions. Anybody have any info on them?
 
Nashville Kat

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
55
48
Jacksonville, Florida
I like bars that are perpendicular to the saddle for a really good stress free grip- I use an 8 inch rise alloy BMX bar on both bikes- more rise may take some weight off your hands and ease the tingling.
A front shock fork is also a great addition, but hard to find a one inch steer that's got about 6 or seven inches of length to fit moist cruisers- a springer fork is easier to find.

These bars have a detachable center bar I reinstalled and the black plastic assembly at the front is for the removable Bell basket. You can just see the top of the shock fork I got on ebay from "curbhopper"
 

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Al.Fisherman

Al.Fisherman

New Member
Sep 9, 2009
1,966
5
0
Calera, Alabama
My first build did the same...right up till it cracked a tube. This forced me to use a different frame (all the same kit components)....just about all the vibration was gone. I still can't hold/in a rack a open Pepsi can, without getting splashed.
 
rustycase

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
2,746
5
0
Left coast
My years of riding would lead me to go along with NKat.

When you get closer to apes configuration, it leads you to sit in a more upright position, taking the constant pressure off your hands, and arms, and putting it on your seat.
...which is why a plush seat is more important on a mab than on a pedal bicycle.
(a pedaling bicyclist frequently puts a large part of his weight on the pedals, we rarely do so)

...but there's not much you can do abt a corrugated roadway! front/rear suspension, large, fat tires...

Personally I never cared for the foamy type grips other than the initial plush feel of them.
A larger diameter grip that filled my handgrip just a bit better , as opposed to a thin skinny grip always seemed to be an improvement.

Gloves are a good thing!

Best
rc
 
inked1974

inked1974

Member
Apr 11, 2011
278
1
16
49
Palo, Iowa
Not sure if its right or wrong but I always fill my bars with spray foam. I can tell a huge difference. Just not sure if it would attract moisture or not down the road???
 
GearNut

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
inked1974, the spray foam should seal the bars from moisture. Also it is an epoxy sort of material which does not readily absorb moisture.

_________________________
Another way to dampen handlebars is to weight the last inch or 2 of the bar ends with lead shot or sand. The trick is to figure out a way to keep it there.

Another idea is to get yourself some mechanics gloves with the vibration absorbing palm padding/ gel. They are marketed for use with pneumatic tools to reduce the inherent vibration that die grinders, impact guns, and such transmit to your joints, tendons, ect.
 
V

vincent713

New Member
Jun 2, 2010
287
0
0
Dallas
I read somewhere on this forum a guy stuff bunch of rags in the handlebar and said it reduce vibration significantly. This might be your cheapest and easiest route. Snakes on road? Talk about trying to enjoy my ride with my worst phobia, this would really take the fun out of the ride. You would see me riding with my legs on the handlebar on that road! Try to imagine that. :D
 
N

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
Tom in Kingman said:
Today after several relatively short trips around the block and such I decided to go for a "bit" of distance. I live rural on a dirt road. I have some friends that live about 4+ miles from me. I rode out to their house on my 500HP MB (OK, maybe 2 HP) and learned something. The road has about a jillion "riffles" which some refer to "washboard". I fought to keep the bike in tire tracks that were left by cars and trucks but I was not successful most of the time. Reason is that cars and trucks are not so plentiful. You can see more snakes than cars on that road. As a matter of fact for the entire 9 or so mile round trip there was not ONE vehicle (and thankfully NO snakes). The guy I visited told me about some kind of sponge hand grips that will keep my arms from tingling due to the road conditions. Anybody have any info on them?
Click to expand...
I got some foam grips from this company, they make grips for bikes, mini-bike, motor cycles, etc, so make sure you choose the right size for your bars/throttle....
Grab On Grips | Foam Tubing, Motorcycle Grips & Bicycle Handlebar Grips
I really like mine, cheap and effective. You can buy directly from them, or they are selling on Ebay, Amazon and the like....
 
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