A cheap foul weather windscreen....

[bluegoatwoods]

I built my fall/winter windscreen today.

But.....what the heck?.......since we all like bike photos, I'll start with the bike as it was this morning. Before I started.



I'll post some photos that give a notion of how it's built in case anyone reading is in the market for ideas.

So...anyway....part of the foundation of this type of windscreen is a pair of Bar-Mitts. I make my own. No need for a long description of how they're made. A couple of photos ought to give the basic idea.

And it looks as though I'm going to have to do that in post#2, since I can't seem to open the attachment loader.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Okay, here we go.

Basic construction is tarp wrapped around some insulating material. For insulation I use some stuff that you can get at the dollar store, in the kitchen wares section. I don't know what to call it. But it reminds you of soft, rubbery burlap. It comes in rolls. I think it's meant to be spread on a counter-top. Maybe you lay your dishes to dry on it. Something like that.

All the same, make your tarp cuts and folds such that all tarp edges end up on the inside of the bar mitt. That way it's about as waterproof as anything can be. Then you can use whatever you want for insulation. Old T-shirts, for instance. It doesn't take much. 1/4 inch of insulation is all it takes to keep your hands plenty warm.

So then fold your bar end like a taco and slip it over your handlebar. Notice that my handlebars have the mirrors mounted out at the end. This has a few advantages. One of them is to hold the bar mitt on.

For fastening down the bar mitt simply use a soldering iron to bore a nice, clean hole through the material and bolt together with machine screws. Pretty easily removable as well.


Then build a frame for the remainder of your windscreen. 1 inch lashing strap material works well. It has length-wise strength, but it's also flexible and easy to work with.


Cut a piece of tarp to fit. Give some overlap. Fold the overlap back under the lashing strap. Burn through with the soldering iron and screw in place.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

The backpacks mounted down by the axle and up at the windscreen serve two purposes. Cargo room, naturally. And they also make something like 'extensions' to the windscreen, protecting lower legs and feet somewhat.



No one is going to have handlebars and front end just like mine, of course. But we're MBers, right? Improvisers by nature. So the right mods to fit a particular bike shouldn't be a big problem.

One thing I've left out; what about the headlights? One might go ahead and mount it at the gooseneck like normal and simply cut a hole in the windscreen for the light to look through. It shouldn't let a hole lot of air in.

I think, though, that I'm going to mount mine right above the front edge of the front fender. That's going to require a new bracket. That means a whole lot of drilling through 1/8 inch steel stock. I've already started that. But it's not finished. So I have no photos of that yet.