• Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

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Making your hands last longer for long range racing

Motosportz

Motosportz

CH Sponsor
Staff member
I am in good ride shape, have calists where I need them etc. Yesterday doing setup and trying to get the mode for 1 or 2 days of 120 mile ISDE were are hitting in a few weeks we did a hard 70 miles. My hands started hurting a little about 50 miles in. It's all bearable, no open blisters or anything but slightly concerned about doing 120 or 240 miles in 1 or 2 days. I only signed up for Saturday but very much thinking of doing Sunday as well. I feel I can do it but my hands will be very sore. Anyone ever use any of the under glove solutions for this? Basically what works for log hard races that tear up your hands?

thanks.

so products i have found, anyone report on these up or down?

- MSR Glove Liners

- MSR Half Finger Glove Liners

- Risk Racing palm protectors http://riskracing.com/store/17-palm-protectors-motocross-blister-protection.html

- 2nd skin http://www.spenco.com/products/healthcare/spenco-medical-second-skin/2nd-skin-blister-kit

- PC racing underwear
 
I used to use the under glove things. No more.
Answer pillow tops, Spider grips and some other dual compound (fatter) grips seem to help me.
Good gloves, loosen that death grip relax and good grips.
 
I know your a savy guy, but one thought could be your bend on your bars? Or the rotation on the bars? If find yourself standing more for these longer distance events and your bars are suited more for sitting / standing, but for shorter durations. Just throwing that out there.
+1 on the Pillow top grips with donuts
 
robertaccio said:
...(fatter) grips...
Click to expand...
I actually put another set of grips over the grips on my bike. That was the only way to keep my hand from cramping up. No blister problems when I ride that bike - but do have blister problems when riding bikes with normal grips.
 
I can't provide much useful advice (as usual!) because I don't tend to ride huge distances at a time, but unless you have small hands then I'd defo suggest larger diameter grips to mitigate pressure points (I use pillows as well).

Many good advices in this thread there is, young Skywalker! If you do grab some new gloves / liners / donuts and whatnot then by all means take your bike and new kit out for some dress rehearsals before the event to make sure that there are no unpleasant surprises. While you're doing this have a really good think about your riding position and whatnot and make some allowances for the terrain that you'll be riding in (if you have any advance information it'll be useful). Perhaps a slightly less aggressive setup than you'd use for your favourite woods track may be appropriate and more forgiving / less tiring. I think that looking after your hands is a whole-bike setup and riding style thing, as well as having the right handwear.

I know we're all taught to keep a tidy stand up / feet up style at all times, but if you watch a lot of the fast guys on long stages you'll often see them sat down and dabbing like newbies to conserve energy, or just to get their breath back. It's not a crime! The point about conciously remembering to relax is a good one too. It's very easy to tense up after getting a tricky section wrong and that tension can become a vicious cycle.
 
7point62 said:
I can't provide much useful advice (as usual!) because I don't tend to ride huge distances at a time, but unless you have small hands then I'd defo suggest larger diameter grips to mitigate pressure points (I use pillows as well).

Many good advices in this thread there is, young Skywalker! If you do grab some new gloves / liners / donuts and whatnot then by all means take your bike and new kit out for some dress rehearsals before the event to make sure that there are no unpleasant surprises. While you're doing this have a really good think about your riding position and whatnot and make some allowances for the terrain that you'll be riding in (if you have any advance information it'll be useful). Perhaps a slightly less aggressive setup than you'd use for your favourite woods track may be appropriate and more forgiving / less tiring. I think that looking after your hands is a whole-bike setup and riding style thing, as well as having the right handwear.

I know we're all taught to keep a tidy stand up / feet up style at all times, but if you watch a lot of the fast guys on long stages you'll often see them sat down and dabbing like newbies to conserve energy, or just to get their breath back. It's not a crime! The point about conciously remembering to relax is a good one too. It's very easy to tense up after getting a tricky section wrong and that tension can become a vicious cycle.
Click to expand...

all good info, thanks. My hands are well warn in and calist but still sore (no blistering). I have pillow grips here ready to install. And yes, absolutely on the test stuff before the race. Been doing that with other gear, tools etc.

thanks all
 
i suffer similar an my knuckes ache for a while afert, not sure if the clutch is too heavy or just a strain from over use.
looking at hydro clutches no avail as 360 goes in at right angles to the engine :(
brakes a 1 fingerer tho :thumbsup: fatter grips humm never thought of that, let us know what works for ya!
 
Xcuvator said:
Flex Bars work.
Click to expand...

Had two sets of those, good bars but this is more of a grips / glove thing i think. 100 miles at Bend ISDE was perfectly fine but 70 miles of Jordon creek nasty trail and my hands hurt. I'm sure i would be fine doing nothing but if I can fine more comfort in some grips or these palm savers it is worth a try.
 
juicypips said:
i suffer similar an my knuckes ache for a while afert, not sure if the clutch is too heavy or just a strain from over use.
looking at hydro clutches no avail as 360 goes in at right angles to the engine :(
brakes a 1 fingerer tho :thumbsup: fatter grips humm never thought of that, let us know what works for ya!
Click to expand...

I use a pivoted clutch lever from these http://midwestme.com/ not sure if its available for your bike but a very worthwhile bit of kit if it is.
 
Never tried it in the dirt, but on long pavement excursions I get blisters, so I started wearing workout gloves under my moto gloves. It worked for me. Cheap idea to try, you'll just need slightly looser fitting moto gloves.
 
I wear Mechanix Fast Fit gloves for riding. I've had good luck and a couple of other riding buddies have switched after trying a pair of mine. I'm lucky that the work I do horseshoeing, gives me calluses in the right places to ride.

Fred Hoess, who knows something about riding Qualifiers and the Six Days, tapes between his fingers with thin strips of sports tape and then across the pads on his palms with duct tape.

Another tip I learned a few years ago for wet gloves... Keep some blue paper shop towels in your tool bag. You fold them up, so you can wrap them around your grips. This will wick the water right out of your wet gloves and save you some nasty blisters. This won't work in steady rain, but if you get your gloves soaked in a puddle, creek or rain shower, it's nice. I always carry spare gloves, but still have this trick handy!
 
Those pillow grips really were good for me ...I rode about 20 minutes without gloves with them and I didn't even need gloves

--

On top of all the good ideas written here, you gotta learn to relax and rest at times and not give the race away while doing this ...
 
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