Cold Thumb!!!

[geeeyejo1]

Ok, maybe a stupid question but what do you guys do to keep your throttle thumb warm? I have noticed the past few rides in very cold temperatures that my throttle thumb is FREEZING! I am geared up with several layers, Timberland Gloves and toasty warm except for my throttle thumb! Any ideas?

 

[Tom L]

You can buy heat trace thumb and grip warmers for ATVs.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Two words : Twist throttle.

I'm sure heated gloves are an answer, but not sticking your thumb out into the breeze would help keep it from getting colder.

 

[speedmd]

Google images "Bar Mitts". Cold weather expedition must haves. cheers

 

[johnamon]

+1 for Bar Mits, they are simply amazing.

 

[rocwandrer]

Google images "Bar Mitts". Cold weather expedition must haves. cheers

For sleds and atv's these are called "poggies" and the cheapest of them are about $12 a pair. Before I found my current lobster claw gloves, I used to use them any time the temps went below -5F or so out. Less well fitted for biking than the bar mitts, but workable even off-road on a bicycle without modification, and with the right bar end shape, or some wire tied on coat hanger rod to support them to shape, they are just as good.

 

[geeeyejo1]

Two words : Twist throttle.

I'm sure heated gloves are an answer, but not sticking your thumb out into the breeze would help keep it from getting colder.

Unfortunately I have twist shifters (stock on the bike) and actually like the thumb throttle except for the cold thumb thing...

 

[geeeyejo1]

Just checked out those Bar Mitts - saw a pair for a scooter that should fit perfect on Amazon for about $17 - Looks like an affordable solution! Thanks!

 

[dogman dan]

Good enough gloves, but a twist throttle might allow the thumb to be less out in the wind.

After good gloves, snow skiers have known for decades that if your head, hands, or feet are still cold despite good socks, gloves and hat, it means you need another layer on your toso and legs. Does no good to your hands if the blood is cold before it starts down your arm.

Might try adding another fleece under your coat. Pedaling more will help, as will riding a bit slower lessening wind chill. I used to swap to a slower motor in the winter, making 20 mph my top speed. Much warmer than 25 mph.

 

[Lebowski]

I pedal to get the blood flowing :wink:

 

[geeeyejo1]

I wear multiple layers and have a great heat tech Columbia two layer ski jacket as well. I do pedal some and get the old blood flowing too! I took a kitchen towel from work yesterday and fashioned a makeshift Bar Mitt from it - actually worked well on the ride home and the old thumb stayed toasty too - thanks for the tips!

 

[rocwandrer]

I wear multiple layers and have a great heat tech Columbia two layer ski jacket as well. I do pedal some and get the old blood flowing too! I took a kitchen towel from work yesterday and fashioned a makeshift Bar Mitt from it - actually worked well on the ride home and the old thumb stayed toasty too - thanks for the tips!

Usually "bar mitts" are made from insulating material. This is actually fairly pointless. They need only be relatively windproof and not touch your insulated gloves. you might find that some sort of homemade wind deflector might be all you need (google "acerbis hand shields" for an idea of what is commercially available that looks a bit like what I'm talking about).

 

[speedmd]

Thanks rocwandrer for the find, "acerbis hand shields". Spot on for what I want to build into my bars.

 

[dogman dan]

Back in high school, I had a great set of down mittens I wore riding motorcycles. A kit you sewed yourself, I've never seen anything like them for warm since. But some snowboard gloves can be pretty gnarly.

 

[chrisvw]

+1 for Bar Mitts. Been using them for 2 years now. Neoprene material. Big enough to cover my throttle and shifters and I can wear lighter gloves. I've used them to 20 degrees F. Everything else was freezing but my hands were OK.

 

[amberwolf]

Another advantage of bar-mitts (not-vaz ) is that your hands are less likely in a fall to be able to let go of the bars and let you break your wrists. Instead you can tuck into it and probably get hurt less, sliding down the road.

(in every crash (3) I've had on CB2, they were all slides wheels out from under me, and just holding onto the bars instead of putting hands out to stop a fall kept me uninjured in two of them (but foot got trapped and turned backwards in the 2nd and fractured the leg above the ankle, among other things).

 

[Tom L]

There is a small and slightly unlikely disadvantage to bar mitts. When you push your hands in, particularly with gloves on, you can inadvertently operate the throttle.

There was a (petrol) quad bike accident caused by this just before I left Antarctica. The rider actually mannage to jam the throttle full on inside the mitt somehow.

If you have e-brakes you can put your left hand in first and hold the brake while you insert your right hand to alleviate this.

Edit: spelling.

 

[speedmd]

left hand in first and hold the brake

Good habit!

I see mandatory mower type passive hand off switches coming. .

 

[miro13car]

I have thumb throttle on both of my bikes.
Sometimes on cold mornings in winter I get my hand thumb a bit frozen dispite wearing thinsulate isolated gloves.
I doubt twist one would much quality of my thumb throttles which are rock solid.

 

[RLD70]

Back in high school, I had a great set of down mittens I wore riding motorcycles. A kit you sewed yourself, I've never seen anything like them for warm since. But some snowboard gloves can be pretty gnarly.

Theres nothing like mittens when it comes to cold weather. Even Thinsulate gloves dont keep the hands as warm as mittens do.

 

[rocwandrer]

I like lobster claw gloves as a good compromise for being able to grip the bars and use the controls and still have warm hands in cold temps.

 

[RLD70]

Lobster Claw gloves do look promising but not really that good below -5 as you would need another layer making it thicker yet.

 

[geeeyejo1]

I actually ended up using a thick wool sock on my throttle hand the next cold day - on top of my glove - problem solved!

 

[Racer_X]

FREE Bar Mitts if you have an old pair of ski pants.
Living in sweden it is very expensive to buy something like Bar Mitts. Shipping alone will cost more the product in alot of cases.
So my solution was to recycle my sons outgrown ski pants.
WoW, it worked great. My hands are so warm now. It is incredible how this little addition can help, especially when it is -5c or colder. Before this I really dreaded going out for a 15km ride in -20 weather but now it just a ride in the park!
All you need is to sew the ski pant legs after you cut them off. I tied it with some strap, will do some velcro or something more permanent later.

 

[rocwandrer]

Lobster Claw gloves do look promising but not really that good below -5 as you would need another layer making it thicker yet.

It really depends on the glove. I've got a pair of lobster claw gloves that are as warm as any mittens I've tried, and yet way more versatile.

I have 3 pairs of lobster claws. One pair is kind of pointless (it is the middle warmth pair). One pair isn't any better than regular gloves I have for warmth, but they have reflective piping and snot wiper fabric all over the backs, and long gauntlets, and good breathability. The third pair is pearl izuma goretex, and is good to about -20F without liners or bar mitts on the bike. Good down to about 20 F on a sled in the woods at 40-120 mph without grip heaters. I think the primary benefit of the goretex is that it doesn't breath for crap, so it makes a great wind blocker. Combine that with the insulation, and these are my warmest gloves by far. With a simple stretchy polyester pocket glove as a liner, they are good to -40F for a shorter ride.