Ever get cold hands mountain biking in the winter months? I am sure you have and trust me you are not alone. Good news is their is a solution…..Bar Mitts. These have been around for awhile, but if you were like me you associated these with FAT biking. Well Im here to to you they are NOT just for FAT bikes. I recently purchased a pair for my full suspension trail bike with 2.6 in tires that I ride all year round.
Before we get into the review I wanted to point out that in a previous post on winter mountain biking gear I mentioned how the use of ESI extra chunky grips help to insulate hands from the bars and keep them warm. Those grips definetly help keep hands warm, however in the bitter cold 25 degrees F or lower these Bar Mits completely eliminate cold hands. Possibly its even associated to the combination of the two.
Bar Mitt Sizing
These come in Small/medium, large and extra large. They also offer the following:
- No bar end openings (Standard)
- Single Left Side Openeing – would allow use of a mirror with Bar Mitts
- Two openings – Would allow for use of bar ends
For most, if not all, mountain bikers you will want the “No Bar End Opening”. As far as sizing, the small/medium worked well for my bike. These are installed on a Canyon Spectral with sram guide brake levers. I suspect this size would work for most mountain bikes. Not sure what would cause a larger size to be needed as these cover the grips and brake levers which are reatively standard across bikes.
Installation
Installation is quick and straight forward. While instructions do come with them its a pretty basic install and didnt find them necessary. There are two velcro straps and one zipper. With all open slide the Bar Mitt over the handle bars and brake levers. Once on the zipper and velcor straps can be closed…thats it!
Riding with Bar Mitts
Initially I expected riding with these to be kind of awkward and feel as if my hands were fixed to the handlebars. To my surprise that wasnt the case. There is plenty of room inside the Bar Mitts such that you dont feel “stuck” to the bike.
The first ride I went on it was 20 Degrees F out. I decided to start out aggressive, have faith in these Bar Mitts and wear no gloves underneth. Right out of the gate I thought this may be a mistake as my hands were chilly (probably from getting ready outside of the car). However, after just a couple minutes of riding I couldnt believe how warm by bare hands were in this temperature. I would give these an A+ for warmth!
Tips when using
Now while they worked fantastic for keepng hands warm let me give you a couple of tips I learned while using these.
- Initially they kept falling down some and didnt seem to stay in place they way i expected or needed them to. Looking inside I realized there is a strap with a loop at the end (this wasnt mentioned in the instructions). After wondering for a second what this was iI realized this is a loop for your thumb to help keep the Bar Mitts in place. Placing the loop over my thumb the Bar Mitts stayed up, which helped with keeping in the heat and overall comfort.
2. Ejecting from the Bar Mitts if/when needed. This was one of my fears probably based on my initial thought of being “stuck” to the handlebars. Similar to starting out on clipless pedals. Since riding in the snow is obviously slippery it wasn’t long into the ride that I had a chance to try this out. First fall my hand didnt make it out in time and I fell over on the bike without bracing myself. It was just me and my dog, but I am sure he was wondering what i was doing? Note that winter rides (at least for me) are at a much slower pace so wrecks are not as violent and more awkward looking.
Now that I have done several rides with these on, this is not the case or a concern of mine anymore. Pulling out your hand comes more natuarllay once you get used to it. Again similar to clipless pedals.
Other Uses/Benefits of Bar Mitts
Dont have gloves on which cause you to fumble with your pockets to get them open or to use your phone since you can ride with no gloves. Sure if you keep your hands out long enough they will cool off but trust me they come out nice and toasty.
In addition to mounatin biking these work on:
- ATVs (personally use them on mine when plowing snow)
- Road Bikes
- Dirt Bikes (possible why the larger size exists)
- Snowmobiles
Bottom line is if you do any mountain biking in the winter Bar Mitts are something to serioulsy consider to keep your hands warm!
