Road style Bar Mitts and access to the drops

[DRZRM]

I have a question for the Bar Mitt crowd, I have them--Wolf Tooth Pogies actually--on my flat bar MTB and love them, but I've been told by one person that you can't really use your drops in road style Bar Mitts and I've never seen them in person. I have a drop bar MTB that is great for winter riding on dirt roads, but the hoods are pretty much worthless. The bars are quite high and it is meant to be ridden in the drops only. Will road style Bar Mitts work? It ends with a long decent, and so far, if my gloves are at all wet, I freeze on the downhill home.

This bike, the hoods are basically useless:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697943706&stc=1&d=1501527346

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697943710&stc=1&d=1501527451

[mt2u77]

I've never used these, so I have no practical review-- Bar Mitts Dual Position: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=91836

https://www.universalcycles.com/images//products/large3/91836.jpg

These look so open on the back that they're essentially just a wind block. I'm guessing traditional flat bar pogies would be warmer, but who knows, maybe most of the benefit is in blocking the wind.

That, or an old school plexiglass fairing. :)

[shoota]

I'm not sure that counts as "drop bar."

[Veloo]

Yeah, the single position Barmitts won't allow access to the drops.
Didn't even know they had the dual position.

The ones I have are also open in the back but still keep my fingers very warm.

[smontanaro]

I have both styles of Bar Mitts. You are correct that you're going to ride on the hoods. You can use the drops for short periods of time, but your hands will be outside the mitts. Also, you're going to be grabbing your brake levers through the neoprene, so brake feel is going to be compromised a bit.

If it would help, I can see if I can snap some pictures at home this evening. My wife is out of town though, so the pic will be bad (sideways hand selfies?)

[Veloo]

I've been informed that there are plans to have an extreme version of the Barmitts Dual with an enclosed back end but not til next season.

[unterhausen]

I wish I knew there were open versions of these. I suppose I could sew some up. I have the hoods only version, and using them is scary enough that I am really reluctant to put them on the bike. But it's convenient to put food in there and using lightweight gloves is really nice, so that counterbalances things a bit.

[smontanaro]

I've never had any real problem with either style of bar mitt (flat bar or drop bar). I only have vintage bikes, so all brake cables route out the top. Those older brakes (say, pre-1985) were presumably designed to mostly be uses from the drops, but I generally brake from the hoods, with or without bar mitts. Newer levers were designed for use from the hoods, so using them with bar mitts shouldn't be a big deal. @unterhausen what makes them scary for you?

[unterhausen]

I'm not used to having my hands constrained in one direction, and with bar mitts that one direction is a bit abnormal. I get used to it, but every time I start using them I have some close calls.

[mtb_frk]

I have a set wood chippers on my bike and use the bar mits with the external routing. My rear shifter has under the tape cables, but my front doesn’t. They work perfect. I also used them on with my cow chippers as well.
I have a set of moose mits and I found with the back being open they weren’t as warm.

[DRZRM]

Well, I got the Bar Mitts Dual-Position Road Pogie Bar Mittens that are linked above (thanks mt2u77), and they are good. Warm enough at ~25 degrees with a mid weight winter glove that I usually would not wear out under 40ish for long. A bit snug in there on the drops, but brakes and levers were totally accessible, and the front coverage did a great job keeping warm on speedy descents that usually make that ride miserabel below freezing. Toes and throat still got cold on the 4ish mile road descent that ends my 18 mile gravel ride, but not too bad. Fingers were fine.

[unterhausen]

Toes and throat still got cold on the 4ish mile road descent that ends my 18 mile gravel ride, but not too bad. Fingers were fine.I recommend a neck gaiter for any cold weather riding. I have an Endura wool buff that works well. Pulled it up over my lower face the other day into a very cold headwind. I have also used it to cover my ears with success, but it's unwise to try to cover both ears and neck with it at the same time. I don't tolerate balaclavas too well

[DRZRM]

Yeah, it good advice. I have a couple neck gators, but I get hot climbing, open my collar, then on the descent I get cold. I really need one that velcros on, because I never want to stop, take off my helmet and glasses, and pull the gator back on.

I recommend a neck gaiter for any cold weather riding. I have an Endura wool buff that works well. Pulled it up over my lower face the other day into a very cold headwind. I have also used it to cover my ears with success, but it's unwise to try to cover both ears and neck with it at the same time. I don't tolerate balaclavas too well

[old fat man]

Yeah, it good advice. I have a couple neck gators, but I get hot climbing, open my collar, then on the descent I get cold. I really need one that velcros on, because I never want to stop, take off my helmet and glasses, and pull the gator back on.

Get the thin Buff style neck tubes. Easy to pull up and down and usually just enough to keep warm while descending, but avoid overheating when climbing. I love it for skiing.

[teleguy57]

Another great option: The Weatherneck. (https://theweatherneck.com/) Developed by a local cyclist (Brian Davis) who also is the guy who developed Fixit-Stix. I have both this (combo hat and adjustable mask) and tube-type (Pandana, (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=230740&highlight=pandana) a vendor here and also recommended by me, and even more importantly, our own OldPotatoe). I go with the Weatherneck in colder situations (like -17F on my fat bike) because i find breathing easier with less condensation than the tube type. I tend to grab one of my Pandana's when it's more likely I want something around my neck but not over my face.

Pandanas are my go-to for Nordic skiing.