Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners?

[bulliedawg]

I have this new station on DirecTV called FiTV. They had this show called "Chasing Lance" the other night. Don't know why it was called that, because is was primarily about Hancapie's ride in the Paris to Roubaix.

One of the Discovery guys had a broken hand, and they put these things in his handlebars.

Does anybody have experience with them?


http://www.bontrager.com/Road/Parts_and_Accessories/Handlebar_Accessories/5882.php

[Kevin]

I don't have any experience. But they do look interesting.

Kevin

[eddief]

they cut in to discuss the equipment the guys were using and they showed those things being inserted in the bar ends. I thought blinking L.E.D.'s might be less expensive and more useful.

Love to know if they work.

[bulliedawg]

The Bontrager site says the same theory is used in bow hunting. I wonder if there are any bow hunters on the forum who might be able to enlighten us.

[David Kirk]

The same type of deal is used to help damp ski and snowboard vibration. Some of the devices work well and others do absolutely nothing.

It's a very simple premise........take a weight and suspend it in a chunk of rubber.

I would think that a frame and fork, when properly designed and built would make these moot.

Dave

[Marron]

I saw these demonstrated at the Seattle Bike Expo. The demo consisted of dropping two alloy handlebars to the cement floor. The plain bar clanged around as you'd expect, the bar with the plugs dropped dead with no bounces. I'm not sure what that means but if you drop your bars a lot you need these.

[Serpico]

...I'm not sure what that means but if you drop your bars a lot you need these.

:D

[PBWrench]

I've had them in my Kestrel EMS Pro SL (carbon) bars on my Legend for a few hundred miles. The Buzzkillers are available in two versions - AL (lighter) and brass (better dampening). Do they make a difference? Marginal at best, but at $20 for the brass I thought I'd give them a try because I like the concept. But any difference at all will be appreciated on the rollers come winter ( usually September in Minneapolis).

[Spinsistah]

We put them on our bikes, don't know that they make much difference, but we ride a fair number of chip & seal roads and we'll try anything. They certainly hold the bar tape securely and don't fall out. :)

[Dr. Doofus]

fodo sticks them in his ears before group rides

they work really well

[Mountain Man]

I was having a lot of trouble with high frequency buzzing in my bars to the point where I could hardly feel my fingers after a long descent on rough roads. A guy at a bike shop suggested I try these as the cheap alternative to carbon bars. I must say that I was dubious, but last weekend in the Triple Bypass I had no problem whatsoever on the decents. The difference was dramatic. The only problem is that they are red, which looks pretty bad with my bike's paint job, so I covered them electrician's tape!

[PBWrench]

MM -- would it be such a sacrifice to repaint your bike to match the Buzzkillers? Joe Bell to the rescue.

[Mountain Man]

Normally no, but I have the foo-foo harlequin paint job on my Legend and I'm kind of attached to it.