On Feb 16, 2:37 am, "Jay" <
[email protected]> wrote:
> OK, my RBT Masters, at long last,...I am poised to pull the Electra
> Amsterdam Royal8 trigger on this coming Monday, through Rapid Transit
> Cycleshop, unless I hear any strong RBT objections.
>
> As I recall, Andre has suggested Brooks grips. Would these be good grips for
> year round riding, or only in good summer riding conditions? And I would
> swap grips depending on the season? I believe I can do that.
>
> I KNOW most RBT regulars (and lurkers) are as excited about this new Electra
> bike, as I am. At this point, all RBT knows that Jay is a little boy when it
> comes to a new bike THING, and it don't get any bigger than a new BIKE!
>
> Silly J.
Tell us, Jay, do you have a Brooks saddle on your present bike, or
will the one you're ordering on the Electra Amsterdam Royal 8 be your
first Brooks saddle?
If not your first, how is the one you have lasting in those Chicago
winters? Do you oil or wax it? Do you cover it? Brooks handlebar grips
might need the same handling.
I have no experience of cycling in weather conditions such as you
describe but it does seem to me that leather edgeways on would take in
wet more quickly than a saddle, which presents a finished surface to
the wet. However, on the other hand, a bit of wet might make the
handlebar grips conform to your fingers more quickly rather than over
"considerable use", on the same principle as breaking in a Brooks
saddle more quickly by cycling in soaking wet shorts (in the summer,
of course!).
My fear for the first winter, or what's left of this one, would not be
rot but that the as yet unconformed grips might freeze and be very
uncomfortable to use.
I see screws in the photos with the Brooks grips. Probably be smart to
ask what is involved in taking the Brooks grips off and refitting the
ones supplied with the bike or whatever you fancy. You might want to
try the standard fake-leather grips for winter use -- I've come to
like the standard-fitting dual density grips on my Trek, which at
first I thought looked cheap, very much indeed and haven't fitted the
Ergon grips I bought for that bike. It is possible also to buy
Gazelle's own-design own-brand custom grips in the aftermarket though
I suspect that after postage to the States you will be out of twice
their price (they're about fifteen US dollars on sales); the reason I
mention it is that I find the Gazelle grips the most comfortable I
have ever used, and they're just the right shape to use with gloves
(maybe the Dutch have big hands), and support the hand very naturally;
I have never even considered replacing them with anything but the OEM
item.
HTH.
Andre Jute
Manual worker -- I operate a keyboard
