Tech gadget on Stage 8 or 9

brian martin said:

Hello all, there was a tech gadget that was shown on the OLN Tour
coverage this past weekend. It was a bar end plug that suppreses road
vibration. Does anyone know the name of the product, or how it works etc...

Don't know the name of it, but it's a weighted elastomeric dampener.
Basically a rubber insert with a weight in the middle of it. Theory
being that the weight doesn't oscillate at the same frequency as the
handlebars - out of sync vibrations generally dampen.

Should have some effect, I suppose - just not sure of how big of a
difference.
I took it as a marketing opportunity. What's your guess what they'll
sell for?

R

Made by Bontrager, available in Trek shops for those whose blazing
speed over rough roads is limited by ordinary bar plugs.

Lou D'Amelio

RicodJour said:

brian martin said:

Hello all, there was a tech gadget that was shown on the OLN Tour
coverage this past weekend. It was a bar end plug that suppreses road
vibration. Does anyone know the name of the product, or how it works etc...

Don't know the name of it, but it's a weighted elastomeric dampener.
Basically a rubber insert with a weight in the middle of it. Theory
being that the weight doesn't oscillate at the same frequency as the
handlebars - out of sync vibrations generally dampen.

Should have some effect, I suppose - just not sure of how big of a
difference.
I took it as a marketing opportunity. What's your guess what they'll
sell for?

Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners. The brass version weighs 78g/pr
MSRP $20. There is also an aluminum version MSRP $10.
I tested the brass ones on a 50 mi ride. The effect is noticeable, but
the trade-off is that they add 3oz of dead weight to the ends of your
bars. I suppose if you ride on the drops over long distances, they
might make a small improvement in comfort. However, if you cruise on
the top of the bars over long distances like I do, the effect is less
pronounced.

email hidden said:

RicodJour said:

brian martin said:

Hello all, there was a tech gadget that was shown on the OLN Tour
coverage this past weekend. It was a bar end plug that suppreses road
vibration. Does anyone know the name of the product, or how it works etc...

Don't know the name of it, but it's a weighted elastomeric dampener.
Basically a rubber insert with a weight in the middle of it. Theory
being that the weight doesn't oscillate at the same frequency as the
handlebars - out of sync vibrations generally dampen.

Should have some effect, I suppose - just not sure of how big of a
difference.
I took it as a marketing opportunity. What's your guess what they'll
sell for?

Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners.

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

JT

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John Forrest Tomlinson said:

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

Your effect at parties...? :O

R

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

Quoted message said:

Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners.

Quoted message said:

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

The latest techno-gadgets make me wet my pants.

Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]

Buy a pair, and have a friend replace one (but only one) of your bar
plugs. Cover the bar plugs with duct tape (to keep you blind). Ride on
rough pavement for three hours. If one shoulder is less sore the next
morning, and it corresponds to the bar that had the Bontrager plug, then
the plugs may actually work. Repeat several times to ensure that you did
not simply make a lucky guess.

Please report back the results.

~DS

I would think that the buzz dampers would be a great deal more
effective if you are riding the tops instead of the drops. That's where
you usually ride with those drops buzzing away like a gattling gun
while you're riding over rough roads.

On the other hand, carbon bars don't buzz at all and you can pick up
fairly decent carbon bars for the cost of upper end Al bars now.

Dope Strong said:

Buy a pair, and have a friend replace one (but only one) of your bar
plugs. Cover the bar plugs with duct tape (to keep you blind). Ride on
rough pavement for three hours. If one shoulder is less sore the next
morning, and it corresponds to the bar that had the Bontrager plug, then
the plugs may actually work. Repeat several times to ensure that you did
not simply make a lucky guess.

Please report back the results.

~DS

Thanks for all the info. I ride a recumbent for most of mile milage, so
I do not feel road vibration as much.

Brian

RicodJour said:

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

Your effect at parties...? :O

R

"dampeners"
comes from the same Sherwin dictionary that contains "commentating"

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

email hidden said:

RicodJour said:

brian martin wrote:
> Hello all, there was a tech gadget that was shown on the OLN Tour
> coverage this past weekend. It was a bar end plug that suppreses road
> vibration. Does anyone know the name of the product, or how it works etc...

Don't know the name of it, but it's a weighted elastomeric dampener.
Basically a rubber insert with a weight in the middle of it. Theory
being that the weight doesn't oscillate at the same frequency as the
handlebars - out of sync vibrations generally dampen.

Should have some effect, I suppose - just not sure of how big of a
difference.
I took it as a marketing opportunity. What's your guess what they'll
sell for?

Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners.

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

They also moisturize.

Ron

Dope Strong said:

Buy a pair, and have a friend replace one (but only one) of your bar
plugs. Cover the bar plugs with duct tape (to keep you blind). Ride on
rough pavement for three hours. If one shoulder is less sore the next
morning, and it corresponds to the bar that had the Bontrager plug, then
the plugs may actually work. Repeat several times to ensure that you did
not simply make a lucky guess.

Please report back the results.

I just stuff wadded-up dollar bills in my handlebars.
It has roughly the same effect. And if I'm out on a ride
and forgot my lunch money, I can just pry off a bar end cap.
It also makes buying assistance from other teams' riders
(a la Savoldelli at the Giro) convenient as necessary.

Although, as goofy bike tech gadgets go, at least the
Bontrager bar plugs aren't very overpriced - about the same
as an extra layer of bar tape, though perhaps slightly less
effective.

RonSonic said:

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:39:04 -0400, John Forrest Tomlinson
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

email hidden said:

RicodJour wrote:
> brian martin wrote:
> > Hello all, there was a tech gadget that was shown on the OLN Tour
> > coverage this past weekend. It was a bar end plug that suppreses road
> > vibration. Does anyone know the name of the product, or how it works etc...
>
> Don't know the name of it, but it's a weighted elastomeric dampener.
> Basically a rubber insert with a weight in the middle of it. Theory
> being that the weight doesn't oscillate at the same frequency as the
> handlebars - out of sync vibrations generally dampen.
>
> Should have some effect, I suppose - just not sure of how big of a
> difference.
> I took it as a marketing opportunity. What's your guess what they'll
> sell for?

Bontrager Buzz-Kill harmonic dampeners.

"Dampeners"? The word should be "dampers."

Quoted message said:

They also moisturize.

Hincapie swears by them.

Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:03:22 -0000, Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

RonSonic said:

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:39:04 -0400, John Forrest Tomlinson
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They also moisturize.

Hincapie swears by them.

Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]

THTOP IT!