I noticed my friend’s Peloton handlebar has thicker bars and a softer rubber coating which actually felt a little more comfortable. My conclusion is the smaller bar diameter of the BikeERG requires more effort just to hold on so I tried putting on my silicone dumbbell handles to see if it felt better. Interestingly, I found myself not constantly repositioning my grip and the wider diameter allows me to lean with just a light grip. BTW, do not try this without wearing biker’s gloves unless you don’t mind sweaty palms.
I used both round and tubular dumbbell silicone grips. The round grips fits nicely in the small of my hands while the tubular one allows the traditional grip but thicker. The round grips on the top allow more grip options such as palms down, 45 degrees, or 90 degrees. The tubular grips allows me to use a light grip adding more comfort and less effort. After more than 3 months of use, I’m very happy with these additions.
I own both brand name grips purchased from Amazon and also cheap grips from Asia and surprisingly the cheap one (red) has softer/pliable silicone making it easier to remove/install. The silicone on brand name one felt a lot harder which I fear might split if I install/remove it too often. BTW, the current tariffs will make nearly impossible to buy from Asia.
*** 2nd METHOD USING PIPE INSULATION ***
LOWER BAR: I used 1-1/8 inch inner hole diameter, 3/8 inch foam thickness pipe insulation from a hardware store. Not sure about longevity but so far it feels like a pillow or actually a pool-noodle. I’m still debating whether to wrap handlebar tape around it. I’m going to keep it bare for now to see if the foam absorbs sweat and start smelling although I do wear gloves to reduce sweat transfer. If it starts smelling, I’ll replace it and wrap handlebar tape so the foam can remain encapsulated.
UPPER MAIN BAR: I tried 1-1/4 inch hole diameter, 3/8 inch foam thickness pipe insulation (but removed it). My intention was to install below the top ball grip but I found myself never gripping below the ball so I removed it since it’s only 3 inches.
In the end, I quickly noticed I don’t have the urge to reposition my grip as often. This is probably because I don’t have to close my fingers as tight thus less tension. Cheers