Model D Handle

[[old] nysaag]

About 4-5M meters ago I put a model D handle on my model C rower. In the last few months it has started to develop a hole (on both ends ) through the blue rubber covering, on top and about 1 inch from the end. I don't have problems with blisters or any significant callous, and I do not wear gloves. Has anyone else had a similiar issue with the D handle? Did you tape it, replace it or ignore it?

[[old] Andrew Burrows]

Same things happened to mine. I found it started to give me callouses/blisters so I replaced it. The new one though seems to be made of harder rubber and is giving me bad blisters still even after a couple of months. I must just have girly hands though as others dont complain.

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-Andrew Burrows+Nov 10 2005, 05:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Andrew Burrows @ Nov 10 2005, 05:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Same things happened to mine. I found it started to give me callouses/blisters so I replaced it. The new one though seems to be made of harder rubber and is giving me bad blisters still even after a couple of months. I must just have girly hands though as others dont complain. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Andy, it's not just you. <br /><br />They have a brand new model D in Basingstoke Centre Gym. I've been using that machine exclusively for the last few weeks (the idea being not to suffer at BIRC). I was still tearing new blisters in my left hand yesterday (right hand is OK, but I'm left handed).<br />

[[old] brianric]

I got to replace my handle on my Model D. I wear gloves, but the rubber on the right side is now down to the hard plastic, and the way I grip the handle, I'm pinching a nerve in what would be my ring finger on my right hand. I may replace the handle with one from the Model C.

[[old] michaelb]

I like my D handle better than the C. I haven't noticed any particularl wear, but I also haven't looked. But this complaint has come up here before, and obviously other people are posting they have wear issues with a D handle. Has anyone called C2? I would be sort of surprised if they didn't offer to make it right for you.

[[old] c2jonw]

When we came out with the D in July of 2003, we thought we had the hardness of the grip material right. We tested it in-house and in the field and it seemed to work well. but wearing was recognized to be an issue after we started production. In December of 2003. we started shipping machines with a slightly harder material, which was better but still had some premature wear issues. We bumped the durometer up a notch again, and since August of 2004 we have been using this harder (87A, if you're interested) material. <br />So if you are having wear issues and the handle is older than Augst 04, the new handle might help. or you could remove the blue material entirely and put on a grip of your own choosing.<br />Grips, like seating, are a very personal issue, and it's hard to get it right for everyone all of the time. We have a couple dozen employees who row our fleet of eight ergs, and we see very little grip wear. The stock grip works fine for me, but I also have one of the company ergs set up with bike handlebar tape, which is easy on the hands for longer rows. I would not, however, suggest that this would be a good production solution as it isn't very durable and being open cell it gets damp and can be a bacteria harbor....Jon

[[old] PaulS]

<!--QuoteBegin-c2jonw+Nov 11 2005, 06:24 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(c2jonw @ Nov 11 2005, 06:24 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So if you are having wear issues and the handle is older than Augst 04, the new handle might help. or you could remove the blue material entirely and put on a grip of your own choosing. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Will the Blue material slip off with proper motivation? What is under there (size/shape)? Would Sculling grips fit?

[[old] c2jonw]

Hi Paul....A couple of longitudinal cuts will enable you to peel the blue material off. The plastic base is about 1.25" in diameter, so most sculling grips will work. <br />JonW

[[old] chudwell]

I found grips at the local flea market. A guy that sells replacement tool handles had buckets of rubber grips that worked on my B handle. Haven't had this wear problem yet on my retrofit C handle.<br /><br />Overall, I do like the new handle better.

[[old] anomad]

<!--QuoteBegin-c2jonw+Nov 11 2005, 09:24 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(c2jonw @ Nov 11 2005, 09:24 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The stock grip works fine for me, but I also have one of the company ergs set up with bike handlebar tape, which is easy on the hands for longer rows. I would not, however, suggest that this would be a good production solution as it isn't very durable and being open cell it gets damp and can be a bacteria harbor....Jon <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I also have no problem with D grip. But the idea of handlebar tape interests me since my hands are very familiar with the feel.<br /><br />Did you remove the blue stuff and then rewrap with bar tape? I mostly row at a slow steady pace.

[[old] gsedun]

I have a model D handle and have had it almost a year now, it is still fine and i never got minor blistors the first day but after that i was fine. I also row on water so i have really caloused hands.

[[old] sandergo]

I replaced my wooden model C handle with the blue model D handle about 6 weeks ago. I am very happy with it. I used to wear gloves, but they made my hands tingle. With the new handle I can row without gloves. Blisters will be there anyway, it's part of the suffering we endure

[[old] ehagberg]

Well, it took me about 11 or 12 million meters to wear a small hole in one side of the blue stuff on the handle (it was on a machine I got in March of 2004).<br /><br />I ordered a replacement handle today. I'm curious to see the difference in the material.