Hand fatigue and numbness was a problem for me early on after I bought the bike. One of the solutions was to relax my grip on the throttle. To assist with this, I installed this simple little plastic lever that clips onto the end of the throttle.
This page was originally written about the Throttle Rocker but this product is no longer available in it's original form. The original inventor and patent holder, Rykel Industries, is now manufacturing the product as the CrampBuster. The Throttle Rocker has been redesigned to use hook and loop fasteners but I have not tested the product in that form.
The CrampBuster comes in two sizes, regular and oversize. The regular size is the one of interest here.
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The price of the CrampBuster, www.crampbuster.com, is $10.95. It is designed to increase its grip on the throttle when pressure is applied in the direction of increased throttle. It can be rotated in the opposite direction to permit adjustment of its placement on the grip relative to the heel of your hand. I have mine adjusted to keep my wrist straight in line with my forearm at the appropriate throttle opening for cruising speeds.
The CB helps to alleviate numbness in my hands because it forces me to keep my wrist straight. This helps to prevent nerve fatigue and constricted blood vessels which result from keeping my wrist bent under tension for too long. Being able to keep the hand open and maintain throttle at the same time greatly reduces hand fatigue on long rides. The curved design is also an element in fatigue reduction.
It also allows more precise control of the throttle by providing a lever arm effect. In fact, you can work the throttle with a partially open hand applying pressure with the heel of the hand while still covering the front brake. This takes some getting used to, but with a little practice you will have smoother, more precise launches from stops.
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After a few months of use, the old Throttle Rocker began to lose its ability to grip and crept forward slowly requiring frequent readjustments by rotating it backwards. The problem was that the loop gradually expanded and failed to grip as well as it used to. I tried inserting first one, then two layers of sheet rubber from bicycle inner tube tires between the grip and the TR but this didn't do the job. Rubber bands were also been suggested as a solution. Also, it was so inexpensive that it was easy to simply buy another one.
The CrampBuster will probably last longer as it is designed slightly differently with a more complete loop length than the old TR. This longer loop meant that I could not simply slip it on the grip as before but had to remove the end weight with the mirror attached. Without the mirror on the end weight the CB will simply slip on from the side. The longer loop makes it feel more secure with a tighter fit. Time will tell if it holds up but Rykel will replace any CrampBuster that begins to slip. Another feature I like with the CrampBuster is the longer lever arm compared to the old TR. The increased leverage is really welcome.
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I had tried to rejuvenate my old slipping Throttle Rocker by inserting it in a vise and collapsing the ring into a smaller size. This, as it turned out, worked very well. The TR gripped as well as it used to and is now as good as new. If the CrampBuster starts slipping this technique may work as well on it but we'll see if this is ever necessary.
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When inserting it in the vice, make sure the loop continues to curl as you tighten the jaws. I left it like this overnight and in the morning it was ready to go.
I am very pleased with the CrampBuster as I was with the old Throttle Rocker and wouldn't go without one. Great benefits for a cheap price.
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Last Updated: 02-08-2004
Copyright © 2001-04, Patrick Glenn, All Rights Reserved.
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