I AM a "real" mechanic/technician. I have worked on cars since mid 70's (on
topic) and still do. I won't start work without latex gloves. Not all the
time, but most.Most solvents/grease etc are toxic! Even bicycle grease,
etc can be toxic. Your skin is the largest organ your body has. I like the
"feel" of parts,etc. But liking the feel of grease?? Knowing that it is a
bsorbed through the skin and protecting myself is just like enjoying the fe
el of the sun but knowing sunscreen is good.
Some might think the feel is less with gloves, but I am glad my surgeon i
s ok with them.
Now wearing the thick other gloves mentioned, couldn't do it. My bike par
ts don't get to 200+ degrees.Tom Forbes
Houston, Texas, USA
Ovoiding "icky" grease, two wheels or four.> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:1
9:14 -0500> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> From: johnb@oxford.net> Sub
ject: Re: [CR] Are you a real CR rider?> > At 10:51 PM 07/02/2009 -0500,
Bianca Pratorius wrote:> >I'm facinated by CF. It seems like such a good su
bstance if one were > >into light weight and good performance - but I hate
the idea of this > >crap. You won't be fishing CF bikes out the dumpster th
irty years after > >it left the factory. CF is perfect for a disposable soc
iety but the > >antithesis of timeless value, beauty and utility.> >> >On
an more on topic topic - I love working on bikes so much that I > >actuall
y love the touch and feel of the parts, the frame the balls in > >grease.
My wife reminds me that the grease is toxic and that the > >chemicals soak
into your body through your unprotected hands. I've > >tried latex gloves
but it blocks my feel. Have you modernized your > >approach to bicycle mech
anics to the point that you wear gloves while > >working on your bikes? Are
you a classic mechanic or have you updated > >your approach with disposabl
e gloves?> > That's a great point Garth! I too have noticed the "gloves" th
ing. Not just> the purple surgical gloves used by people not wanting to get
their hands> "icky", but also the heavier "Mechanix" gloves covered in a
dvertising logos> worn people working on cars. These aren't mechanics; th
ey're "technicians"> who don't want to get their hands dirty by touching gr
easy things or get a> blister from turning a wrench. They'd much rather be
using a laptop or> power tools to do the job. Granted, some people may be
allergic to certain> products and there are other substances so toxic or c
orrosive that> protection is required, but to me wearing gloves to work o
n a bike would be> like trying to fix a watch while wearing boxing gloves.
I think most of> this is a state of mind with the younger generation becaus
e they see> technicians wearing gloves on TV and believe most substances ar
e toxic and> harmfull. You know, fashion. This neatly ties in with the CF
craze. Most of> the CF bits sold for cars these days are fake cosmetic ite
ms that just look> like CF, but are no stronger than cheap plastic.> > Jo
hn Betmanis> Woodstock, Ontario> Canada> ________________________________