I really don't know what to call these things so I'll try to give a clear description.

Spending long hours on the indoor trainer is hard enough but I've found it a real nuisance to have my hands gripping the handlebars the entire time. After all, I'm not `steering' the bike when on the trainer. Of course, if I'm shifting gears one needs to have hands on the handlebars.

I find it so very, very different from open road outdoor training. That is, when outdoors we need to change gears AND steer and balance the bike.

I try to observe and `steal' from other riders as many good ideas and techniques as I can. John Schlitter is my very favorite victim when it comes to this. I'd inspect photos of him and his bike to see how he does it.

One of the first things I stole from John was his setup of Zefal Spy Mirrors on both sides of the handlebars. What a difference that makes!

Another thing John has convinced me to do is to ride with the brainbox even during races. (I've tried every conceivable way to carry water and stuff tightly wrapped around the seat. And what I've learned is that it is virtually impossible to access this stuff when you need to because there are so many cords, straps and ties to undo.)

Last August at the Metamora 200 I stole another idea from John. After he had finished the 200 miles I took photos of his bike while it was leaning against a post. John was about 20 feet away and calmly watching me walk around his bike snapping pictures. THAT is a confident and generous guy! (If I had any brains I would have recognized that the BEST spying would have been to sit down and try to pick his brains for his training plan, etc....).

John had what looked like leather loops on both sides of the handlebar. One end of the leather band was attached at the top of the Avid brake handle. The other end of the leather band was attached at the end of the handlebar where the shifter was attached. I concluded that this was a way to allow him to keep from having to maintain a strenuous grip on the handlebars for the long hours he rides.

So, the other day when my hands were fatigueing while gripping the handlebars on a 4 hour indoor training session I asked myself: "What would John do?"

I'm a big fan of saving my old inner tubes. I cut them up and use them for almost everything. Amazing stuff.

I cut up an inner tube and zip-tied one end above the Avid brake handle and then looped the other end of the inner tube band to just above the shifter, zip-tieing it there, too. Now when I'm on the indoor trainer I `rest' my hands and arms in the inner tube loop. It has a profound effect on my ability to `bear' the long hours on the indoor trainer.

Oh, John? Thanks again!! And `again.' And `again.' I may as well learn from the best.