INTERLOCKING HANDLEBAR GRIP AND GLOVE by chris mckleroy from uk

As a designer, I live by the laws of physics, abide by the seemingly rational laws of mankind, and choose to define my own limitations elsewhere. Defining limitations is a life mantra. Growing up as a mountain biker, I saw the unseeable and acted upon it; I took precise risks progressively. This has shaped me into my innovative form. Choosing to take risks and from a young age have defined who I have grown into as an adult.

The problem, that I, and the growing population of mountain bikers pushing the envelope of the sport, is hand fatigue from holding onto the handlebars intensely, over days of riding across treacherous terrain and jumps at speed, with upwards of 2000 M of climbing and descending. The arm pump and fatigue from just holding on is excruciating, often times causing the rider to dismount from their bike. This hand fatigue is the problem I am setting out to solve.

There are three inspirations for my #disruptors submission. The first: clipless pedals. While riding a mountain bike, not having to focus any effort on keeping ones feet on their pedals enables them to focus on pedaling, distributing their weight, and balance. In the instance of a crash, the force and direction of the bicycle cause the users feet to be come unclipped, and one can twist their foot out of the locked position. The second inspiration came from Lego toy bricks. The bricks connected together through protruding and recessed spaces, interlocking in a way that is easy to separate, yet holds steady. The cylindrical tops of the engagement points fit around, and in, the recessed cylinders underneath the bricks. The final inspiration comes from the directional adhesion of gecko feet, a system of fine flap like ridges, a multi hierarchical nano dry adhesive structures. Gecko feet can stick to smooth surfaces with very small preload, and are able to detach by reducing load. If loaded in the right direction, it creates maximum contact, minimizing stress. If loaded in the opposite direction, it detaches easily.

We will disrupt the conventional by creating an interlocking, removably attachable, handlebar grip and glove interface that enhances performance and increases safety of cyclists. With the rider in better control, the rider is free to expend the energy on balance and pedaling the bike. With Oakley, we will be able to deliver this message and ship this disruptive innovation to the masses. The solution is a grip designed specifically for the glove. I have created a rubber grip with an extruded, cylindrical pattern, and a protective glove with a respective pattern on the underside of the fingers and palm area.