Does anyone know if one of the bike shops in Calgary are selling Pogies?
I found a site in the US, but they don't ship to Canada.
Thanks
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Does anyone know if one of the bike shops in Calgary are selling Pogies?
I found a site in the US, but they don't ship to Canada.
Thanks
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Hard to find
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Are you talking about Moose Mitts from the US? I tried to get them to send me some, but they flatly refused. I ended up making my own out of a couple of stuff sacks and some heavy polar fleece. They work great! Mine are for road/drop handlebars, but it would be even easier to make some for mtn bike bars. If you do make your own, use stiff nylon for the shell. I think mine are a shiny cordura coated with Polyurethane. I used big strips of wide velcro instead of snaps or tabs. It stiffened the construction so that the openings don't flop closed when I take my hands out to signal turns and such. The fleece makes them pretty warm. My hands were very comfortable riding in -30C last winter.
Oh, and if you have a sewing machine, use it. Whip stitching everything with heavy polyester thread was a giant PITA.
HHCMF!!!
moose mitts
Submitted by Cindy on
Thanks for the advise. I saw that site from the states, and it is too bad.
I will try to design something for this winter.
custom?
Submitted by mikewarren on
My brother has made these at least twice before; you could try contacting him at Alpine Threadworks if you'd like to pursue custom ones. His are a *lot* nicer than any of the ones I've seen on others' bikes around town.
mike at mike dash warren dot com
Custom pogies FTW
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Awesome! I've contacted Neil to see what he can put together for me. Mine work okay, but I could always use something better. Thanks for the hook-up!
HHCMF!!!
edit: Neil can't do anything for me until January, since he's going on vacation. It's a good thing that I already have my DIY versions...
Awesome Pogies
Submitted by drbobsled on
Take a look at these stylish "leather & fur" pogies on Ebay.
search this number 400008273350
PETA would not be happy. :-)
gov't pogies
Submitted by ride on
If you just need one, instead of a pair, any federal government services office should be able to provide you with pogie.
I make CUSTOM CYCLING GEAR!!
Submitted by lady29 on
I have been making pogies for about 4yrs now...I make road, fixie & mountain handwarmers, from the Orginial design to arrive in Calgary about 11yrs ago, I have modified & sharpened up the feel and look. Made from polartec 300 (doubled up) & Cordura 600-1200 grade. I was a messenger for 10yrs in calgary, so I know how important warmth really is! if interested email me at: Seamstress 'at' calgarybma.com
Pogie Review
Submitted by drbobsled on
I decided to try pogies, handlebar mitts, handlebar muffs, etc. or whatever you want to call them, as my overmitts from the MEC had worn out.
A former co-worker had made his own pogies (they looked really nice) and I thought this would be a good time to try my own pair.
The handlebar was mountain bike bar, not a road bike, making it easy to add them.
Being both lazy and cheap or ingenious and cost efficient as my resume says, I bought a pair of ATV mitts from Canadian Tire.
The price was around $35-40. CDN Tire was chosen as I wanted to test them first, with product return in mind if the didn't work.
I'm certain that a custom made set would be awesome.
They were covered in a Mossy Oak® pattern cordura nylon (I believe) and had fake sheep's wool inner lining.
Installation:
It was a breeze.
First remove your lights and bell, as they'll need to be outside the pogies.
Then slide them over everything, leaving room for the lights and bell to be reattached to the handle bar. (I did think about mounting a dashboard for the lights)
Tighten the straps down as much as possible. (there is a lot of extra strapping, ATV handle bars are probably thickly padded.)
Reattach the lights and bell.
Performance:
These "cheap" pogies have worked extremely well.
I had a pair of "Factory Direct Deerskin Gloves" similar to the Mechanix® brand, that I bought at the Stampede, to wear when I cycle year round.
They are thicker than the regular full finger gloves that you find a the MEC. (Which I was grateful for after I was ran over by a car last May).
At -15°C my hands were not cold, they weren't hot, but not cold.
At a temperature of 0°C my hands were quite warm, even a little sweaty.
During a +15°C chinook, I just rolled the pogies down to create as much air flow as possible.
When compared to the MEC mitts that I used to wear over the same gloves, my hands were no longer soaked at the end of my ride.
When the weather was warm and there was a lot of water on the streets the pogies did not leak.
The "controls" for the bike were never jammed, crowded or accidently engaged by the pogies.
It did take a little time to get used to knowing the gear by pedal feel, as I couldn't see the indicator. (although, I could look down at the cassette).
The was enough room inside to manipulate the shifters and brakes, just as I did in the summer time.
Accessing the lights was not a problem as I turned them on once and usually left them on until I arrived at work.
The bell was another story. It was hard finding a place to mount it that was easily accessible and still audible for pedestrians.
Sometimes when there were a lot of people infront of me, I would keep my bell hand out of the pogie for a short time, so I could ring the bell every few metres.
Of course I could have yelled at them, but my Cybowing anti-fog facemask from Korea muffled my voice. (review of the Cybowing to follow)
Modifications:
Did I modifiy the pogies? Yes.
They have a very wide "mouth" where your hands go in and I wanted to narrow it down.
As I wasn't sure the pogies would work, I didn't want to change them in a manner that would prevent CDN Tire from taking them back.
So, I used two giant black paper clips (per side) from the office to narrow the opening.
The clips worked very well and only came off when I had to scrape through a hedge to avoid a collision with a dog
Added benefit. I found something of value on the path one morning, rather than take off my back pack, I just slide it into one of the pogies and carried on.
Crashes!
One time my hands didn't come out, as I was down in a flash.
The other time, I fell to the left and my right hand came out, but the left didn't. Go figure.
Another time in Eagle Ridge I turned too soon, hit an ice ridge, and the bike fell out from under me.
I was left standing and the bike was laying on the ground.
Both of my hands free of the pogies.
Simply, you want them kind of snug, but not tight.
Theft:
I park my bike in my office, so I didn't have any worries. In a public place, who knows?
An aside, if you had to park out side on a miserable day, you might want to remove them to keep them dry.
Summary:
I have been converted. Pogies are certainly the way to go. They were warm, dry and never hindered my ride.
Every time I rode the bike I knew where my "mitts" were. They were attached to the bike. No more looking for lost mittens!
One thing that I would want on a custom pair is some reflective material.
I can think of only 1 reason not to give them a try: The added weight. Some people don't want any extra weight on the bike, and pogies do have some mass (I never noticed)
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.
I am.
Drbobsled
great review
Submitted by matt on
Thanks.
question for you: you mention that you use Factory Direct Deerskin Gloves - do you use them inside the pogies?
I'm done lots of cold water (ie winter) kayaking with pogies and gloves/mitts. In that situation pogies definitely have there pluses and minuses. Generally speaking, around here, where there is lots of winter whitewater boating, just about all the serious winter paddlers have switched to neoprene mitts.
I don't cycle with pogies because xc ski gloves work fine for me (actually mine are an old pair of Raceface winter riding gloves but they are basically xc ski gloves and I use them for both activities) That said, I usually cut myself off from winter riding at around -15 because I don't think I could do things like fix a flat in those temps.
pogie pro!
Submitted by ride on
thanks Dr. Bobsled, you are now a pogie pro! thanks for that detailed review.
What I'd like to see next is a review of one of Lady29's pogies. Any couriers out there using them? Danimal?
Calling lady29
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Calling lady29 - I'm still looking for pogies for this winter. I'm running a flat handlebar, so I don't need anything too fancy. Thanks!
pogie
Submitted by 2wheeler on
I want some too
I've been pogied
Submitted by blip42 on
Just picked up a pair at MEC for $30. Can't wait to try them out.
same here
Submitted by umgray on
picked up a pair today as well since they will be sold out real soon. Fit is okay and they will do the job.
Picture?
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Can one of you take a photo and post it? There's nothing on MEC's website showing what these things look like. Rubberized fleece?
question about pogies
Submitted by critninja on
i've never used them, but wondering whether you leave them on your bike all winter? if you do, are you worried about theft? are they easy to install/remove? my new cargo bike/kid hauler is on the way to me and i am thinking about adding pogies to it to make using the bike all winter that much easier.
thanks for the advise!
when i see an adult on a bicycle, i do not despair for the future of the human race.
- h.g. wells
Most pogies I've seen use
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Most pogies I've seen use velcro for attachment, so they are easy to remove. If you're worried about theft, you could zip-tie them in place. I take mine off when I don't need them.
MEC Pogies = :-(
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I swung by MEC to pick up a new set of Nanu gloves and see the new pogies. I was suitably unimpressed. They are both thin and floppy, which means when you take your hand out, you'll have to fiddle with the opening to get it back in. This does not bode well for signalling lane changes and turns. Also, they are not going to cut it when things get lower than -15C.
On a related note, the MEC Nanu gloves have gotten thinner! I bought my last pair about three years ago, and they are starting to give up the ghost, with holes in the palm and such. The new version has significantly lighter insulation and less material on the palm side. I could actually feel a bit of chill in the thumb on the ride in today, and it was above 0C! They may be going back for a refund...
Pogies
Submitted by 2wheeler on
I hate when MEC makes cheapness a higher priority than a good product. Review them on their website! Give em a 1 star.
Sounds like they were
Submitted by ggdub on
Sounds like they were designed by someone who lives in Vancouver.
Dogwood Designs
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I sent out an e-mail to Dogwood Designs of Fairbanks, AK. Here's what they wrote me:
Yes, we are currently taking orders for Poagies, and yes, we ship to Canada. The shipping cost is $20.00 for priority mail to Canada and the order arrives in about one week. If you would like to order a pair you can do so by calling Dogwood Designs at 907-488-4447 and we will get your order on the way to you. I am attaching a PDF file that has some more information about the Poagies that might prove helpful to you.These things look warm...
Let me know if you want the PDF forwarded to you. If anyone is looking to do a group buy, I can do the ordering. I haven't confirmed a price, but the Interwebs tells me $90/pair. I spend more than that on booze every wee... month, so it will be a small price to pay.
Pogie PDF
Submitted by ride on
Why not attach the PDF to your posting? that way we can all view it at our leisure.
I've attached it
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I've attached it to the original post in this thread. Attaching docs to forum replies is not enabled...
pogie order
Submitted by 2wheeler on
Pinkrobe - I would very much like a pair of the Alaska pogies for a flat bar MTB. Let me know if you are ordering and maybe we can split the shipping cost. Thanks.
I will order AK pogies
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Anyone else? The dollar is at $0.96 USD, so it isn't going to get much cheaper...
I'm up for warm hands this winter
Submitted by jliu on
Hey Pinkrobe,
I'll join the pogie list...it'll be a nice thing to be able to feel all my fingers when I roll home from work.
D'oh!
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I already submitted an order. I'll try and get another set added on. What colour do you want?
Updated order
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Okay, I've got four sets coming in. As soon as they get here it will be +20C and I won't need 'em, but if it does get chilly I'll crank out a review.
Color doesn't really matter
Submitted by jliu on
Color doesn't really matter to me.
Good, 'cause you're getting
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Good, 'cause you're getting red.
question
Submitted by critninja on
at what temp do you feel you need these?
when i see an adult on a bicycle, i do not despair for the future of the human race.
- h.g. wells
At temperatures approaching
Submitted by pinkrobe on
At temperatures approaching -20C, my hands turn to ice cubes in minutes, regardless of the mitten selection. Most winter days I wouldn't use them, but we have just enough cold days Nov. - March that I'd be thankful to have these. I'll rig up some straps on my pack so I can ride to work with them on and then ride home without them if it warms up enough.
warm hands
Submitted by 2wheeler on
I do a full switch to Sorels (-70C rated) for feet and gloves and this year poagies at -15 C. I'm getting soft in my advanced years and enjoy being warm.
I was out for a ride for 3 hours yesterday at -10 C and my feet were very cold. How I hate bike shoes in cold weather.
"very cold"
Submitted by mikewarren on
I mostly use climbing/skiing gloves in the winter, although I do have a pair of custom pogies much like the ones pictured above. I use them with full-finger gloves if it's super cold (but haven't for the last couple seasons as they don't fit on my CX bike).
The best thing I've found for CX handlebars is some shells that MEC (used to make/still-makes) with only the index finger free and the rest together. I use these with knitted inner wool gloves down to about -15. They're good up to about +5 with the outers off. Below -15 I need more gloves or bigger mitts.
mike at mike dash warren dot com
Forgot to mention...
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Four sets of pogies are en route from AK right now...
___________________
Who causes accidents?
awsome
Submitted by 2wheeler on
I'm sure glad you sourced those out. I checked out the MEC poagies, man are they cheap, flimsy and totally impractical looking. I'm stoked to complete warmth at -30C this winter for the 45 minute trek to work.
Well ahead of any weather fronts
Submitted by Cword on
Sounds like they're well ahead of any weather fronts coming from that direction. Excellent!
I'll wait and see.
Submitted by BCDon on
As I haven't cycled in cold temperatures yet (only down to a few degrees below freezing in the dark), I'm planning to see how things progress.
The good news for me is that my hands tend to stay pretty warm as long as there isn't a heat sink cooling them off. Of course on a bike my hands aren't moving around so that may make them cooler. The light full fingered gloves I've been using are good for these temperatures and the heavier ones I bought had me sweating at -5C so they should OK for somewhat cooler than that. Then, I do have a pair of ice climbing gloves I can use if I have to.
My only potential issue is with my feet as they will get cold cycling. I think my boots will be good to about -10 or so, then under that, layer with thin socks thick socks, boots and booties and I should be good to go other than I won't have any traction for walking with the booties. Ah well, we'll see.
feet
Submitted by 2wheeler on
flat pedals from MEC $15, and a pair of winter boots and you're all set for anything Cowtown can throw at you.
DH Pedals...
Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on
I might use DH pedals so I can use cleats on the warmer days....
pogies
Submitted by Cindy on
There is a great site that sells pogies for both road and MTB the site is www.BarMitts.com. It is an American site, but isn't everything. I use them and they are great and can get hands in and out easily. The other option is buying pogies that they use on snowmobiles.
Cindy
they have road specific ones too
Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on
even campy diehards can get them here
Pogies in the house
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I just picked up the pogies from the post office. Man, are these things nice! They went on the bars without a hitch. There's a little loop of elastic on the inside to keep them in place on the handlebar, and the openings are cinched with elastic drawcords. The reflective piping is plain black until you shine a light on it, then it's reflective.
Size-wise, they are medium. Not too big, not too small. I tried the take-your-hand-out-to-signal-then-put-it-back-in manoeuvre, and it worked just fine. I also tried it with my usual winter bike mitts, and had no trouble there either.
My wife is running the Winterstart in Banff tonight, so I'll test them out while she's doing that silly non-biking thing. Pics tomorrow!
___________________
Who causes accidents?
and pogies in the shop
Submitted by ride on
Campione mentioned a while back that they would be having some pogies this winter. I haven't checked to see whether they're in yet, but they'll be made by a local cycling seamstress and have been road-tested by Calgary's couriers.
'ride' at 'bikecalgary.org'
Bicycles aren't obstructing traffic, they're part of traffic
buying from local merchants
Submitted by enidcoleslaw on
yea, Prevail Designs. she does very quality work and you get to support local business!
ask for them at campy's. maybe i'll try to get her contact info on here too, i guess lady29 doesn't log in that often...
Local Pogies
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Yes, it's Theresa. I actually heard back from her after I had placed the order through Dogwood. Her e-mail is info@prevaildesigns.ca, and she will do custom work. I think...
___________________
Who causes accidents?
poagy or pogie
Submitted by 2wheeler on
It is too bad that we couldn't buy local for these items. It does seem sad that we were only able to find a well made product in a timely manner from the USA. It has been my experience that small American companies are, as a generalization, more ambitious and provide better service from a retail point of view.
I'd agree with that
Submitted by pinkrobe on
I'd agree with that sentiment. I tried to get Alpine Threadworks to make me a set, but he was too busy. Theresa didn't have access to her old e-mail address for months and so didn't know about the messages I sent her. I heard MEC was going to be carrying something, but that was a bust.
Given a choice between a local product and something from away, I'll pretty much always choose the local product. However, there has to be local gear available, and I did wait a year before ordering from AK...
___________________
Who causes accidents?
We've tried
Submitted by BowCycle on
We've tried to get them but there are not a lot out there. Usually, I tell people to go to Bow Cycle Motors to get them. A lot of motorbike shops carry them. We will try to find some.