Rethinking the Bib Hanger

I’m wondering whether one might reduce the size of the “well” by adding more side padding? I’m thinking of something really simple, like an 1/8” thick bit of rubber placed between the plastic shells and the current rubber covering. That would tighten things up without the need to add extra wrap.

And great comments again, rm! It’s incredible how one just assumes that a design is fine as is, and doesn’t ever try to mess with it out of fear of screwing with perfection. The more time I spend on this hobby of ours, the more I realize that a do-it-yourself approach can really pay dividends.

Probably the best thing I ever did to learn about hanging was construct a Wenchette. It really taught me how hanging worked and demystified the whole (overly) complicated process.

The DIY bug can reward you, and it can make a mess too. Hindsight again, I wish I would have made a wenchette or similar before or around the time I was using my Regular BH. A lot to learn and understand, I could have done at a faster pace.

Where I stand in this “hobby” as it were, I’m pretty sure the Old Starter and low weights will get me all the length gains I still want. I dare mess with the beta BH; the stakes are low, DIY is fun, and getting an idea you’d want to see what happens even if it kinda looks doomed. But I think I’ve had worse than this.

The well being too large is probably true mostly relative to the rounding of the side grips: I’m not sure the well is actually larger - or that much larger anyway - than that of the Old. Guys testing the beta with high weights and Theraband, might have found it near perfection. If I recall correctly, xenolith did high weights very successfully with HTW, so again, Thera may soon get to be very old news indeed; it definitely is for lower weights as far as I’m concerned.

So, unless the answer to the perfect hanger is two hangers, the beta needs the well re-calibrated. Your suggestion, MM, of modding the sides, looks like a fairly challenging idea; if I were to do it, I think it’s reasonable I’d see some success, but also a share of trial and error.
What I’m doing right now, after having ground the top teeth down to stubs and getting a pinch problem, is first worsening the pinch problem further by reducing the spaciousness of the well with a patch of neoprene (any respectable PE “vet” will find some of that at home, just look around), planted on the basal teeth. Then, fighting the pinch problem right back by opening the top cavity: top teeth shut tight then ground away at from below with a slightly curved file. I’m getting a pretty serious looking spread and no pinch right now. The trusted Old on standby, of course.

So, no wrapping, one patch of neoprene or mouse pad, that’s it. I’m hitting my max weights irregularly; I’ll report back when I have put the messed up beta in its current state through some real hanging,

Later,
rm

Attached JPG: What I’m using, as described above. No wrapping, just a patch. Trying out a few different designs to see if one is better. They all give a wide spread and absolutely supreme comfort. Concentrating, I cannot feel the sides sides closing in when tightening. All I feel is the pull of the internals.

Any suggestions for the ultimate in blood circulation of patch designs, post them. Of course, the channels can’t be too wide, since the shaft will then press against the plastic. One single channel of optimal width down the middle seems just fine, but it’s still early hours in this latest project.

A fellow PE’er tells me “Someone was putting something in the well to take up space. Don’t know who but I read it somewhere.”

Having been away for a while, I’ve missed that post. Or I wasn’t paying attention. Anyway, for anyone needing to fill up space for a spread wide setting, and haven’t tried this, it’s an easy and effective way to do it.
I’m still trying different designs optimized with circulation in priority. Attached JPG illustrates my current favourite. Very good circilation, very comfortable. Find the thinnest, yet still only semi-flexible plastic you can for your patch. I’m using a 4mm thick sports/rehab neoprene.

I have been hanging now for (4) years. I have used every type of Bib hanger including experimental ones. I have been using the Bib Starter exclusively now for 2 years. I can easily hang 40 lbs. with the Starter with no difficulty, although, I usually hang with about 30 lbs. btc.

Bigger has made numerous design changes and improvements over the years. Many of the improvements suggested by Modesto have already been incorporated. Bigger beefed up the area around the wing nut at the top and now it is virtually unbreakable. If you send Bigger an e-mail with suggestions, he always responds and will usually try the suggestion to see if it has merit.

I have always toed in / \ my Bib Starter and never had a problem with it not gripping. I have made substantial gains with this hanger and I still hang with it in a maintenance mode. I prefer the Starter because it gives me more flexibility to do both regular and fulcrum hanging. I also believe that it is superior for working the tunica.

jelktoid,

Your posts on the Starter where among those which made the decision easy for me to order one and get back into hanging; I’m glad I did.

What are your impressions of Bib’s unpadded Starter — particularly the spaciousness of the well at the tightest settings, compared to that of the old Starter?
I’m assuming you did test the beta, of course.

rm

real mcdeal,

I really like the unpadded Bib Starter and I use it frequently. I usually put on a tiny bit more wrap when I use it. I really appreciate the spaciousness and the fact that it never pinches the top of my shaft. I do plan to forward Modesto’s suggestions to Bigger in case no one else did. I really like the idea of the locknuts.

jt,

Definitely, top shaft pinching is not going to happen with the out of the box beta. If I wanted to use an old Starter still padded, I’d remove the top teeth padding anyway: if anything, all it ever does is pinch. It’s not necessary for making the rest of the padding stay in place.

I wonder if other guys made any remarks at all on the well’s spaciousness. I’m using the patch fix all the time now, and I’m pretty sure now that I get better circulation with it than without it. And it’s totally pinch safe and very comfortable; not hard to imagine that I should think.

My beta arrived with locknuts on the strap-bolts; neither my old Starter or Regular had those. Really no doubt about the benefit of locknuts there. As for locknuts on the basal bolts, beats me why bigger didn’t put them on those as well. Only in the very beginning does a guy make big adjustments with those nuts; the rest of the time, locknuts should be an appreciated feature. Would be nice I suppose — even though they’re quick and dirt cheap to replace once you know you prefer locknuts, they can be hard to find at all in metric land.

rm

I agree with you. Did you make the patch fix with stuff from the hardware store? I would guess that you would have to open up the padded Starter if you were to use it with the patch. I expect that the patch is used primarily with the non-padded beta Starter.

I use the patch with both the beta and old Starter. With the beta because it helps significantly with reducing the spaciousness of the well, so I’ll be able to spread it wider as I like it at the basal bolts. And I find I also like it with the old because the basal teeth is otherwise putting some amount of direct pressure on the CS and urethra, at least the way I use it with a spread wide setting. I’ve used the old Starter non-patched comfortably and with good results, but this is feeling better still.

I keep leaning toward preferring the old for lower weights; haven’t used the beta for more than 3.75kg yet, but if I’ll use moderate to heavy weights down the line, I expect the beta could shine.

I don’t have a padded Bib anymore, but I guess using a patch with one should be A OK.

Any warehouse should have carpet tape, and probably neoprene too; otherwise where sports goods are sold. I’m using a 4mm thick knee rehab neoprene. The only tool you need is a sharp blade.

Most probably have some plastic at home which will be perfectly suitable. With the beta, quite thin plastic like 0.5mm is fine, but since the old Starter’s basal teeth don’t engage, a slightly sturdier plastic will have to be used or else it will fold and pinch down the middle. I’ve got some 0.7mm which seems fine with the Starter. Tupperware grade plastic is probably overkill, and you want as much of the total thickness as possible from the neoprene; not for comfort but to allow for the shaft to sink into the carved out pattern without being mashed against the plastic which chokes circulation.

Unless you’re using overly thick neoprene/mousepad, vertical and diagonal cuts is the only way since they won’t lead to any pinching; hence the zigzag in my preferred patch, which I’m refining but looks like I’ll be sticking to diagonals mostly.
Keep the width of the plastic marginally narrower than the neoprene: that way there’s no risk you’ll pinch the sides of your shaft.

New kids on the block. No 3 is my favourite of all so far.

I find 5-6 areas ideal. Too few areas doesn’t allow for as great circulation. Too many areas, and they start having trouble sticking firmly; also a good reason for cutting out the areas to roughly the same size.

This is all very interesting. What are the dimensions of your patches?

I just started using the new bib starter without padding and so far I really like it. I had ripped the padding out of the regular bib years ago I prefer it without the padding. My biggest complaint with the bib regular was that I felt it was too big for any kind of tunica work. I also had a serious bruising problem that I hope I can work around with the new bib starter. I will post my results with the new hanger I’m trying some different things and if they get any results I will post them.

jt,

The plastic on my latest patch is 32 x 39mm (width x length). The neoprene is also 39mm lengthwise, but a little wider than the 32, extending a good millimeter over each side to prevent any skin contact with the plastic edges.

Width will be an individual matter of course, but a length of app 40mm seems about right.

Dino,

Only using the Regular (padded), I gave up on hanging. Too many issues, not least with a treetrunk shaft. The Starter(s) work very well for me. I should have done the homework (reading jelktoid’s and others Starter posts) before getting the Regular 2.5 years ago.
I’ll be staying tuned to hear your reports on the new Starter and the things you’re trying with it. Did you never use an old Starter?