Handlebar grips carcinogens? Contaminated with PAH?

[Supergirls Sister]

Dear all,

I'm a newbie to this forum.

I guess I made a stupid mistake in buying a cheap bike.
I've already had to replace some parts of that bike.

Anyway, it always bothers me that after riding my bike my hands
smell very badly because of the plastic.

Now I came across a German article about handlebar grips being
contaminated with PAH (= Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)
http://www.test.de/themen/kinder-familie/test/-Kinderlaufraeder/1688273/1688273/1689346/
(For a basic translation from German to English please see:
http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.test.de%2Fthemen%2Fkinder-familie%2Ftest%2F-Kinderlaufraeder%2F1688273%2F1688273%2F1689346%2F&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
)

The source www.test.de is a very reliable German institution serving
for
consumer protection since 1964.

But PAHs may reasonably be expected to be carcinogens.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts69.html

I suspect that my handlebar grips contain PAH!
I'm therefore going to replace the handlebar grips.

I'm just wondering whether you here in the UK (I've just moved to the
UK
from Germany recently) have heard about PAH in handlebar grips?

Thank you,
Julia

[Tom Sherman[_2_]]

"Supergirls Sister" aka Julia Anon wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I'm a newbie to this forum.
>
> I guess I made a stupid mistake in buying a cheap bike.
> I've already had to replace some parts of that bike.
>
> Anyway, it always bothers me that after riding my bike my hands
> smell very badly because of the plastic.
>
Gloves are almost never a bad idea for riding.

> Now I came across a German article about handlebar grips being
> contaminated with PAH (= Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)
> http://www.test.de/themen/kinder-familie/test/-Kinderlaufraeder/1688273/1688273/1689346/
> (For a basic translation from German to English please see:
> http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.test.de%2Fthemen%2Fkinder-familie%2Ftest%2F-Kinderlaufraeder%2F1688273%2F1688273%2F1689346%2F&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
> )
>
> The source www.test.de is a very reliable German institution serving
> for
> consumer protection since 1964.
>
> But PAHs may reasonably be expected to be carcinogens.
> http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts69.html
>
> I suspect that my handlebar grips contain PAH!
> I'm therefore going to replace the handlebar grips.
>
Rubber grips will likely be superior in grip and comfort, so more
reasons to change.

> I'm just wondering whether you here in the UK (I've just moved to the
> UK
> from Germany recently) have heard about PAH in handlebar grips?
>
There are more people from the UK on uk.rec.cycling.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the precipitate.