Yet another bar harness... Advice required please

[mechanicaldope]

Am planning on making a couple of bar harnesses. Have read a few of the threads on here already and would just like to check a few things.

I am thinking of using neoprene from an old wetsuit for the main body of the harness. Guess its not the lightest material but I have some to hand. This will be rigidised (?) with some thin carbon poles and covered with a polyester webbing lattice to prevent too much stretching and also provide something to potentially mount things too. Polyester straps will attach the whole thing to the bars and top of the fork.

I would like to include some rubber spacers to hold the harness away from the bars. Any suggestions on what to use? Have been searching round my house/shed for something suitable but not really found anything. Guess I will have to buy something.

So, anything sound massively wrong with this plan? Am I likely to have sewing machine issues with the neoprene? I don't own a machine so going to have to borrow one and don't want to ruin it.

Cheers.

[Bearbonesnorm]

The only thing I can think of is that neoprene isn't very tough. I can imagine it ripping where the stitches go through ... I could be wrong though.

Any half decent home machine should sew it okay.

[jam bo]

neoprene is not a strong material. at all.

its basically rubber sandwiched between two thin sheets of protective material. if that material gets comprised, the rubber tears very easily.

[Charliecres]

I'd forget the neoprene and get some cordura. I've used 1000d, not the lightest or easiest to manipulate but tough and fine for a harness. The rest of your plan sounds good.