I have recently started rock climbing as a way to get my lazy butt in shape.  We have a great indoor rock gym in Berkeley, CA.  Last night ,after climbing, I hop onto my girlfriend's SV650 and go to ride home.  I couldn't pull in the clutch!  My forearms were so tired from climbing I had no strength left to pull in the clutch lever....  I was able to manage it enough to get home, but, damn!  It sucked!!!  Just a warning for you out there...  Next time i ride my bike.  The Daytona 675 has a much lighter clutch than the SV650.  There was a GS500 rider pulling away at the gym.  Definitely gave him the thumbs up....

tell me about it.  i just started going the gym again after nearly a year and i won 't even try to ride my bike there until im back into the swing of things.  way to sore, can barely drive the car...   

i use a tennis ball, squeezing it while watching tv, it works a treat for the old forearms, although(this is the climber in me coming out) you shouldn't be using your arms to pull you up the face, its all in your legs, arms are just for the balance side of things,
but good on ya, always good to hear of another climber in the making, keep it up

I gotta start climbing again....

Add Wakeboarding to that list....

Last time I went, I could hardly close my hand...  Much less squeeze a clutch!

I'm a pretty new climber.  The gym that I go to is quite fond of ledges and climbs that are past vertical.  Therefore your fingers and hands get a good workout.  It is damn fun, tho.  The tennis ball idea is a good one...  also enjoy doing pull ups on door frames with just the fingers.  All helps...

yeah when i was working out more, some nights i could barely move the stick shift on my car. Hate to think what it would do to riding a bike.

I just need to start excercising.  Period.

I've been climbing for 15 years, been riding for one. Gear is also an issue. If your a sport climber your fine, but if you like long trad routes getting all your gear secure on the bike is a pain in the ass. As for the grip thing, if your climbing right even on roofs you're legs and core should be doing all the work, not your hands/arms.

hey, doesn't the bay area have good public transit?