Hand Ache...

[Pale Rider]

What is the saddle height in relation to the height of the bars?

Perhaps I have short arms, but I much prefer the bars a little higher than the saddle.

 

[tightwad]

I have just done my first 40km mtb ride (off road) and all went well except the palm of my hands hurt as I was putting a bit too much weight on them..
How do I cure this please..

Cheers

Before buying anything I'd try changing the angle of the bars, try it, if that doesn't cure it change the position of seat on post, maybe alter height of seat. Less easy lose a bit of weight and maybe change the team you support so you're not holding your head in your hands despairing at where it's all going wrong.

 

[Boon 51]

Before buying anything I'd try changing the angle of the bars, try it, if that doesn't cure it change the position of seat on post, maybe alter height of seat. Less easy lose a bit of weight and maybe change the team you support so you're not holding your head in your hands despairing at where it's all going wrong.

Its a bit like my old motor bike days when fiddling with the suspension.
I think to myself I'll just alter this, then that, then this, then you end up where you started from..

As for losing weight I only weigh 10st 7lbs cant lose any more.. and as for changing my team to you...

PS.. The bars on my Trek bike aint got a lot of bend in them, so which way is best to turn them for better effect..

Cheers

 

[mickle]

Before buying anything ..... change the position of seat on post, maybe alter height of seat.

Sorry, but this is totally wrong advice. The saddle's position relative to the pedals is determined by the dimensions and proportions of the rider's legs, pelvis and feet. Only after you've established the proper place for the saddle do you locate the bars in the desired position. You don't move the saddle to remedy an illlocated handlebar - you move the bar.

 

[tightwad]

Its a bit like my old motor bike days when fiddling with the suspension.
I think to myself I'll just alter this, then that, then this, then you end up where you started from..

As for losing weight I only weigh 10st 7lbs cant lose any more.. and as for changing my team to you...

PS.. The bars on my Trek bike aint got a lot of bend in them, so which way is best to turn them for better effect..

Cheers

Without seeing the exact geometry, knowing the size of frame and your height - hard to say but it sounds like you are putting too much weight on the bars throught the arms which could be reduced in one of two ways. Shift the seat forward a bit and/ or rotate the bars so the grips are closer to you. This will have the effect of making you sit up slightly more, thus putting more of the weight through your body and onto the seat.

 

[tightwad]

Sorry, but ths is totally wrong advice. The saddle's position relative to the pedals is determined by the dimesions and proportions of the rider's legs, pelvis and feet. Only after you've established the proper place for the saddle do you locate the bars in the desired position. You dont move the saddle to remedy an illlocated handlebar - you move the bar.

Mmmm , if one is certain that the saddle is correctly sited then of course you are right but it is worth raising the question in case it's not, wouldn't you agree mickle me old mucker.


Also OP maybe a shorter head stem might be one solution,

 

[mickle]

Its a bit like my old motor bike days when fiddling with the suspension.
I think to myself I'll just alter this, then that, then this, then you end up where you started from..

As for losing weight I only weigh 10st 7lbs cant lose any more.. and as for changing my team to you...

PS.. The bars on my Trek bike aint got a lot of bend in them, so which way is best to turn them for better effect..

Cheers

So that the backward angle of the bars is aligned with a line drawn through your forearm.

Loosen off the shifters and brake levers first then undo the stem retention bolts. Ignoring the controls for the moment Rotate the bars in the stem until the backsweep lines up with your arms - usually back and up by about 45 degrees, but whatever's most comfortable.

Stay tuned for next months lecture on brake and shifter optimisation.

 

[mickle]

Mmmm , if one is certain that the saddle is correctly sited then of course you are right but it is worth raising the question in case it's not, wouldn't you agree mickle me old mucker.


Also OP maybe a shorter head stem might be one solution,

Old??! :-/

 

[Drago]

If the bike it set up properly, then try some fatter grips.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

......not mentioned yet and may not be relevant - also look at the angle the saddle is set at. If it is slightly nose down it will have the effect of tipping you forward so that you are trying to push yourself back from your handlebars. I also like thr Ergon grips as mentioned by others. The best answer of all though has to be to completely erradicate the problem buy a recumbent (as I recently did due to ongoing shoulder problems)....though I don't think I would be able to do much off road on it!

 

[Boon 51]

Just a few notes from me...

My road bike is set up just about right I'm just waiting for the SPD cleats to arrive and fit to the shoes and do a last adjustment on saddle height and all will be right with the bike.
But it will be more radical than the mountain bike...

My mtb arrived with the saddle to low so I upt the height a tad for a trial run and the result was the saddle still too low but my hands didn't ache.. I've since altered the saddle to the right height and lowered the front of the saddle for better comfort and the it feels loads better but of course now my hands are aching were they weren't before..
I seem to get one bit right and that puts something else out...
Hope that makes sense.

PS.. Would it be worth resetting the saddle back to the middle again as I moved it back to get saddle adjustments right..

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Just a few notes from me...

My road bike is set up just about right I'm just waiting for the SPD cleats to arrive and fit to the shoes and do a last adjustment on saddle height and all will be right with the bike.
But it will be more radical than the mountain bike...

My mtb arrived with the saddle to low so I upt the height a tad for a trial run and the result was the saddle still too low but my hands didn't ache.. I've since altered the saddle to the right height and lowered the front of the saddle for better comfort and the it feels loads better but of course now my hands are aching were they weren't before..
I seem to get one bit right and that puts something else out...
Hope that makes sense.

Sounds exactly like the problems I usually have. I personally would start with rotating the bars if they have a little 'kink' in them to pull that closer to you and more in line with your arms as suggested above, though I suspect if the saddle height is now more than a couple of mm higher that this will not completely resolve the problem, but if it does alleviate it to some degree then my subsequent move would be a stem that just raises the bars slightly higher (my usualy approach with a bad wrist) and if you fancy new grips at any point then go for them...

 

[Boon 51]

Sounds exactly like the problems I usually have. I personally would start with rotating the bars if they have a little 'kink' in them to pull that closer to you and more in line with your arms as suggested above, though I suspect if the saddle height is now more than a couple of mm higher that this will not completely resolve the problem, but if it does alleviate it to some degree then my subsequent move would be a stem that just raises the bars slightly higher (my usualy approach with a bad wrist) and if you fancy new grips at any point then go for them...

I just went outside to my bike and had a look at the bars and tried to picture moving them so they are nearer to me but I cant see it..
As it stands at the moment with the saddle in the right position the bars feel like they should be a bit nearer to me and a bit higher as well.
It might be worth a punt and try some bar ends... and or perhaps a new stem..

My logic is... You will spend a bit to get it right on a mtb bike but you will know for next time and just coming from a 450 off roader its still a load cheaper than a moto...

Cheers

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I just went outside to my bike and had a look at the bars and tried to picture moving them so they are nearer to me but I cant see it..
As it stands at the moment with the saddle in the right position the bars feel like they should be a bit nearer to me and a bit higher as well.
It might be worth a punt and try some bar ends... and or perhaps a new stem..

My logic is... You will spend a bit to get it right on a mtb bike but you will know for next time and just coming from a 450 off roader its still a load cheaper than a moto...

Cheers

Are the bars completely flat? like this

or more like this

PS - I have to leave in 30 mins for college so if I disappear mid conversation...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If they are like the latter option, then if you were to imagine clamping them in the middle where the stem holds them, and then rotating them freely - consider it from the end on view, the area you hold would move around a clock face.... naturally if the area you hold is at 6, then the bars will feel lower than if they were at say 12 oclock becuase in relation to the seat (and everything else) they are lower. If the saddle is over to 9 oclock on this imaginary clock, then the area you hold being rotated around to say 10:30 then the area you hold will be ever so slightly closer to the seat and therefore reach is not as much... - suspect I can't find a diagram to say all that...

Edit: some bars (called riser bars) can have anything from 2.5cm to 5cm difference in where the bar clamps to the stem to where the hands rest on the bars