Handlebar choice - hand discomfort and lower back injury

[the stupid one]

Afternoon all.

I've started cycling again recently after a lazy few years, to improve my fitness and because it's just plain enjoyable. 20 to 30 miles once or twice a week, plus some shorter rides. An aim this year is to do a 50 mile ride, and that's going to be more of a struggle, I think, on my current bike, a B'Twin Rockrider Big RR front-suspension MTB with wide tyres and a weight of about 16 kg. So a new bike may be on the cards, perhaps cyclocross or touring. I like cycle tracks, but I'm doing more and more on the roads.

To the point! After two or three hours riding I get problems in my hands, pins and needles then numbness, and the discomfort lasts a couple of days. I wear padded mitts, which helped to a degree. The handlebars are straight MTB style, so there is really only one hand position and so no relief during the ride. Bar-ends are an option, though I'd miss my little wing mirror, but if I get a new bike I can potentially change to dropped bars or even the butterfly bar on e.g. the Dawes Karakum. Then I get more hand positions and possibly a reduction in those symptoms. Is that a realistic expectation, and has anybody been further along the same path?

To further complicate things, I slipped a disc last year and I need to take care of my glass back (15 kg lifting limit, for one thing - hello Rockrider!). I'm working on my flexibility and it's improving slowly, but I'm concerned that dropped bars may be a stretch too far if the geometry doesn't keep me fairly upright. So I'd like to ask anybody who's in this particular boat to weigh in with any thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

 

[arch684]

A tourer with butterfly bars could be the answer

 

[Alan O]

I got back to cycling last year and I tried a few bar options.

On my MTB I find fairly long bar extensions make a big difference - they give me three hand positions instead of just one.

On my touring bike I tried butterfly bars, and I really can see why people like them - the forward hand position with forearm support is very comfortable. But the rear positions didn't really suit me, and I ended up going for randonneur pattern drop bars which seem to be the best compromise for me.

Anyway, what that means is that I have some butterfly bars sitting around unused, and if you fancy trying them and you have/get a bike they'll fit (they're 1-inch/25.4mm) they're yours for no charge - and if they don't suit you, just pass them forward to someone else who might use them.

Alan

 

[the stupid one]

Guess what, Alan? After reading arch684's post, and before seeing yours, I ordered some from eBay. D'oh.

I have an old Ridgeback Adventure 503 CX which I bought well-used for £40 a few years ago. It's still in reasonable condition, the gears still work as they should (I just cleaned and checked them) and the cantilever brakes bring it to a screeching halt eventually, so I'll swap over the bars and see how it goes. If it turns out well I may just throw a few other new bits on it - tyres, mudguards, pedals - and start using it most of the time.

Alan, many thanks for that generous offer - a warm welcome for a newbie and no mistake. I'll take a look at randonneur bars too.

 

[Alan O]

Guess what, Alan? After reading arch684's post, and before seeing yours, I ordered some from eBay. D'oh.

I have an old Ridgeback Adventure 503 CX which I bought well-used for £40 a few years ago. It's still in reasonable condition, the gears still work as they should (I just cleaned and checked them) and the cantilever brakes bring it to a screeching halt eventually, so I'll swap over the bars and see how it goes. If it turns out well I may just throw a few other new bits on it - tyres, mudguards, pedals - and start using it most of the time.

Alan, many thanks for that generous offer - a warm welcome for a newbie and no mistake. I'll take a look at randonneur bars too.

Ah, OK, I'll be interested to know how it goes.

And there's nothing like a screeching halt to focus your mind

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Just a thought after you have your new bars: Make sure you get the saddle in the right place so the weight is taken off your hands. Done by moving the saddle BACK. Doesn't sound logical but there you are. Speedy recovery to you.

 

[the stupid one]

Thanks Heltor, I shall look into that. You're right that it doesn't sound logical, and I recently moved the saddle on my MTB forward for that very reason, so there's a learning experience on the way.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I think bar height and reach is more important than the style of handlebar (though bar ends are nice if you're running flat bars). It's a faff, but it's really worth experimenting with a few different saddle positions, stem lengths etc to get it right.

My personal preference for comfort is a flared drop bar, with the tops level with or a smidge above the saddle, and a fairly shallow deep drop to give the option of getting down low into a headwind. It's a very personal thing though, and as you ride more your preferences change with your core strength, flexibility etc.

Good luck!

 

[derrick]

Just a thought after you have your new bars: Make sure you get the saddle in the right place so the weight is taken off your hands. Done by moving the saddle BACK. Doesn't sound logical but there you are. Speedy recovery to you.

Your saddle position is determined by your legs not your hands.
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/te...to-set-your-saddle-height-on-a-road-bike.html

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Your saddle position is determined by your legs not your hands.
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/te...to-set-your-saddle-height-on-a-road-bike.html

I wasn't talking about height. I was talking about fore and aft position which directly affects what weight is distributed on your hands. As per the OP's original dilemma. Normally adjusted after you have the correct height. Roughly speaking. As you know, there may be lots of little tweaks and jiggery pokery till you have it dialled in.

Come and sit at the front of the class.

 

[derrick]

I wasn't talking about height. I was talking about fore and aft position which directly affects what weight is distributed on your hands. As per the OP's original dilemma.

Come and sit at the front of the class.

Read all of it.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Read all of it.

I did, but you only quote my post so it isn't clear what you are referencing. IF you mean saddle height in relation to back pain, then yes I concur. A tricky one as back pain can be worsened by a saddle that is to high OR sometimes when too low.

I hope the OP finds a solution. Good luck.

 

[Tilley]

If you want to really alleviate both problems look at a recumbent trike.

 

[derrick]

I did, but you only quote my post so it isn't clear what you are referencing. IF you mean saddle height in relation to back pain, then yes I concur. A tricky one as back pain can be worsened by a saddle that is to high OR sometimes when too low.

I hope the OP finds a solution. Good luck.

If your saddle is in the right place fore aft up and down. and you are getting problems with your hands you need to be looking at stem height and reach.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

if you buy a touring bike designed in mainland Europe or the USA the handlebars, or at least a significant part of them, will be level, or higher than the saddle. In the UK we seem to go for head down arse up. I don't get it.