Handlebars.

[PeterPi]

I've now had a chance to ride my TSDZ2 converted bike for a couple of hours and so far I'm well pleased. Living in Swansea west this has included a few hills including a 25.1% gradient. For the benefit of Mike Killay, Dunvant Hill. The only niggle I have is the pain in my arms, and I discovered a friend who has not been cycling for a while complaint of the same thing.

Any suggestions on raising the bars or fitting modified one? I must admit I've not checked to see if there is any adjust left in the existing bars.

Pete

 

[Nealh]

Hand position/reach affects can affect parts of the body from thumbs up to the shoulder and the neck. I was getting bad hand ache esp around the thumb /wrist joint even with suspension so I changed handle bar to a swept back design giving a more natural wrist angle when riding, so much so that I have dispensed with the front sus fork and gone rigid with no effects. Add a nice pair of ergon grips even gives more suppression from uneven roads or trails.

Look at the various options available at Planetx. I use the Geoff bars bars, brilliant though a bit wide and I had to lengthen the cables due to the width and sweep but have not regretted the change.
I have 600/625mm wide swept back bars on the Swizzbee but the ride comfort isn't the same, for me 600/625 is to narrow.

 

[sjpt]

I think most 'ordinary' riders are more comfortable with higher bars that are more swept back than those typically sold on bikes. There are lots of good reasons for straight bars, drop bars etc etc., but not for many (most?) riders.

Bars can often be raised by an extender. And/or buy new bars which have both some raise and some sweep back. (Those for our tandem arrived this morning, I'll fit them soon. Our Motus solo already had high swept back bars.)

Be aware that cable lengths can be too short for higher bars; and swept back bars can have rather short a straight section for attaching gear and brake levers, e=bike monitors, etc.

 

[RobF]

Palm grips and bar ends may provide a partial quick fix.

Bar ends are worth having because they enable a change of hand position - a weakness of all flat barred bikes.

Ergon is the best make, but the cheaper alternatives do the job.

Something like this:

MEETLOCKS MTB Bicycle Handlebar Grips,Ergonomic Designed Integrated Bike Horn Grips with Bar Ends Plugs,for inside diameter 22.2mm: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop MEETLOCKS MTB Bicycle Handlebar Grips, Ergonomic Designed Integrated Bike Horn Grips with Bar Ends Plugs, for inside diameter 22.2mm. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

Money no object?

The Ergon cork grips on my Riese and Muller Charger are excellent.

Ergon GP3 Biokork Grips / Bar Ends | Merlin Cycles

Buy your Ergon GP3 Biokork Grips / Bar Ends at Merlin. Free worldwide delivery available on most items!

www.merlincycles.com

 

[Nealh]

Planetx currently have bars on offer.
These are excellent value at < £10.

Humpert Ergotec Boomerang Handlebar

www.planetx.co.uk

< £8

On-One Mike Handlebar | Planet X Bikes

A straight-ended swept Moustache bar, perfect for your cruiser, single-speed or utility bike; or any other bike that will ride better with a comfortable bar. Width: 630mm Rise: 65mm Grip area: 205mm Clamp: 31.8mm A little bit like an up-to-date Mary the Mike is an easy rider and works with any...

www.planetx.co.uk

 

[mike killay]

North Road handlebars for me.

 

[gw8izr]

Bar ends are worth having because they enable a change of hand position - a weakness of all flat barred bikes.

I like to try bar ends as they are a great way of temporarily changing your position which helps work out what you then need to do, shorter /taller longer riser, seat position etc etc.

I don't like them on an mtb as they hook round trees and branches at the most inopportune time.

mine are still on my hybrid but I could take them off now its sort of the right fit.

 

[darren66]

I got these On-One OG V2 bars from Planet X for £9.99, they're excellent...

 

[PeterPi]

North Road handlebars for me.
View attachment 34337

If that is part of the old LMS line from Blackpill, past The Railway and on toward Dunvant Square, it was part of my ride today.

 

[PeterPi]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Plenty there to ponder on.

How about these? https://tinyurl.com/vxsv3kd

 

[gw8izr]

When I was a lad everyone (else) had these, I couldn’t bring myself to have one as they were so inefficient to ride, today with the addition of a crank drive that wouldn’t matter



;-)

(Edit) in case the point was badly presented, position on the bike is still important to effective cycling, motor or not. Try small changes first .

 

[sjpt]

How about these? https://tinyurl.com/vxsv3kd

Those look a bit too swept back to me; but difficult to tell from just a couple of photos, and everyone has different tastes/wrists.

I just fitted https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GPM926K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this afternoon. Feel good so far; but I've only had a chance to ride the tandem by myself so time will tell. In order to get my bell handy it did require the motor LCD to be placed at an angle on the slopy part; a bit of a compromise but still very easy to see/interact.

The ones Darren66 mentioned above look as if they have a good long straight section for fitting bits; but maybe the rise isn't very big?

 

[mike killay]

If that is part of the old LMS line from Blackpill, past The Railway and on toward Dunvant Square, it was part of my ride today.

Yes, by the pond.
Hard to think that I can remember riding along it on a railway train to Victoria Station from Killay station.

 

[PeterPi]

Those look a bit too swept back to me; but difficult to tell from just a couple of photos, and everyone has different tastes/wrists.

I just fitted https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GPM926K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this afternoon. Feel good so far; but I've only had a chance to ride the tandem by myself so time will tell. In order to get my bell handy it did require the motor LCD to be placed at an angle on the slopy part; a bit of a compromise but still very easy to see/interact.

The ones Darren66 mentioned above look as if they have a good long straight section for fitting bits; but maybe the rise isn't very big?

Look good. In my basket and I'll click later if I don't see anything better.

Thanks.

 

[Gringo]

Atom lab 3 inch rise down hill bars with a 45mm reach stem

 

[sjpt]

Those look a bit too swept back to me; but difficult to tell from just a couple of photos, and everyone has different tastes/wrists.

I just fitted https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GPM926K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this afternoon. Feel good so far; but I've only had a chance to ride the tandem by myself so time will tell. In order to get my bell handy it did require the motor LCD to be placed at an angle on the slopy part; a bit of a compromise but still very easy to see/interact.

The ones Darren66 mentioned above look as if they have a good long straight section for fitting bits; but maybe the rise isn't very big?

Update. Just done a proper ride. Handlebars comfortable. No problem with the funny LCD position. Some of the bear/brake cables have a bit less slack than I'd choose (both raised handlebars and stem extender), but they are operating fine and don't inhibit steering.

 

[Nealh]

The swept back bars might look odd esp when most bikes utilise straight or drops but these don't give a natural hand position.

When sitting down /resting look at your wrist/hand position and the angle they sit at, then the logic of swept makes more sense.

 

[PeterPi]

I eventually went for these. "Unisex's"??? from Amazon £15.49 https://tinyurl.com/wabscna

Ten minutes later I took a photo of the bike and noticed there was still a load of adjustment I could try. Still, too late now. I've still not got around to using cable ties to tidy up the wiring, despite having a few hundred in the workshop. I think everything seems to be in its place and I'll commit to using some this weekend.

The seat is usually a bit higher than that.

 

[D C]

How could you lean a bike against a car

 

[mike killay]

How could you lean a bike against a car

It's OK, the bike won't get damaged.