handlebar advice

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Cowsham
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by Cowsham »

cycle tramp wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 5:45pm
Cowsham wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 12:08pm Hired an electric ( volt) bike last week while on holiday but because it was short notice I ended up with this style of bike with swept back bars --- as it turns out I quite enjoyed the relaxed hand position.

20220714_144321_1.jpg
Yeah, absolutely... I've just returned from a 10 minute ride to the shops and back on mine..

..it was great, caught some of the views, from the hill where I lived, enjoyed the breeze and the brief spell of exercise from a day of inactivity....

.the trouble is now adays, if you build a bike which is comfortable to ride, and inexpensive and ride it wearing normal clothes.. its like you're not taking 'it', the 'thing' that is modern cycling seriously enough....

...and to be fair why should i :-) the bicycle is a ludicrously simple, easy to understand, fabulous, wondrous thing which allows us to experience the outside world and get stuff done at the same time... sure we can make it about strava or mileages or technology if we want, but I don't think we should attempt to take any of the joy or freedom or its practical use away from those bikes who don't aspire to be any of those things.
Absolutely agree -- exercise / practical use / should be pain free and stress free.

I'd love an electric bike that looks like a Raleigh Roadster. I'd dress up in 1930's clothes just to ride it.
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MrsHJ
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by MrsHJ »

I have no expert advice to offer, just an « I love these ones » if you want another possible to put in the mix they are the thorn comfort bars. Nice cycling position for me, very comfortable, quite upright. Am putting the same on my new bike.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/ ... 485ca42f21

My set up on a kona hybrid with ergo bar ends too. https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebar-t ... 485ca42f21

Sorry, my bar bag strap obscures then a little- on the road in Italy a couple of months ago: https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/R ... vIwXfpQXhQ
samsbike
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by samsbike »

Thanks all.

I am surprised its taking this long as well.

I can just about manage short rides on a borrowed Brompton, but any pressure through the pedals and I can feel my lower back straining.

GP said go to A&E and self refer. Done the latter, earliest phone appt Aug lol.

I have been doing some youtube stretches which help.

I think the mollymawks sound good, especially as this is an e bike, with very sharp geometry, which is a right pain.

If I had known better, I really should have got a step through frame!
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531colin
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by 531colin »

Sam I think you need a physio, not A&E.
I think I would pay rather than put up with weeks of pain and inactivity, but in Harrogate area I can self-refer to an NHS physio, phone number provided by the receptionist in the GP practice.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by Bmblbzzz »

All I can say is that I personally would find those Mollymawk bars comfortable on a hybrid or similar bike with a fairly upright position. Whether they will suit you, only you really know. But I agree with those saying you need to get your back seen to!

Also, I'm going to say thanks for drawing those bars to my attention (not that I have a bike suitable for them at the moment, but good to know).
samsbike
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by samsbike »

Thanks folks. I am now seeing a physio and have nearly 20 exercises to do.

I think its going to be a slow process, no idea what I have done. Just sitting on the stairs to tie my shoelaces hurts a little!
reohn2
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by reohn2 »

PlanetX "Mike" bars or my favourite their "Geoff" loop bars,both bars have the same back sweep but the Geoffs have the extra loop for more hand positions and "real estate" for lights,computer,etc.
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samsbike
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by samsbike »

Well I got the molly one bars. Seem to be a sort of a halfway house to some similar Nitto bars. Obviously not as pretty but hey ho they are cheap.

Fitting was a bit of a pain, cables not long enough (not an easy change as hydraulic brakes) and the oversize part of the bar is very short, meaning that the cycle computer needed some fiddling around (e bike). However bars are much more higher and back.

So I can now sit up and ride my bike - still get back ache but its livable. What a joy to just be able to cruise around in the evening sun. The position - sitting upright and back suits the character of the bike much more than the flat bars it came with. Sitting back also seems to have made the bike more stable - I can ride hands off more easily. Maybe because the front is unloaded more and just does it own thing.

I just enjoyed cruising around letting the motor doing the hard work and just bimbled. Really understand the reason for these style of bikes!

Looks a like the thread on raising the handlebars viewtopic.php?t=152476.

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Slowroad
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by Slowroad »

Really useful thread! I'm looking at alternative handlebars for my nice old tourer as the rather wide flat bars I've had for over 10 years are giving me shoulder pain now. I'm looking at similar swept-back bars such as the Mollymawk or one of the Ergotecs from SJS (though some do seem rather cheap). But I'm not sure if I'll have to change my brake levers too?
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slowster
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by slowster »

Slowroad wrote: 7 Aug 2022, 8:51pm But I'm not sure if I'll have to change my brake levers too?
I think the diameter of the part of the bars to which the brake levers are clamped will be the same. However, you have combined brake levers and shifters, and you might find that bars with a lot of backsweep put the shift levers/buttons in a position that is less convenient/comfortable for you to use, especially since it is common to angle brake levers downwards with more backswept bars (e.g. see cycle tramp's photographs).

Another possible issue is the stem clamp diameter. You have a quill stem. If it takes 25.4mm clamp diameter bars, then you have a very wide choice of bars, including the Ergotec EWG. If, however, the stem is for 26mm clamp diameter bars (the most common standard for drop bars when quill stems were the norm), then you will probably not be able to use that stem with any of the various flat/riser/backswept bars your might be considering. In that case your choice would be:

1. Buy a 25.4mm clamp quill stem*, e.g. https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems-1-222 ... ter=25%2E4, or

2. Buy a quill to threadless stem converter, which would then alllow you to use a modern ahead stem with either a 25.4mm clamp diameter or the modern MTB clamp diameter of 31.8mm (the Mollymawk has a 31.8mm clamp diameter):

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems/genet ... s-adaptor/

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems-1-18-ahead-standard/

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems-1-18-ahead-oversized/


* Edit - Another option would be to use a 26mm to 25.4mm shim, e.g. https://freshtripe.co.uk/nitto-handlebar-shim/
Slowroad
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by Slowroad »

Thanks Slowster, you've confirmed my thoughts that it won't be that simple. I'll carry on looking at options, and at some point I'll need new gear/brake levers. Might be the time to go back to down-tube shifting - I do still sometimes find my hand wafting around there!
In the meantime I'll see if I can raise the bars a bit to see if that makes any difference.
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tenbikes
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by tenbikes »

reohn2 wrote: 21 Jul 2022, 3:08pm PlanetX "Mike" bars or my favourite their "Geoff" loop bars,both bars have the same back sweep but the Geoffs have the extra loop for more hand positions and "real estate" for lights,computer,etc.
As above! My posh bike has carbon Jones bars,which the Geoff bars more or less copy. Given the price of the real thing, it won't come as a surprise that all the other bikes use the cheaper Geoff bars!!
My gravel bike has Mike bars which have less of an angle but still enough to be very comfortable.
slowster
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by slowster »

Slowroad wrote: 7 Aug 2022, 8:51pm the rather wide flat bars I've had for over 10 years are giving me shoulder pain now.
Before you try different bars or raising them, I would suggest you check whether putting your saddle further back makes a difference. That might seem counter-intuitive, but if your power output has reduced over the last year or few years, that will have increased the amount of your upper body weight borne by your hands, arms and shoulders when riding. See the link on bike fitting at the bottom of 531colin's signature for a fuller explanation.

I moved my saddle back in 5mm increments and used 531colin's tip of riding on a slight upward incline at my usual level of effort while gripping the bars lightly to judge when the saddle was roughly in the right position, i.e. when the slight increase in power output prompted by the change in gradient caused me to start pulling on the bars slightly. In other words, instead of my hands resting lightly on the tops of the bars, they lifted up slightly under the extra power output, and my fingers started to press lightly against the underside of the bars.
yostumpy
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by yostumpy »

I would also suggest moving your brake levers in as far as they will go, to the bend, then trimming off the excess length of the bars could be nearly 2 inches each side. That would reduce your reach / stretch, especially if you have shoulder pain. But maybe do it in 1/2 stages, ie 1” just to try.
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Re: handlebar advice

Post by Vorpal »

samsbike wrote: 21 Jul 2022, 2:44pm Thanks folks. I am now seeing a physio and have nearly 20 exercises to do.

I think its going to be a slow process, no idea what I have done. Just sitting on the stairs to tie my shoelaces hurts a little!
It may be worth getting some massage &/or ultrasound therapy. NHS physios won't often (can't?) recommend it, but private physios do, and I personally, find it helps the healing process considerably, especially with lower back issues. You can I am happy enough with the results to pay for it. You can ask your physio, or ask around for recommendations for someone who can do it privately.
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