How does my bike fit me?

[Heifzilla]

Here are some pictures of me riding my bike. Can you guys take a look and see any issues that I need to work on (other than my weight :rolleyes: ). I am having the following issues: hand numbness and foot numbness. I just switched out my grips to Ergons but having had a chance to do a ride with them yet.

Anyway, this is an 18" sport comfort bike. Top tube is 20". I am 5' 5" and I have a 29.5" inseam.

This picture was with a nice tailwind:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3196/3484023748_c930b33094_o.jpg

The rest of these were with a stiff headwind. I included so many so you guys could see how my feet were when I pedal.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3484023750_2affca63b7_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3484023754_b5acc4f7a1_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/3484023756_81e05d9163_o.jpg

Thanks for any suggestions or comments. I am really trying to figure out how to make riding more comfortable, and my LBS is pretty useless (I live in BFI so not much to choose from around here).

[Biciclista]

i'm no expert, but you look really comfortable and happy!

perhaps you are gripping too hard? Do you move your hands around (you should) or are they always in exactly the same place?

relax. Take one hand off the handlebars. put it back. now try the other.
more wise people will follow me, but i think you look great!

[grey]

I also think you look happy! I'll second the advice of changing your grip, shake out your hands once in a while, ride with one hand for a while, then the other, then both, etc.
Enjoy! Pretty bike!

[NbyNW]

Are you putting a lot of weight on your hands/gripping tightly?

I'm no expert either, but I do have experiences to share: Way back when I used to borrow bikes that were always too big for me, I found that it would help take a lot of strain off of my hands and shoulders if I thought about keeping the weight off my hands. You want just enough weight on your hands to balance and steer. The rest of your upper body should be supported by your core -- your abs and your back muscles. So I would kind of pull in my stomach, like trying to get on a tight pair of pants, but not so much that I couldn't still breathe comfortably.

Maybe try doing a search about foot numbness -- I think there have been other threads about that.

[Becky]

Overall, your fit looks good to me, and you look happy- those most important part :)

I will offer one cautionary bit of advice on the Ergon grips. They take a while to get lined up right with the meaty part of your palm (where the ulnar nerve is). Be patient with them, make lots of tiny adjustments, and mark their position on the handlebar when you find the perfect set up!

I have them on my MTB and love them! It just took a good while to get them figured out. Once I got them set, I actually painted a small line from the handlebar, across the shifter and brake clamps, and onto the grip clamp so that I can re-align things if I ever need to.

[txred9876]

I was having numb toes and my coach suggested a few things, which helped: I made sure my shoes were not to tight around (just beind my toes), reminded me to make sure I didn't point my toes and also reminded me to wiggle my toes while I was riding.

I am just a newby but these things fixed my toe issues!

Tina

[Cataboo]

I try to make sure my wrists don't bend back towards me when I'm riding - so I move the shifters kinda so that they are pointing down towards the front bike wheel... it keeps my wrists in sort of a neutral straight position... If you're bending your wrists you can aggravate things and make things go numb. Move your hands around, and keep the weight off your wrists as much as possible.

You already look pretty upright.

[indysteel]

Are you wearing gloves? That might help with your hands.

I really don't otherwise feel qualified to weigh in on your fit. I'm much more familiar with how a road bike is supposed to fit; not a hybrid or MTB.

[Nokomis]

Foot numbness doesn't look likely with those shoes, unless they're pinching & tight by the end of your ride.

I'd suggest a pair of fingerless gloves and exploring a different saddle ~ the numbing could be a bloodflow symptom from an ill fitting saddle. (too narrow, too soft, too rounded...)

[canonsue]

I also have a problem with foot numbness. It does not matter which bike I ride. I have taken the advice I found here about wiggling toes, etc.

-Sue

[Cataboo]

If you're using gloves & they've got gel padding in the palm... sometimes that can exacerbate hand numbness. I had to rip the padding out of mine, because they were making hand numbness worse.

You can swap your handlebars for ones that curve back towards you and have more hand positions... Look at maybe the mustache handlebars or the cruiser ones... Make sure they're ones that say they will take mountain bike shifters (the bar end shifter only ones are too thick for your mountain shifters to slide on to) ... they'll give you more hand positions to use. Soma makes some nice ones, or you can look on velo orange. then there's the nitto bars as well.

[indysteel]

If you're using gloves & they've got gel padding in the palm... sometimes that can exacerbate hand numbness. I had to rip the padding out of mine, because they were making hand numbness worse.

You can swap your handlebars for ones that curve back towards you and have more hand positions... Look at maybe the mustache handlebars or the cruiser ones... Make sure they're ones that say they will take mountain bike shifters (the bar end shifter only ones are too thick for your mountain shifters to slide on to) ... they'll give you more hand positions to use. Soma makes some nice ones, or you can look on velo orange. then there's the nitto bars as well.

True, about padded gloves. It helps to just try different things.

[spokewench]

You could try a few different things. You have a really short reach on your bike right now, which is probably fine for your weight, the time you have been riding, etc. For hand numbness, you can try different gloves, add bar ends to the end of your bars which will give you a different hand position so that you can switch out your hand positions when you are riding and that will help your hands. Usually, foot numbness is caused by shoes that are too tight. If you are wearing a heavy sock, try a thinner sock and see how that works for you. Try Loosening the fasteners on your shoes whether they are velcro or shoe strings. I could not tell what kind of pedals you have, but foot numbness can also be helped by using a pedal with more of a platform vs. a small platform for your foot to sit on. That is something you can change out if you find nothing else works.

spoke

[VeloVT]

Are you wearing gloves? That might help with your hands.

I really don't otherwise feel qualified to weigh in on your fit. I'm much more familiar with how a road bike is supposed to fit; not a hybrid or MTB.

I'm basically with Indy, I don't have much knowledge about how hybrids are supposed to look.

But, two things that occur to me (and others can feel free to jump in and tell me I'm wrong :)):

1-- looks like you could maybe raise your seat a hair? if I'm right about that, it will feel more efficient and who knows, maybe it could help with the foot numbness. also to my eye (which is not highly trained), you look a bit far forward from a KOPS perspective, so moving the seat back might not hurt either. (remember that height and setback offset each other though, so if you move up, move forward a little, or back less than you would have. maybe a clearer way of explaining it: if your seat is at the correct height for your position and you decide to move it back, you will also want to lower it a hair. if your seat is a little low already, and you move it back, you might still want to raise it, but less than you would have).

2 -- In another thread Oakleaf said something about longer stems sometimes helping to relieve wrist pain... again, I don't know anything about hybrid fit really, but just at a glance it looks like your wrists are bent a bit. I wonder if a stem with less rise that put you out a bit further might not put your wrists in a more neutral position. It's a toss-up, because that will also tend to put a bit more weight on your hands, which could exacerbate the problem... but it might be worth a try. This may be because I'm used to looking at road bikes, but the cockpit looks a bit cramped, and more space might actually increase your comfort.

A related question I had looking at your picture is the following: how does it feel when you stand to pedal? Do you feel unstable or like you're hanging out too far over your front axle? If so, a longer stem might help.

[Biciclista]

re Liza's post, how about a photo of you with your close leg fully extended?

[PamNY]

I second what Biciclista et al said about moving your hands around. This was one of the main things I learned as a noob. That plus I was tensing my shoulders which didn't help.

Your seat might be a little low (just a guess). You do look happy!

Pam

[newfsmith]

In the first photo it looks like your wrists are lower than the level of the bar. Usually, flat bar bikes are set up with the brake levers about 10 to 15 degrees below the horizontal plane so that when your finger are on the levers and palms on the bar your wrist is straight. This might be something your bike shop can help you with.

I would also encourage you to invest in some bar-ends, because they will let you put your hands in the more neutral "hand-shake" position at least part time while riding.

The other thing I notice is that it appears that you may be locking your elbows. I can't be sure because of the long sleeves. Try to make a conscious effort to relax your grip, keep your wrists straight and elbows slightly flexed. All much easier said than done. I often ride with one hand just touching the bar or even on my thigh to give the nerves a break.

Try different brands of gloves. For me the Specialized gloves work better than PI.

We do need another picture with you leg maximally straightened to better judge whether you need to raise/move your seat. The goal isn't to have a perfectly straight leg but with less angle than you are showing in any of the pictures on this round.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Loosen the velcro that closes around your gloved wrist- that used to make my hands numb even though it didn't 'seem' tightly closed.

Dont point your toes as your pedal comes back up- concentrate on relaxing your ankles so the your heels stay down more. Riding with pointed toes can put more pressure on the ball of the foot, causing numbness or foot pain. People who ride horses are always told to keep their heels down.

Relax your shoulders and your hand grip.

It does look almost as though your saddle is a tad low.
Aslo- it's hard to tell, but the sun/shadows make it look like you are sticking your elbows out to the sides- that would not help your hands. Keep shoulders and elbows down and relaxed.

[ZenSojourner]

I agree, the seat looks a little low. It's my experience that new riders usually think a seat at the proper height is too high. In fact I accidentally scared a friend who was thinking of getting a bike and going riding with me when she saw how high the seat is on my bike (it's actually higher than usual in proportion to the rest of the bike because I'm so short-waisted and long legged that in order to get the top tube short enough, my frame is just a little short for me for standover). She backed out so quick it left a vacuum, LOL!

Gloves that are too small will cause some numbness or pressure points, you might try the next size up. When I was thin I wore XS gloves or kids gloves; now that I'm *MRRRPH ahem* not so thin (cough cough) I wear a women's medium. That took more getting used to than going from a 2 to a 16. 18. 16. Well it varies a little. :o

Changing hand positions is really important for wrist and hand problems, that's why some people do better actually with road bikes than mt. bikes, a road bike offers so many different ways to hold on. Bar ends are probably a really good idea on your hybrid, as others have mentioned already.

[Heifzilla]

Wow, guys, thanks for the suggestions!

Ok, to address each thing...

I do wear fingerless gloves and I think the gel padding in the palm is causing me more issues than not. I am going to address that.

I have these grips on my bike as of this morning: http://www.ergonbike.com/us/grips/gr2.html and I am, and have been, constantly changing my hand position., shaking my hands out, wiggling fingers, etc.. Today's ride was much better with the new grips, by the end (11.5 miles on mostly trails) I didn't have numbness, but I did get that zing when I would bump my hands that tells me that my nerves were annoyed with me.

Now, I did mess around with the seat yesterday, I brought it forward and then back again (because it was *way* too far forward) and now I probably need to readjust the height. I think the first pic I posted is my fully extended leg shot, but I might be wrong. DH isn't home right now but I will get him to take another pic when he gets home and I will freeze just for all of you and not wear long sleeves, either, so you can see how my elbows look when I am riding. All in the name of science, right? :D :D :D I was actually noticing that they seemed turned out as I rode today. I will work on relaxing those. I was also thinking about how I missed being able to get down into the drops like I used to when I was a kid on my 12-speed (oh sooooo loooooong ago ;) At some point I think I will look into new handlebars but I need to get more miles in so DH knows I am serious about riding. I, um, tend to get all zilla'd about something, spend $$$$ on it, and then it goes by the wayside. :o

My feet felt a lot better today, too. I got my new Keen Commuters and they are much stiffer than the tennis shoes I had been riding in. I have rat trap pedals and I think that the softer shoes were flexing too much and my feet were wrapping around the pedal (I also have very wide feet). I have considered switching to BMX platforms because they are much wider than the pedals I have and I think that would help, too.

Stem height. I have an old quill stem setup, so finding stems seems to be rather adventurous. Very few bike shops seem to carry them, and I am not really wanting to mail order everything. But I will check around and see what I can find and see if it helps any. I'm also considering getting one of those adapters that allows you to use the newer stems (threadless?) on what I have because that would really give me a lot more flexibility than I have right now.

I think my saddle is pretty comfy for me. It's wide enough so that my sit bones are actually on it (they straddled my old saddle....owie!) and I really don't even notice it when I am riding, and I don't have any butt pain after my rides.

Thank you guys SO much for your replies. I get the impression that DH thinks I am being a prima donna because I complain about the numbness and stuff, because he has never had any of these issues. I am sure that my weight doesn't help things, but part of the bike thing is to get my rear in gear and get some of this weight off, so I gotta find the comfort level where I am currently. It's nice to have a place to go where everyone is so helpful and not getting all sneery that some fat girl would dare get on a bike, yanno? :rolleyes:

[VeloVT]

I totally get being hesitant to order parts online -- but since it can be hard to find quill stems, etc, I wanted to point you towards a website that has a huge selection of components including parts for older bikes. It's called "Alfred E. Bike" and the url is www.aebike.com. I've ordered a variety of parts (stems, bars, seatposts etc) from them and I've had a good experience. But I've never had to return anything, so I can't comment on that.

Good luck with everything :D.

[HillSlugger]

I try to make sure my wrists don't bend back towards me when I'm riding - so I move the shifters kinda so that they are pointing down towards the front bike wheel... it keeps my wrists in sort of a neutral straight position... If you're bending your wrists you can aggravate things and make things go numb. Move your hands around, and keep the weight off your wrists as much as possible.

You already look pretty upright.

I second this advise about angling the brakes and shifter more so that your wrists aren't bent back as much. I have some trouble on my flat bar bike because it forces my wrists to rotate a bit inward.

What kind of pedals are you using? It looks like maybe your feet should be a bit further forward on your pedals so that the ball of your foot is more over the spindle.

[Heifzilla]

I froze to death and got more pics :D And, no one looks good in a bike helmet, do they? :p And man, this is not a flattering angle for me :p :p

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3484111669_c74e4b68de_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3484111653_fbddcae98f_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3484111659_a36890cf79_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3484111643_0df8921ed4_o.jpg

[VeloVT]

Heifzilla, I order you to stop fussing about how you look. :D

I don't know, the seat height doesn't look SO far off in these pictures, though you're a bit shy of 6:00 in both photos... Again, I'm no expert, but it looks within range... other opinions?

I'm thinking I stick with what I said about maybe trying a stem that has less rise though.

I'll be interested to hear other responses.

[Heifzilla]

Heifzilla, I order you to stop fussing about how you look. :D

I don't know, the seat height doesn't look SO far off in these pictures, though you're a bit shy of 6:00 in both photos... Again, I'm no expert, but it looks within range... other opinions?

I'm thinking I stick with what I said about maybe trying a stem that has less rise though.

I'll be interested to hear other responses.

I can't help it :p

As for the stem, can you show me an example of one with less rise? I don't even know where to look :) Thanks.

[ZenSojourner]

Heifzilla, I don't know, the seat height doesn't look SO far off in these pictures, though you're a bit shy of 6:00 in both photos... Again, I'm no expert, but it looks within range... other opinions?

It looks different than the first picture. I think the seat is a little further forward now than it was. I can't tell if it's positioned correctly fore and aft but it's different.

Here are some links to bike fit if you want to see illustrations of how to make the adjustments you're working on. The last one in particular is to a series of videos specifically about fitting a hybrid.


http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
http://mikesbikes.com/page.cfm?PageID=22&tipid=30
http://www.ehow.com/video_2363020_hy...eight-fit.html

[Heifzilla]

It looks different than the first picture. I think the seat is a little further forward now than it was. I can't tell if it's positioned correctly fore and aft but it's different.

I didn't move it, so unless it moved by itself it is in the same exact spot it was earlier.

Thanks for the link to the videos. I have watched them and there was one I thought that said a weight hung down from my nose was supposed to be about an inch from the handlebars (or maybe it was in one of those other links...I saw these in another thread you replied to). My nose is not an inch away from the handlebars, so I was a little confused about that.

[ZenSojourner]

Mehr?


Now, I did mess around with the seat yesterday, I brought it forward and then back again (because it was *way* too far forward) and now I probably need to readjust the height.

Was that BEFORE you took those pictures then?

I don't know, it looks different somehow - maybe it's just a different angle.

I'd suggest hitting those sites, you can really tell more about your bike's setup in person than we can tell by looking at pictures.

*CORRECTION*

Than *I* can tell by looking at pictures, LOL!

Other people can probably tell more than I can.

[Heifzilla]

Was that BEFORE you took those pictures then?

I don't know, it looks different somehow - maybe it's just a different angle.



Nope, I took those first ones this morning after I adjusted the saddle back. Then I rode, but didn't change anything. I bet it's just the difference in angle.

Those sites you linked are great sites but I figured that someone who is used to looking at people on bikes would have more info/suggestions for me.

:)

[ZenSojourner]

Nope, I took those first ones this morning after I adjusted the saddle back. Then I rode, but didn't change anything. I bet it's just the difference in angle.

Those sites you linked are great sites but I figured that someone who is used to looking at people on bikes would have more info/suggestions for me.

:)

Other people probably do. Remember I'm a loner rider, so I usually only see them from behind as they pull away, LOL!

[laura*]

I second this advise about angling the brakes and shifter more so that your wrists aren't bent back as much.

I'll third that advice, especially after viewing the pictures in #23. Try angling the brake levers so that they squeeze toward your shoulders, not your midsection.

[Biciclista]

well, from my limited expertise, i will say the seat is not too low.
:cool:

[Cataboo]

Your seat looks fine... In your first set of photos it looks like you might be pointing your toes... that could contribute to foot numbness

I also can't tell if you're clipped in ... but it looks like you're on a pretty small platform if you're not clipped in, so you might want bigger pedals... And in the 2nd set of photos it looks like your foot is a little too far forward on the pedal... You want your ball of your foot taking the pressure of pedaling... so if you're riding clipped, moved your clips back so that they're under the ball of your foot. If you're not riding clipped, just move your feet forward.

You also look like you've got a death grip on those handlebars.... Ease up on them. If you're coming up to a bumpy section of road, get the weight off your wrists in preparation for it & bend your elbows a bit to absorb the shock... Not enough that you don't have control if a bump tries to grab your handlebars, but enough to get the strain off it.

I bought pearl izumi gel gloves once 'cause they claimed it was all ergonomic... but I found it more comfortable to ride without them. So I used a pair of needle nose pliers to yank the gel padding out and they've been great ever since then. They are nice in that they're sort of short and end on my hands, not my wrist... I still buckle them very loosely.

I like the specialized gloves that someone else mentioned... I haven't noticed the padding being a problem in those, but they don't have velcro adjustment at the wrists, so they irk me slightly in that I can't make them looser.

[ZenSojourner]

Sheldon Brown has something to say about potential sources of pain:

http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html

[Triskeliongirl]

I think the problem may be that a hybrid does not put you in a very effecient riding position. Your position looks much too upright to me, so you are putting more pressure on your butt, and perhaps feet than you should be. Hybrids are not made for long distance riding, just slow jaunts around town. If you are enjoying cycling, maybe its time to upgrade to a road bike, with a professional fit.

Your wrists look too bent, probably the source of hand pain. Drop bars will give you more positions, which will also help, but perhaps some stem/bar adjustments on this bike could help. Have you measured your KOPs position? If you are sitting too far forward on the bike, you will be putting too much weight on your hands? The sandals you are wearing are not as supportive as real cycling shoes. 'Hot foot' can come from not spreading the pressure around correctly, so cycling shoes fitted with good aftermarket insoles may be in order, with some adjustment in cleat position and possibly cleat style (I like speedplay frogs).

[Cataboo]

She's using the keen commuter sandals which are cycling shoes - but they are a bit more flexy than normal cycling shoes.

[tulip]

While you're fiddling with all this very good advice, be sure to start doing (if you are not already) some serious core-strengthening. It will take a few weeks or a month before you will notice a difference, but it will help alot. It did for me. With a weak core, we end up supporting ourselves on the handlebars, which leads to alot of weight and pressure on our hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and neck. With a strong core, we support ourselves with the larger muscles of our mid-sections, allowing our hands and arms to relax and guide the bike instead of supporting all of our weight.

There are lots of different ways to strengthen the core. I like Pilates (but I've been soooo slack on that lately and boy do I feel it!). Other folks have other favorites. Just make sure you do the moves correctly so you don't hurt your back.

By the way, you look great on the bike! I think your seat is fine. Happy riding to you.

[Heifzilla]

I think the problem may be that a hybrid does not put you in a very effecient riding position. Your position looks much too upright to me, so you are putting more pressure on your butt, and perhaps feet than you should be. Hybrids are not made for long distance riding, just slow jaunts around town. If you are enjoying cycling, maybe its time to upgrade to a road bike, with a professional fit.

Your wrists look too bent, probably the source of hand pain. Drop bars will give you more positions, which will also help, but perhaps some stem/bar adjustments on this bike could help. Have you measured your KOPs position? If you are sitting too far forward on the bike, you will be putting too much weight on your hands? The sandals you are wearing are not as supportive as real cycling shoes. 'Hot foot' can come from not spreading the pressure around correctly, so cycling shoes fitted with good aftermarket insoles may be in order, with some adjustment in cleat position and possibly cleat style (I like speedplay frogs).

I am enjoying cycling, but I need to wait to upgrade into anything. I have a tendency to zilla about stuff, spend tons of $$$ and get all new gear, etc., and then never do it again. DH would have a stroke if I did that again with a bike.

The longest distance I plan on right now is a 31 mile leg of a century ride in June. It's a "go at your own pace, stop and pet the cows" kind of thing (seriously, pet the cows...it's called the Udder Century, lmao) and my usual average ride is between 10-12 miles a day. A lot of it is on trails, though, as I live right across from a state park. Also, I live around a ton of lakes, and in BFI, so my road options are somewhat limited because there just aren't that many roads that cross or go around the lakes and everything is super spread out. For example, I'd love to commute to work. It's 10 miles. However, there are only 2 roads that I can take that go around the lakes. One is a semi-truck, state highway route that riding a bike on would pretty much be suicide, and the other is a little better but still a 45 mph highway. My riding options are limited. So I actually need a nice bike that would be able to handle trails as well as the road. I've only been riding this much for the past two and a half weeks. You gotta start somewhere, right? :) I think for the moment, my little hybrid is the best bet for me. I will get it fine tuned to the most comfortable point I can and see where things go from there. If I stick with this, DH won't have any problems with me looking into getting a new bike...bu t a few weeks of riding doesn't constitute sticking with it yet.

I have to tweak my new grips and bring them up more so I have that nice straight wrist, and the Keens seem to have helped immensely with the foot issues. I am also going to switch out my pedals to one of those big blocked BMX-type so I can have more contact area for my foot, and that should help, too.

You guys really have had some great suggestions :)

[Biciclista]

I agree that with the distances you are riding now, the hybrid should be fine.
i rode many miles on my hybrid (including a double century) and some people tour the world with them. It looks like you have a decent enough bike for what you're doing.

sounds like you're on your way - i think it's grand!

[badgercat]

I think the problem may be that a hybrid does not put you in a very effecient riding position. Your position looks much too upright to me, so you are putting more pressure on your butt, and perhaps feet than you should be. Hybrids are not made for long distance riding, just slow jaunts around town. If you are enjoying cycling, maybe its time to upgrade to a road bike, with a professional fit.


True, maybe they're not designed for distance riding, but they can definitely work for it. I've done 50-mile rides on my hybrid and felt pretty good (and probably would have felt great if I had ditched the stock Bontrager saddle, which is a process I'm finally working on now :o).

Having a road bike and getting it fitted to me would be lovely, but that's not anywhere in my budget right now... and besides, I like riding the bike I have. :D Perhaps the OP is in a similar boat.

[Cataboo]

(this is response to Heifzilla's comments we had good suggestions, some people posted while I was writing this & context was lost)

That's because we're all divas like you & have had lots of experience with various aches & pains... Wrist pain used to a limiting factor for my riding... Lots of upgrades later, I'm now mostly fine.

My bf & I both basically bought the same bike maybe in 2007? He's done minimal to his bike, while mine's been completely pimped out to suit me ;) Basically the only thing that has been done to his bike is me saying "oh, look, I bought new handlebars that are gonna fix everything! Do you want my old pair of handlebars that were going to fix everything?"

However, it's nice that we don't appear to have the exact same bike anymore. Although, he thinks I'm ridiculous for how much I had to tweak when he's been absolutely fine.

[Heifzilla]

However, it's nice that we don't appear to have the exact same bike anymore. Although, he thinks I'm ridiculous for how much I had to tweak when he's been absolutely fine.

DH is the same exact way :p He is riding the same bike he bought in high school, a 1985 Schwinn World Sport, and is perfectly comfortable on it. No issues at all. He adds the cool stuff, like new panniers/bags, nifty tail lights...crap like that. And I am spending my money on ergonomic grips and stuff. He says I'm a prima donna, high maintenance as usual, always having to complain about something :rolleyes: Well, ok, fine, but I try to explain to him that bikes in general are designed for *men*, not women. My bike is a 1998 model, it certainly is not a WSD, that's for sure. I think most men are lucky and never have issues, or just plain stupid and don't address the issues they have and just "deal with it" because that's the manly thing to do. :cool:

[Cataboo]

DH is the same exact way :p He is riding the same bike he bought in high school, a 1985 Schwinn World Sport, and is perfectly comfortable on it. No issues at all. He adds the cool stuff, like new panniers/bags, nifty tail lights...crap like that. And I am spending my money on ergonomic grips and stuff. He says I'm a prima donna, high maintenance as usual, always having to complain about something :rolleyes: Well, ok, fine, but I try to explain to him that bikes in general are designed for *men*, not women. My bike is a 1998 model, it certainly is not a WSD, that's for sure. I think most men are lucky and never have issues, or just plain stupid and don't address the issues they have and just "deal with it" because that's the manly thing to do. :cool:

I basically learned to switch parts and do a lot of the maintenance myself so I didn't have to ask him to do it and listen to the spiel about it.

But once he realized that I'm riding more than he does, and that I stopped a lot of the complaining I had early on after getting things right, he mostly has shut up. He still teases me about it, but he does admit when he does get on my bikes that they are a lot more comfortable than his...

He's been ogling my handlebars that I just put on because they're really comfortable and ergonomic, but fully admits that he would never ever pay that much for handlebars. I'll pay it because it makes me happy... if I flare my wrists up cycling, that's a week or two that I'm going around with aching wrists constantly. And while the pain isn't something I can't deal with, it's not something I want to deal with.

I still get a fair amount of teasing from him about how much I've spent on all this stuff and how hard I am to please.

[Heifzilla]

He's been ogling my handlebars that I just put on because they're really comfortable and ergonomic, but fully admits that he would never ever pay that much for handlebars.

What type of handlebars did you get?

[Cataboo]

What type of handlebars did you get?

They're drop bars for my road bike, but they're these:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13561-195_FSAKW4-43-Brands-179-FSA-Full-Speed-Ahead/FSA-K-Wing-Carbon-Road-Handlebar.htm

[Heifzilla]

They're drop bars for my road bike, but they're these:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13561-195_FSAKW4-43-Brands-179-FSA-Full-Speed-Ahead/FSA-K-Wing-Carbon-Road-Handlebar.htm

Niiiice! I've seen those type when looking online and think they are really cool looking. I bet they feel like silk to the touch or something, too. Very nice :)

[Cataboo]

They've got comfortable positions for my wrists.... And they look sleek :)

I can't say that I've really researched flat bars - I'm really not on my flat bar bikes long enough to notice a lot of wrists problems with them, but I've heard a lot of good things about the ergon bar trips.

If you think vibrations are contributing to your wrist issues - you can maybe look at getting some of the specialized flat bars that have the "zertz" inserts, they're supposed to dampen vibrations. I have 'em on my commuter... no idea whether they're doing anything. but they don't sell for all that much when they appear on ebay. (but I think they're oversized, so you might have a problem with your quill stem)

You can also get bar end plugs that are supposed to kill vibrations.

[papaver]

I have this type of bike:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee261/fattiebert/fiets-1.jpg

Those handlebars are really great. Especially when you're having wrist or neckpains...

[tantrumbean]

I'm not a fitting expert, but you look VERY upright, even considering the type of bike. If it was me, I would be experimenting with putting on a stem with less rise and - if it was about the same length as your current one, having less of an angle would lower your handlebars and make your reach longer, which should put you in a better position overall....just my two-pennies-worth...

Also, just noticed your tyres look a bit flat - do you pump them up to the pressure given on the sidewall? It makes riding so much easier and more efficient...

[Grog]

I was thinking about this thread as I cycled to work this morning on my hybrid. I looked at my wrists: they were in straight line with my arms and hands, not bent at all.

I think anything else would be quite painful...

[Heifzilla]

I have this type of bike:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee261/fattiebert/fiets-1.jpg

Those handlebars are really great. Especially when you're having wrist or neckpains...

What type of bars are those?

tantrum: DH says my tires are at the pressure they are supposed to be. I will check again, though.

I tweaked my grips so that my wrists are straight when I ride but I still feel like I am leaning on them too much. So I made conscious efforts to not lean on them so much and I realized how weak my core is. It's pretty hard for me to hold myself up like that without leaning forward a lot. So I need to start working on that. I brought my seat up juuuuust a tiny bit (maybe 1/4", if that) because when my leg was at full extension I was pushing hard into the pedals. That seemed to help, too. I also very consciously brought my elbows in and down (instead of elbows locked and pointed outwards) and relaxed my shoulders. This also helped to show me how weak my core is because I could only do it for a few minutes at a time before I had to lean into the handlebars again.

So, I think I have some good ideas now where my issues lie. You have all been very helpful.

Now if the weather would cooperate. I'm sick of rainy, chilly days! Spring is coming so late this year :(

[Triskeliongirl]

If you feel like your weight is pushing your hands onto the bars, try sliding your saddle further back on the rails. If its all the way back, try a more laid back seat post.

Learn how to use a pump and pressure gauage, its not very hard. You need to put air in every couple of days. I agree, at least in the pics your tire pressure looks low, or perhaps you need higher pressure tires.

[papaver]

@ heifzilla: they are called butterfly bars... just google them.

[Heifzilla]

Learn how to use a pump and pressure gauage, its not very hard. You need to put air in every couple of days. I agree, at least in the pics your tire pressure looks low, or perhaps you need higher pressure tires.

I know how to use a pump and pressure gauge, DH was just the last person to check them.

[Heifzilla]

@ heifzilla: they are called butterfly bars... just google them.

Probably can't use a gripshift with those, though?

[Heifzilla]

I wanted to say that I think I have solved my hand numbness issue. I picked up a set of those butterfly bars (and only $15 at the lbs, score!) that papaver recommended, and what a difference. I love these bars! The moment I started riding with them I could feel the difference. My hands are light on the bars, my elbows bent and not poking outwards like they were, and I am not leaning into the bars anywhere the way I was. I had to jury rig the shifters and my ergon grips, and my brake levers are on the outside far side of the bars because they wouldn't fit with my grips and shifters, which is not great. So I ordered some dual shifters so I will have enough room for my shifters, brakes and grips where I want them. Right now the bars kind of look like a hack job, but I'm not going for The Look, I am going for comfort so I will enjoy riding my bike. Once I get the new shifters, that will take care of that. So again, thanks to everyone who came up with suggestions and tips. I really do appreciate it.