handlebars

[Kano]

My bike is a hybrid/comfort type, with those "mustache" handlebars (is that the right name?) Here's my question --

are they too wide if I find that my elbows and shoulders bother me when I'm holding the handgrips, but that I'm more comfy if I hold them in farther (have twist shifters) like, by their shifters?

DH grumbled when I said, I think my handlebars might be too wide, today. He says, next thing he knows, I'll want one of those goofy bikes (he saw a few minutes of the time trial today) like Floyd Landis has.

No, I don't think I'm ready for aero bars yet!

But I DID go real fast today and it was fun! (to which DH says I go either wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy to slow or wayyyyyyyyyy too fast -- I gotta speed up and slow down!)

Karen in Boise

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Karen, you didn't say how long you've been riding. But you did post in the "New Riders" category.... I think if you're newly on a bike you might be sore in all KINDS of ways- arms, legs, butt, shoulders, hands, etc. I know when I started biking again a few weeks ago, my butt bones really hurt for a few days, as well as my wrists, palms, my knees, my thighs and my shoulders. Now, all those aches are pretty much gone and I think I'm building up more muscles.
Is this a new bike for you, or new handlebars?

[Kano]

New bike this season, Lisa. I've got in the neighborhood of 430 miles on it over the last almost three months. I think I noticed the handle bar thing this morning maybe cuz I had a week off the bike and all my body parts got happier? Butt's fine, legs are fine, all of me's fine, aside from I noticed the elbows/shoulders. They just feel stressed/pulled/twisted? I'm not sure just what the right word is for them. If I moved my hands toward the stem a couple of inches, things were happier. (except that's where all the lumpy shifting hardware is, so hands aren't quite as comfy)

I don't lean on my hands much, keep elbows relaxed: hands hurt big time the first week or so, and I learned quickly!

Karen in Boise