Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - carpal tunnel friendly drops/bars?

So my gf suffers from carpal tunnel and sometimes cycling just kills her hands and wrists. She has been riding drops but wants to switch it up to something else to alleviate any discomfort and toget more hand positions.

She was looking into bullhorns like rb018. Also, she checked out some tri/tt style thingies (sorry for lack of terminology) that would allow her to rest her forearms down when her wrists and hands get tired. Do any of these things work for bullhorns or pursuits? She was messing with my rb021pursuit style bullhorns and says she can rest her forearms down the middle of those, but that just sounds sketchy to me.

So my gf suffers from carpal tunnel and sometimes cycling just kills her hands and wrists. She has been riding drops but wants to switch it up to something else to alleviate any discomfort and toget more hand positions.

She was looking into bullhorns like rb018. Also, she checked out some tri/tt style thingies (sorry for lack of terminology) that would allow her to rest her forearms down when her wrists and hands get tired. Do any of these things work for bullhorns or pursuits? She was messing with my rb021pursuit style bullhorns and says she can rest her forearms down the middle of those, but that just sounds sketchy to me.

Yes. Aerobars are sketchy and should never be used except on a closed course.

If she switched her bike to more of an upright beach cruiser / townie type setup, there would be little to no pressure on the hands.

Well, drops+hoods offer the most variety, but you'll have to find also find the most comfortable drop bar. You may also want to raise the handle bars to reduce the weight she puts on her hands. I don't know where you ride but if there are a lot of cars or other riders I would not recommend aero bars.

or go with townie bars as Carlton said

I would imagine that the best bars for your girlfriend would be either high risers or a bar with a substantial sweep back, like porteur bars or something.

Which is more comfortable?

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZbDra3wdwgo/SGYeUv_LSaI/AAAAAAAAAok/w309LA9ZTVE/Racing%20vs%20Cruising%20Strida%20posture.jpg

Notice the difference in hand position in relation to the top of the tires or the saddle:

http://www.chrisabraham.com/06-bianchi-pista-thumb.jpg
http://www.junkyrustybikes.net/images/6%20SPEED%20TOWNIE.JPG

Plus, upright bikes allow for better field of vision (refer to the diagram above).

Hmm, awesome feed back guys. I think she definitely wants an aggressive riding posture when needed, but also ability to relax her hands when needed as well. She definitely does not want to ride townie style. I think she wants my rb021's with aero bars. Would this be over kill? Seems like this fellow on velospace did it.

http://velospace.org/node/32561

Looks pretty gnarly

If anything I think switching to bullhorns from drops will help a lot. When she rides she's rarely in drop position and usually riding on top. So I'm thinking either bulls or pursuits with aerobars might help?

I've thought about getting aerobars, but I'd only use them when I ride out to the cornfields/middle of nowhere. It gets pretty windy when there's nothing to break up the wind. Aerobars in an area with traffic/people/whatever does not seem like a good idea, as it limits your field of vision and makes steering pretty difficult.

What kind of riding does your girlfriend do?

I think a good option for her would be a set of ergo drops with hoods.

Aero bars might not work for her if the head tube angle is too steep and if she pushes her saddle all the way forward, more weight will be placed onto her arms and wrists, which is probably not what she wants.

Try bullhorns first and if she gets tired, she can do the invisible aero bars by resting her arms on the tops.

Aerobars are a bad idea for street use. Period.

Why?:

- You can't steer with them. You can lean, but you can't steer.
- Your head is positioned down, so looking forward strains the neck. Notice how many times these guys look down. It's because their necks are tired.
- You will have little to no peripheral vision.
- Even if you have a brake, you will have to get out of the aerobars to grab the brake lever. This will not happen in an emergency situation.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEigqh4LYTo

If you want to know how the neck feels to ride in aerobars, lay flat on your belly/chest (no help from the arms). Now lift your head to look forward. Now hold it.

I've thought about getting aerobars, but I'd only use them when I ride out to the cornfields/middle of nowhere. It gets pretty windy when there's nothing to break up the wind. Aerobars in an area with traffic/people/whatever does not seem like a good idea, as it limits your field of vision and makes steering pretty difficult.

What kind of riding does your girlfriend do?

I think a good option for her would be a set of ergo drops with hoods.

Is it that when using aerobars obstructs vision when being used that makes it dangerous? We both ride for fitness purposes around town as well as weekend commuting and some group rides.

Can someone link a great example of ergodrops with hoods? I think overall, she is done with drops and would like to transition over to bullhorns.


Aero bars might not work for her if the head tube angle is too steep and if she pushes her saddle all the way forward, more weight will be placed onto her arms and wrists, which is probably not what she wants.

Try bullhorns first and if she gets tired, she can do the invisible aero bars by resting her arms on the tops.

Yeah, she wants to utilize the invisible aero bars via resting her hands on top, but to me that's a little dangerous. Id rather have her use hoods on top so that she wouldn't slip off or anything. Do they have hoods only that can be installed without the aerobar?

I can't possibly be the only one who laid down... can I?

She would probably benefit from moving her saddle back and her bars up (or bars with less of a drop).

"Aggressive riding position" is only effective if you are riding aggressively. Otherwise it's uncomfortable. This is why you don't see any serious saddle-bar drops on road racing bikes.

http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/lance-armstrong-trek-madone-bike-kaws-barry-mcgee-1.jpg

Get your lady to move backwards and put more weight on her butt and off of her hands. Or she can just deal with the discomfort.

Yeah, she wants to utilize the invisible aero bars via resting her hands on top, but to me that's a little dangerous. Id rather have her use hoods on top so that she wouldn't slip off or anything. Do they have hoods only that can be installed without the aerobar?
Bingo! If you think invisible aero bars are a little dangerous then aero bars would be worst.

You could get her a shorter reach, flatter bullhorns with a taller hook at the end. EighthInch comes to my mind in that category.

Hmmm maybe mustache bars will solve everything. How hard is it to even find mustache style bars? Does nitto make this style by chance?

Is it that when using aerobars obstructs vision when being used that makes it dangerous? We both ride for fitness purposes around town as well as weekend commuting and some group rides.

Many group rides explicitly disallow aerobars. Most frown upon using them. You get more aero benefit from drafting the guy in front of you than you ever will with aerobars (or Zipp wheels for that matter).

Syntace Stratos Bullhorn Bar. They are not perfectly straight like other bullhorns, they have a more anatomically friendly bend to them. I find them very comfortable.

I have CT and my wrists were so bad at one time I could not hold onto objects. Keep the weight off of the hands, keep changing positions often and rest the wrists when they get numb. Ride more upright. I avoided surgery by resting and taking care of myself. I still get occasional pain, but I have learned what not to do.

Otherwise, she will get so bad, there will not be any more riding for a long time.


Tom

Syntace Stratos Bullhorn Bar. They are not perfectly straight like other bullhorns, they have a more anatomically friendly bend to them. I find them very comfortable.

I really want these bars, and have been trying really hard not to pull the trigger on them. They look so comfortable!

Ironically some my second pair of Syntace Stratos bars just arrived in the mail today.
I have broken my wrist twice and I have problems as well, but since I switched from RB021s to the Stratos (with cross levers on top) I have not really experienced any pain. As mentioned above, they have a bend which is more comfortable than any other bullhorn Ive used and she can get low on the horns when she wants.

maybe re-check your gf's fit on the bike? Drop bars, with hoods, have the more hand positions than bull horns. I would try moving her center of balance by moving the seat back a bit and getting a shorter stem if necessary.

She would probably benefit from moving her saddle back and her bars up (or bars with less of a drop).

"Aggressive riding position" is only effective if you are riding aggressively. Otherwise it's uncomfortable. This is why you don't see any serious saddle-bar drops on road racing bikes.

http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/lance-armstrong-trek-madone-bike-kaws-barry-mcgee-1.jpg

Get your lady to move backwards and put more weight on her butt and off of her hands. Or she can just deal with the discomfort.

i agree with your sentiment, but this comes to mind.

http://www.turbosnekteam.com/Cyklo_stripky/Stripky_05/07stripky_05/TDF_5etapa_6.7.05/Jens_Voigt(CSC).JPG

really though, thats not that much drop for someone that tall.

Always posting pics of racers when peoples daily rides are being discussed makes me think you're not getting it at all.If you dig a big bar drop that's fine, just don't assume it's right for everyone.Besides, if the girls CT gets agrevated from riding on the tops there might be something wrong with the fit altogether.

i get the feeling youre not getting it at all.


This is why you don't see any serious saddle-bar drops on road racing bikes.

picture of road racer but qualified and still agreeing

I aslo have carpal tunnel in my wrists. I used to be able to ride any bar I wanted to but now thats not the case. I have found the Soma Sparrow to be super comfortable and easy on the hands and wrists. I have the standard bar but I am thinking the wider one might be even better. I really think a bar with a lot of rise to it that offers a natural hand position would help her out and the Sparow does that. There are other similar bars out there also.

Most women today are riding frames that are generally designed for men, with top tubes that are much too long for them proportionately. I can spot a girl riding a bike from distance just by the fact that they are often riding in a tuck. My girlfriend had constant wrist issues until she switched to a frame with a much shorter top tube, which she loved instantly.

If she's riding the tops of drop bars now, then switching to bullhorns is not going to make a difference. The top of a bullhorn is the exact same position, and the horns will be too far out. Haver her get a short rise stem and some riser or townie bars. An adjustable stem jacked all the way back might be a good temporary fix, even if they're ugly. You both should grow up and get over the "aggressive position".

If anything I think switching to bullhorns from drops will help a lot. When she rides she's rarely in drop position and usually riding on top. So I'm thinking either bulls or pursuits with aerobars might help?
I really doubt it will help. Think about it, bullhorns on the tops is the same position as drops on the tops, and bullhorns on the "horns" gives you pretty much the same position as riding on the flats/hoods. I would worry more about fit, reach and bar to saddle drop IMO. Has her bike been properly fitted?

. Aerobars in an area with traffic/people/whatever does not seem like a good idea, as it limits your field of vision and makes steering pretty difficult.


.
You might want to tell people who ride at 40-50mph in aerobars that. They are a bad idea because they don't allow you to use your brakes, they don't make steering harder.

You might want to tell people who ride at 40-50mph in aerobars that. They are a bad idea because they don't allow you to use your brakes, they don't make steering harder.

Though who is going to ride 40-50mph where there's "traffic/people/whatever?"

You might want to tell people who ride at 40-50mph in aerobars that. They are a bad idea because they don't allow you to use your brakes, they don't make steering harder.

I hope you mean 40-50KM (distance) not MPH (speed). 40MPH isn't (generally) possible in aerobars. Those are track/road sprint speeds. Actually I think Cavendish is probably the fastest ever at 47MPH in a road sprint:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc1yeX_7lWM


Tri guys ride on long open roads or semi-closed bike trails. Not in basic city commuter traffic. I have seen the occasional tri-guy in aerobars in rush hour traffic...catching h*ll.

I was more talking about people riding on the road with TT bikes, not so much racing. I have a friend I ride with..er..try to keep up with that descends in her aero bars at 30+mph.


Though who is going to ride 40-50mph where there's "traffic/people/whatever?"
Road bikers who ride on highways?

Clink83, you don't think it's harder to steer with your forearms than with your hands?

Have you ever actually used aerobars? Seriously.

Also, 30MPH isn't crazy fast, you know.

I'm sorry, I do mostly city riding, I've never imagined going over 35 mph unless I'm going down a hill. Even then if there is any amount of civilization I'd be hard pressed to go anywhere near that speed lol..

Clink83, you don't think it's harder to steer with your forearms than with your hands?

Have you ever actually used aerobars? Seriously.
.
I have not, but I have spent a lot of time riding with someone who only rides a TT bike, as I said above. The point was more than aero bars aren't a bad idea because they make it hard to turn, they are a bad idea because you can't reach your brakes, even on a dedicated TT bike. No one with any common sense rides with aero bars at speeds low enough that you have to steer by turning the handlebars, so it's a bit of a nonissue.

I would consider 30mph very fast on a fixed gear off a track though. Not so much on a road bike.

30 is not fast. 40 is crazy fast.

stick with drops/hoods, gives her the most options, moving her hands around will help the most. Try getting her a pro fitting for her bike, should only cost like $75-100 at your LBS, and it'll do wonderful things. (of course you might have to buy a stem or something to adjust the fit) If you're looking to change things, I recently switched to FSA compact drops, which make the drop a bit less extreme, and the curvature fits my hands really well, it depends on her hands though, but I really like those bars. Also, see if you can find a bike with campy on it. the current lineup of campy hoods are ridiculously comfortable, I wanted to switch when i bought my last bike, but I'm way too bought into shimano/sram compatible wheels to do it.

I was more talking about people riding on the road with TT bikes, not so much racing. I have a friend I ride with..er..try to keep up with that descends in her aero bars at 30+mph.


Road bikers who ride on highways?

Descending with her hands away from the brakes? Dont worry about keeping up, you'll live longer.

I have not, but I have spent a lot of time riding with someone who only rides a TT bike, as I said above. The point was more than aero bars aren't a bad idea because they make it hard to turn, they are a bad idea because you can't reach your brakes, even on a dedicated TT bike. No one with any common sense rides with aero bars at speeds low enough that you have to steer by turning the handlebars, so it's a bit of a nonissue.

I would consider 30mph very fast on a fixed gear off a track though. Not so much on a road bike.

You are not speaking from experience. On your lunch break, go to a shop and test ride a time trial bike in the aerobars and get back to us.

IMO mustache/Bullhorn/TT bars will probably cause more pain. Getting into an upright riding position with weight off the wrists (townie, riser + positive rise stem) will probably make things a bit better. My favorite is riser (roughly shoulder width) + small bar ends/ergo grips.

You are not speaking from experience. On your lunch break, go to a shop and test ride a time trial bike in the aerobars and get back to us.
Will that change the fact that there are lot of people riding TT bikes on curves, high speeds, and other things and managing just fine?

But they don't do those things on he aero bars. They get up and hold onto the base bars when they need to maneuver.

not very curvy, but he gets out of the aero position to corner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmrpboIGNF4&feature=related

I might not be understanding the argument, or the situation but let me see if I do. Just for kicks and jiggles.

Carleton thinks its a bad idea to give a (possibly inexperienced) person TT bars for road use to remove pressure off their wrists.

Clinks thinks TT bars are fine for riding on open streets and isn't considering the fact that the people he says riding them (possibly other then his friend) ride them on closed courses?

Anyway, my opinion is that they are not safe nor really proper for normal, urban road use. Most of the time I don't even max out my speeds simply because I've almost been hit so many times, 4 this week, and counting.

I fear for small children when I see kooks laying on their aerobars riding through town traffic. Experienced tri-athletes seek training rides where there is little traffic, and it's fine for them to be in their armrests out there, but not for a daily rider.

Try out some cool townie bars, bring the grips closer to the rider so she can sit up. She can still lean forward and ride fast if she wants and it's not like bullhorns are any "cooler" than a nice set of townie-style bars.

Clinks thinks TT bars are fine for riding on open streets and isn't considering the fact that the people he says riding them (possibly other then his friend) ride them on closed courses?

No, my point is they are a bad idea because you don't have brakes, not because they make it hard to turn. You're going to harpoon the rear of a car or some pedestrian before you wreck in a high speed turn.


But they don't do those things on he aero bars. They get up and hold onto the base bars when they need to maneuver.

not very curvy, but he gets out of the aero position to corner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmrpboIGNF4&feature=related
I didn't watch the whole vid, but in the early part hes doing fine on most of the curves, he's getting out of the aero bars more to brake, which is what I was talking about ^

But they are harder to turn. That's what you do not understand!

Leaning through a curve IS NOT turning a corner...much less maneuvering.

Man, I don't say this often (if ever), but you don't know what you are talking about.

From the "deals" thread, the VO branded bars are 20% off right now.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/handlebars.html

But they are harder to turn. That's what you do not understand!

Leaning through a curve IS NOT turning a corner...much less maneuvering.

Man, I don't say this often (if ever), but you don't know what you are talking about.
I see where the confusion is. I worded my original post poorly.
I should have said:

You might want to tell people who ride at 40-50mph in aerobars that. They are a bad idea because they don't allow you to use your brakes, which is more of an issue than making steering harder.
That's also why they don't like them on group rides, idiots ride in the aerobars when they shouldn't then wreck into the person in front of them when they slow down. I should have said they don't make turning harder if you don't use them in foolish situations, like traffic.

Get a different stem.

One that sets the top of the bars level with the saddle. Also, one of those Nitto Noodle handlebars, which also has some sweep would probably be best. That way, she's got plenty of comfy hand positions at a level that will aggravate her CTS less, but if she wants to get all aggro, there's still the drops.

Stem might look dorky -- you'd probably be into 17-25 deg rise before you're done -- but it would be comfortable for her.

Otherwise, get a pro fitting. If she got issues, go to a pro for a solution... just make sure it's someone with some PT or other sports med type training who can deal with her particular issue.

moustache bars dud they are the only thing that I know of that doesn't drop and offers multiple comfortable hand positions