Bar height opinions for comfort? AND.. Riser or bar change?
This would be more for casual riding.. I commute a few miles to work each day and also like to take rides on the weekend, mostly on some great, paved bike trails we have here on the coast. I have a Specialized Sirrus and the other day I added a adapter that raised my flat bars up about 3" .. I'm amazed at how much more comfortable it is to ride. More and more I stand while going up steep hills, so the bar height doesn't seem to matter that much for that and I don't need to really ride fast so being down low isn't important either.
The guy at the bike shop put the riser on to let me see if I like the change, which I do. I now have the choice of keeping the riser with my flat bars or changing the bars to ones that curve up more.. what is the difference? (I seem to have enough cable length to do either) Any thoughts or comments? |
I almost always find it more convenient to sit in an upright position. The only time that I feel the need to be in a lower and more aerodynamic position, is when I'm trying to beat a light before it goes red, when being chased by a slow dog, when trying to quickly get home before dusk, or when trying to streak through a questionable or dodgy area.
When riding my road bike, I'm mostly holding the tops of the hoods, mimicking my hybrid flatbar position. When forced to ride quickly on the hybrid, I either stand while accelerating, or I lean down to assume a more aerodynamic position. Ninety percent of the time, I'm in the upright hybrid position, but I all too often find myself mounted upon my sweetheart, the Nishiki Sebring road bike, with my hands on the hood of the drop handlebar. So, I guess what I'm really saying here is that, I prefer drop handlebars! |
Riser bars tend to be significantly wider because they have to provide space for your hand controls etc. outboard of the upward bend. Because they're wider, they also sweep back more which changes your hand position. I don't like them.
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Different strokes. My rides are generally 30 miles or more at a fairly good clip and I find I'm much more comfortable with lower drop bars, particularly my back. The tops of my bars are are 10 cm below the top of my saddle.
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Rise + the angle of the grips can be a lot different.
OOdles of different bends out in the market. |
I prefer swept back North Road bars for my commuter. They place your hands in a comfortable position, both higher and with a closer reach than flat bars. You do need a good saddle though for an upright position, preferably sprung otherwise road shocks will go straight up your spine.
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
(Post 13766364)
Riser bars tend to be significantly wider because they have to provide space for your hand controls etc. outboard of the upward bend. Because they're wider, they also sweep back more which changes your hand position. I don't like them.
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Originally Posted by Monster Pete
(Post 13768007)
I prefer swept back North Road bars for my commuter. They place your hands in a comfortable position, both higher and with a closer reach than flat bars. You do need a good saddle though for an upright position, preferably sprung otherwise road shocks will go straight up your spine.
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Get yerself a Pedersen: http://www.pedersenbicycles.com/gallery.htm
http://www.pedersenbicycles.com/imag...daveonhill.jpg |
Originally Posted by Doane
(Post 13768541)
Thanks, I haven't noticed any difference in the seat in the more upright position, but could just be my bike, or me.
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Thanks everyone... Jeff, I'm afraid my voice might go up a couple of octaves trying to mount or dismount that thing! :D
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The difference is felt in your legs and butt. Being upright you loose some power, but given your rides it may make little difference. It also shifts your weight distribution to the rear of your pelvic bones, which means you'll need a wide saddle and your sit time maybe be an issue. Over four hours on an upright bike, it can be tough duty down there. Ideally, you have mutliple hand positions so you can rotate forward and down some, relieve the pressure on your back and butt. Standing is also a good break, but how long can you stand....
Lots of postives, I think the best is being able to look around and take in the ride. My complaint about riding in a more aero position is the tendency to lock road vision directly ahead, you don't much sightseeing out of the ride. The real answer is multiple bikes set up differently, +1 ~ |
afraid my voice might go up a couple of octaves trying to mount or dismount that thing! |
Originally Posted by fietsbob
(Post 13771090)
You must have a new strange way to mount a bike, Doane, rather than swing a leg over the back wheel.
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Originally Posted by Doane
(Post 13773143)
Wow, so you're not supposed to swing a leg over the bars? ..that's what I've been doing wrong.. no wonder!
If you captain a tandem and try to swing your leg over your saddle, you'll catch your foot on the stoker handlebar and fall over. Then your stoker will laugh at you. Don't ask how I know. |
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
(Post 13774471)
It's situational.
If you captain a tandem and try to swing your leg over your saddle, you'll catch your foot on the stoker handlebar and fall over. Then your stoker will laugh at you. Don't ask how I know. |
Originally Posted by Doane
(Post 13774853)
The few times I've ridden a tandem bike the "stoker" rider was laughing at me even after I managed to get on the bike.. it seemed like I could never get her to do her part! :lol:
"Captain" is just a title they use to give us the illusion of control. In reality, the stoker is totally in charge. Once you figure that out, and go with it, the rest is easy. |
Just keep the keel-side down and don't run aground, Captain. :beer:
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
(Post 13775325)
You're not doing it right.
"Captain" is just a title they use to give us the illusion of control. In reality, the stoker is totally in charge. Once you figure that out, and go with it, the rest is easy. |
Originally Posted by Doane
(Post 13768541)
Thanks, I haven't noticed any difference in the seat in the more upright position, but could just be my bike, or me. I have the stock Specialized saddle which I really like. When I bought the bike I had a Brooks Flyer (sprung B17) from my earlier bike that I had saved and I put it on the new Sirrus bike to try it for a few weeks.. it was OK, but I honestly found that I like the stock seat better and it's a lot lighter.. the Brooks seat weighs a lot and doesn't hold up to water even though it looks very cool.
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Originally Posted by Looigi
(Post 13766789)
Different strokes. My rides are generally 30 miles or more at a fairly good clip and I find I'm much more comfortable with lower drop bars, particularly my back. The tops of my bars are are 10 cm below the top of my saddle.
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Originally Posted by SurlyLaika
(Post 13778058)
Not to turn this into a Brooks debate, but Brooks saddles are fine in the rain especially after being treated with proofide. I've seen a coworker just leave it outside in the rain for hours, no cover or anything. No problem!
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Handle bar height...mine vary depending on the bike. My city bike they are way up there, think sitting in a dining room chair with your arms about 8" above the table :D, on my touring bike the handlebars are drop bars and are just slightly above saddle level, this is an allowance for my advancing years. :P My other bikes all fall somewhere in between. Most are towards the upright end of the spectrum, think Raleigh Sports.
Aaron :) |
Originally Posted by wahoonc
(Post 13779373)
Handle bar height...mine vary depending on the bike. ..snip
Aaron :) |
Finally got around to measuring mine, wanted to ride it for awhile with the bar tube extension and I'm still feeling very comfortable with the height. Anyway, my seat measures 39-1/2" and the tops of the grips are 45-1/2" so they are 6" higher then the bars.
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