Originally Posted by
chikon2000
# 4 is really the big issue for me. In hindsight, my neck was kept tight and my shoulders were tense. My previous bike had curved, "city bike' handlebars so this was never an issue for me. But my saddle was definitely too high, and adjusting it has helped some. I may need to raise the stem a little as well. You're right, though, that mindfulness about posture (i.e., note tensing up) is perhaps the best prescription.
I've been riding most every day for 4 months and I still catch myself doing it...even though I'm consciously aware of it and actively working on relaxing my shoulders downward. I don't know why I do it and I don't even realize I'm doing it, but it's getting to be much less often than it was. Keeping the back of my hand straight with my arm has just about eliminated the numbness in the hands and fingers. I just had to break some bad habits I developed early on and find several other hand positions and grip types that kept that line straight.