Originally Posted by
ButchA
...I would reach down to the lower handlebars, straighten my back, and it seemed like there was no pressure on L5/S1 and my back muscles, tendons, etc... were getting stretched out while maintaining a straight spine. Is that right? Using the lower handlebars can help with back troubles?
Typically, with your hands resting against the curve of the shifters, your weight is evenly distributed by 3rds, meaning only 1/3 of your weight is on your back. I had a severe back injury in Southeast Asia 1965 and now at age 70 it's caught up to me. With my hands in that position (not all the way down on the drop bars but against the shifters) I feel more comfortable and have basically no back pain than when on the Sirrus with flat bars and a more upright position.
As DQRider pointed out some of the weight is transferred to your hands/wrists. I ride with Benik wrist wraps (soft foam) and they supply that little bit of extra support, no pain. Your wrist muscles will build up in time. My left wrist (acute carpal tunnel) does go to sleep often, but I shake that off.
20.8 miles on the Tarmac. Getting pretty warm, 73° at 8:30AM. But there's a cooling trend, only 99° today.
2016: 2,922 Miles ♂ Total Miles: 12,520
Allez 1162/3593 · Roubaix 1179/3712 · Tarmac 199/199 · Sirrus 188/2223 · Trike 194/1778
There are 1 million ants for every human in the world.
(and a lot of them are in my kitchen)