Originally Posted by
Steve in MA
..... I often loop my hands over the base of the bar end in a manner similar to using the brake hoods on a traditional road bike, but they're also handy when you want to get out of the seat on a steep climb....
That's what I do, as well as grip the extension. I also have a technique of "rolling" my hands to the rhythm of my peddling, shifting from the outside edge to the heel of the thumb, bit like a massage.
If I can do a century on an old steel Trek 750, at 53 without training for it, you should have no problem on a FX 7.3, especially with the amount of riding you do.