I was off the bike for about a year due to a broken ankle and some hand injuries. I just rode today; the ankle is almost back to 100%, but I was having hand problems almost immediately. I was in so much pain I was about to have hand surgery this time last year; during my layoff from riding the hand was much better (I am a musician, so taking care of my hands is very important to me).

My question: I commute ten miles each way on rough city streets. I typically use an old Marin early 1990s rigid mtb (7 spd, no suspension at all). I used to run 26x1" slicks but I recently put 2" wide knobbies on there to try and help with cushioning my hands from bumps and potholes, but I think My main problem is I have a straight handlebar and it not only limits my hand positions, the main position is causing me problems. I'll add that I was riding fairly seriously before my injuries and I have always liked an aggressive position (bars lower than saddle).

I also own an '86 Trek steel road bike (converted to 9-spd and set up with a straight bar and bar ends), and a 2002 Orbea AL road bike. I don't think I'd use the Orbea for commuting, but maybe the Trek. I don't know if I should ditch the mtb and use the Trek, or try and salvage the mtb (change the position, add a front shock, etc?).

I am normally into frankensteining and modding old bikes - especially as mine get locked up on city streets - but I am also dealing with post injury stuff now and I'm gonna be 50 in a few years, so I'm thinking maybe it's time to ditch the old stuff and just buy something newer, lighter, more body-friendly?

1. Ditch the knobbies for some fat slicks. Those knobbies are just making things worse for your hands/wrists.
2. Consider putting on some butterfly/trekking bars. If you have an REI close by, go have a look at the Safari- it has those type of bars. Take it for a spin and see if that helps any before swapping yours out.
3. Add Ergon grips to what ever bar you end up with.

Thanks for those suggestions no1mad - once I got home tonight, I did a few quick things -
1. I noticed the saddle nose was slightly down - I adjusted that so the nose is just a hair higher than level. I have the same saddle on all three bikes, and I saw that my Trek's was set up with nose slightly higher.

2. I raised the stem - unfortunately this model only gives you about 1" of vertical play - I do have a short-length, high extension stem - these are 1 1/8" quills, btw - and have used it once before b/c of a slight back injury a few years ago, but the regular stem has a pulley for the cable and it's a bit hard to get the front brakes set up with a different stem.

3. I am playing around with the angle of the straight bars. I should add that I've narrowed the bars - not uber narrow, just to the width of my shoulders. The width feels right for that, but the way the controls mount near the stem, my hands always feel cramped for room width wise. I had bar ends on there for years, to give me more hand positions, but it felt even more cramped...I think I may have a new MTB straight bar (wide, uncut) stashed somewhere - maybe I should swap that in to give my hands more room (and reinstall the bar ends)?

Any help/advice on the proper angle for a straight (flat) mtb bar would be appreciated. And would I be nuts to consider putting a front shock on this old bike? I did use a friend's bike with knobbies and Front shock for a whole summer a few years ago and I was a LOT more comfy on the rough road commutes. Fwiw, my mtb was supposedly built with suspension-ready geometry and the common upgrade back then was a Manitou 3.

Thanks!

I met a guy this summer with serious wrist issues. He almost quit riding but then went to a recumbent. Saved his cycling hobby. If you can't find comfort with your adjustments, it might be a good idea to test ride a bent.

Seeing you have hand injuries and it's a commuter, try a more relaxed riding position by going with a high rise stem and an alt bar. A set of Mary bars or similar are awesome for providing a nice riding position you may need. Or try a set of Ergon grips with integrated bar ends for an alternate position. Ergon grips rock for commuting. Hella comfy.

It's a commute, not a race. No need for the aggressive riding position, bar below the saddle.

Thanks again - yeah, I need to adjust my approach - gotta accept age and injuries are gonna change my riding, but hopefully not keep me off the bike completely (I gained about 20 pounds in the last year!)

I am going to try some short rides with the tweaked Mtb, but I was thinking this morning - I have a quill-to-threadless stem adapter in the '86 Trek...which can be raised at least two inches, and then I can flip the stem (It's got decent rise, currently flipped down for a parallel to the ground 0% rise)...those two measures should put the bars even with the saddle and I'll have a lighter bike with 700C wheels...I think a road bike is more fragile around these urban streets, and probably more of a theft magnet, but I guess my hands are more important - I can always get another bike...

i raised and flipped the stem on the Trek, and then did some comparisons with my mtb now that its stem has been maxed out height wise.


I also checked the distance from the nose of the saddles to the center of the bars - the trek was about 1.5" closer than the mtb...I am guessing it will be a better fit than the mtb (as they are right now) for commuting...


The trek has a 1.5" drop between saddle and bar height now (probably 4" before) - the mtb is still at 2" (It was probably more three before).

I haven't test-rode the trek yet but I spun around the block on the mtb - it definitely feels like there is less weight/pressure on my hands now, between the higher stem and seat angle adjustment...but I think it is still the mtb bar itself that is killing me. I am going to poke around the storage unit and see if I still have that new mtb bar around and try that...although I thought most of these basic flat bars had the same angle?

any pics pgoat?

Try to get as upright as you can to get the weight off your hands. Riser stem, swept back bars, soft grips, cushy saddle.

Use a rack and bags to get all weight off your body.

Get the fattest slicks you can fit and lower the air pressure.

Basically, you'll end up with a worthy beach cruiser.

I think your problem is probably a combination of fit and the straight bar. I suppose you could try a riser bar, or Ergon grips or something, but what I could do is put a wide Nitto Noodle handlebar on the Trek, get the bars up(and I'm assuming you have a quill stem, so that should be easy), and ride that.

The Nitto Noodle is wide, has flat ramps, and is swept toward the rider. It gives one more hand position(the usuable ramp) and has helped me a LOT with my hand numbness problem.

https://www.rivbike.com/product-p/hb1.htm ------Nitto Noodle.

I have Noodles on all three of my road bikes. I used to be in misery after 20 minutes on a ride. Now I can ride all day.

I'll try to take some pics and post today -


I should add one of my issues in dialing in a good commute position is that I usually ride very small frames for my size - I'm 5'8" but I have very short legs (28.5" inseam). So, I wind up getting very small frames, 48 or 49cm. Then I need to jam the seat all the way up for a good pedaling position; but the frame typically only goes so high at the head tube, so I have a challenge getting the bars as high as the seat.


This was not really an issue in the past - in fact, it worked out well for fast aggressive riding as it was easy to get a big saddle-to-bars drop and get an aero position. I still like that on my Orbea (regular drop bars, fast recreational riding) but clearly on the commutes, I need to make changes.

I think a new bar is definitely in order, and the Nitto Noodle looks good to me - the trick is getting it all to fit with my brakes and shifter, stem, etc. I think I have some Cane Creek drop bar brake levers with cushy hoods in my parts box, so that is a possibility...

Here's the mtb. Tange MTB cro-mo (Double butted frame and stays, triple butted fork). The weight is about 26 lbs. There is a 2" drop from saddle to bars now, and from 22" the nose of the saddle to center of handlebars. The stem has been raised to its limit, and I adjusted the seat tilt; before I had it with the nose slightly down; I think it's too nose-high now, I will try to level it if the post clamp allows.




Here is the Trek - weight is about 22 lbs. You can see It's tiny, I had to use a pricey carbon seat post because that was the only one I found with adequate saddle setback adjustment. It was a mid-80s 12 speed "Triathlon" (sport) bike, mid-line wheelbase. 531 main frame, Tange straight gauge cro-mo fork and stays. The quill-to-threadless adapter is maxed out here (I mistakenly thought it had more vertical extension available) and the stem has been flipped - previously, I had it set parallel to the ground, as I was using this bike on 50-100 mile weekend rides. The drop from saddle to bars is now at 1.5" and the distance from saddle nose to center of bars is 21".




The trek has definitely been more comfy, and I am guessing from the measurements I give here, it would be less painful than the mtb for my hands. I do have a wider mtb bar and bar ends I can throw on the MTB, but not sure if that will help... you can see the mtb stem has a pulley for the front brake cable, not sure how much work that would be to set up with a different stem. I've improvised a cable stop before, but braking was very mushy and scary in traffic. If you guys can see any difference in the angle of the two bars, pls let me know. Not sure if that might help tweak the mtb.

Thanks!

Hi there PGoat!

I think most people here have nailed it!

The more upright sitting position in combination with good front-end shock absorption, ergon grips, and some really nice gel gloves should keep you off the recumbent. If not, I'd rather go recumb than cagey!

- Slim

I looked at the pictures of your bikes. I think you're going to need a new stem to get the bars up to a more comfortable position. Nitto makes a variety of stems to do that. I don't know if you can get a Nitto Technomic long enough, but Riv does sell one they call the Tallux. https://www.rivbike.com/product-p/st1.htm It may be tall enough.

You could always use this as an excuse to get a nice new bike, ya know. You can never have too many.

Nice Brooks BTW. Even nicer vinyl collection. :-)

You might try bars with some sweep, Mary, surly's open bar, albatross/north road bars all are pretty good. Getting the angle right is key with that sort of bar, the ends tilted down but finding the right angle is as finicky as finding the perfect position for a Brooks. That being said, nitto noodles rock if you have a long torso you could put a dirt drop stem on your mtb and have a fun 26" drop bar monster.

I'd switch tires to big apples or maxxis hookworms before I went with a suspension fork. Run at lower pressures they'll give good shock absorption without the energy penalties of a suspension fork.

+1 for ergons. The biokork ones are really nice and worth every penny.

thanks so much everyone, I'll have to look into a better handlebar and these Ergons - those are news to me. And yeah, I have to get good tires.

I was thinking maybe a riser bar like the Wald 867 or 872 for the mtb...yes, it will be tricky setting it up right and it will have to be good b/c I doubt there are many usable positions. I have started trying a long greenbelt trail - paved, flat. It adds a mile or so to my commute and takes me out of my way, but I can speed up and make up the extra time and spin for the HR boost, plus it keeps me out of traffic for about 75 blocks, not bad! But the Nittos would be better there...only problem is the reach on the MTB is already kind of long.

Yeah, a new bike may also be the answer...I'll probably try a few tweaks first and then if I have to I'll sell one or both or these towards something new, maybe a cyclocross with a riser stem.

Would you guys sell these as is or part them out? I can always keep the Trek wheelset for my Orbea and I think the frame would make someone a nice fixie. I'm guessing the mtb parts wouldn't be worth much, although I could be wrong.