Need a quality road bike around 15 to 18lbs with a cruiser handlebar set up
 

I have bad arthritis but love to do bike trips. My wife just bought a Specialized Ruby road bike. So little effort to ride. My problem I can't put pressure on my hands and lean over like the bike is set up to do. Do they make a 15lb to 18lb carbon fiber or aluminum road bike that I can ride like a cruiser. Thanks. Mike

And it has to be between "15lb to 18lb" because that is what your wife's new Specialized Ruby road bike weighs? Do you think it is it's weight that makes it so effortless to ride?

Worry about function, and less about specific weight.

How about something along these lines ??

URBAN & FITNESS - BIKES - 2016

How about a Trek FX 7.9. It's a carbon flatbar bike.

7.9 FX - Trek Bicycle

You can maybe replace the bars with something more "relaxed".

^^^ looks like a good start. :thumb:

What about a recumbent? Those things go fast, and I see them on MUPs and bike lanes all the time. Shouldn't have no problems there.

You won't find a bike that lightweight with high handlebars, but there's no reason not to find a lightweight bike and put high handlebars on it. You could have a mechanic put something like this together:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=485757
But that high stem and handlebars and those kind of brake levers don't come in lightweight styles, so all those additions are going to add to the weight of a lightweight racing style bike. As others have suggested, you might be putting too much importance on light weight. You might want to go with some fatter tires to smooth out the bumps, in which case you might not be able to put together a bike in your desired weight range. But you can certainly put together a very smooth and efficient bike that isn't super light.

Here's a possibility -- I have this alloy frame and compact gearing on an endurance road bike. This one has flat bars and 32 instead of 25 tires.

Verza Speed 10 - Felt Bicycles

I've put "swept" bars on my bikes for wrist comfort, though I don't have arthritis. I find that flat bars pound the hell out of my wrists. The only caveat is that the cables may have to be just a bit longer, which means... new cables.

Is the arthritis affecting your hands, back or both? I think you are going to be disappointed to find out that once you change the riding position to upright with a riser stem and cruiser bars, that 15-18 pound bike isn't going to be as effortless as your wife's Ruby. Weight does make a difference but more important are geometry, rider position and quality of components. If you are putting too much pressure on your hands it is likely a combination of aggressive geometry and poor bike fit. Go to an LBS that has a good bike fitter and work with him/her to determine your best riding position in respect to both comfort and efficiency. Then find a bike with an appropriate geometry and get the fit tuned with the right stem, bars, seat post, and crank length. With a proper fit, you shouldn't be putting a lot of pressure on your hands even with drop bars.

Mike, you are looking for a performance cruiser. I built one for my wife about 4 years ago. Though I didn't shoot for a weight target that low, I did end up with a lighteweight bike with cruiser ergos. You won't be able to buy one. You'll have to build to some degree. What is your budget? Can you do basic wrenching like swapping handlebars and changing stems? You'll likely have to buy a new saddle as well.

So, did you ride your wife's bike and find that you had to put too much pressure on your hands? Does her bike fit you well? Did you have to raise the saddle to be able to ride it? Sitting more upright has its own downsides. You put more of your weight onto the saddle and the upright position is aerodynamically much less efficient as well as shifting your center of gravity farther back putting more of your weight onto the rear wheel which can affect handling at higher speeds.

Flat bars will reduce the reach of a road bike by 4-6". If possible, you want a fork with a long, uncut steerer.
Very upright riding positions put more road shock through your spine, so you may need fatter tyres or sprung/sus saddle.
In touring clubs you will often find some older rider on a lightweight flat bar roadbike.

It is not quite that light, but Giant has the Cypress comfort road bike, 700x38 multi-surface tires, high bars, shock seat post, in mens or womens with 21 or 24 speed. My wife has one and loves it.

To get it that light, you would need to start with a superlight comfort road bike such as an s-works roubaix, swap the bars out for cruiser bars, and swap the shifters and brake levers to SRAM XX

I don't think you're going to find anything in a fitness or hybrid style that light. You will be able to get an aluminum frame with a carbon fork. But, to get down below about 21 - 22 lbs is going to be very tough.

Try a stem with more height and less reach, or an adjustable stem. Try some bullhorn bars with zero drop in the middle--- mount them backwards. (You might have to saw off the ends to keep from hitting your knees, if the ends are long.) That will effectively give you a flat bar with slight drops on the ends. If you can tolerate NO drop, just rotate the bar so you have a flat bar with bar ends so you can vary your hand position. Mustache bars MIGHT work, but they tend to actually increase the reach in the middle, since most of them curve forward first--- they look cool, though.

You'll want a flat bar road bike AKA fitness hybrid bike. If drop bars are not for you, you can still do bike trips with a comfortable, fast bike.

I actually can understand that even though you require a cruiser type bike, your still a weight weenie and want the sleekest coolest looking ride out there.
I would suggest going to the lbs and telling them what you want. They will love to sell you a high end road bike and then sell you additional add-ons.
I say go to the lbs because not all handle bars will adapt easily to all bikes. Let the sales person and mechanic make suggestions.
That being said, as one who also has arthritis in my neck, I urge you to consider your health and comfort over weight.
A suspension fork and sprung saddle may be the wisest choice.
Good luck.

This makes a lot of sense. A good LBS with experiened employees that cn help you is what's needed. They should be able let you ride some and get better ideas.

If there's not a bike store or one that you know of like that in your area, post your location here. Someone should be able to offer suggestions.

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