Rich22

I have been fitted by my LBS, and so far my position is pretty comfy except after about 70 miles i realized something.

I think im putting to much pressure on the front of my wrists ((After about 7-10 miles, they start to get tingly)))

My handle bar angle is pointed downwards not extremely but i would say atleast 10-15 degrees.

Kind of like this:


Would making my handle bar angle like these 2 pictures fix my problem?

botto 

dude, it's not rocket science. break out your allen key, adjust the bars, go for a ride, and see how it feels.

Rich22

I understand but i already took my ride for today. ANd was wondering if a straight through handlebar angle is appropriate. Or is the downard angle how it is supposed to be in the aerodynamic position?

botto 

/\ some like their bars like the first example, others like the latter.

Here's a pic of Sean Yates,back in the pre STI days. Note how low his hoods are. That was the fashion back then. Anything higher was Fred.

LA has his hoods high. Not sure if he's the one who set the trend, or just part of it. Yates still likes his hoods low.

Here's a shot of him with the Diskettes. he's low, they're high.

nova

I angled my bar ends down a bit do to numb hands it seems to have helped some. I have a little more diffrence between tops and drops now as well wich i like.

Rich22

Interesting comparison... I angled them up slightly and will report back after a ride to see if it helped. Might also help the angle in my elbows too!

Lucky07

I don't know about you, but after 70 miles I start to get tired. When I'm tired I put too much weight on my hands & they get tingly/numb. Definitely fine tune your fit if needed but also change your hand positions frequently on long rides.

bvfrompc

I had ridden my bike for a year with them pretty much flat up top, took my bike into the shop to swap out bars 44 to a 46, they return the bike with the bars angled down according to their personal preference, when I flattened out the bar, the hoods were way too close and pointing straight up. I asked the shop manager to set them back up the way I brought it in, I didn't want to dissasemble, assemble, and then retape. He wouldn't, explained that my position was bad before and that it should be the way they set them up. Which was weird becuase I had actually felt pretty good the way I had them, had been fit by a guy in Salt Lake that fit some little guy that does real well in TTs for a company called CSC, and basically was the damned customer and wanted them that way so just put the bike back together the way I brought it in. I came back four hours later, the hoods had been moved a cm or so (I presume they shoved them as much as they could without retaping) but still no-where near where they had been on the old bars. I went to a new shop. They listened to me and ten minutes later had my hoods back they were originally and I was out $10. End of this lovely story.

SlowSpinner

Can you tell a difference with the 46 CM bars from the 44 CM bars.

earleybird

I reckon Sean rides with his hoods low cos he's got arms the length of a gorilla (sorry Sean) but just look at the length of his arms! Sean's elbows are way behind his knees which looks very cramped but then look how low and aerodynamic his position is in the early picture.
Like Botto said it ai'nt rocket science. There is no standard position or magic formalae you should fine tune everything gradually until it feels `right' then measure what you have so you can transfer the settings to another frame if ever you need to or get a quick setup if you ever strip the bike and rebuild it. Go for a spin and take your allen keys with you and just stop and adjust as you go.
Adjust your saddle fore and aft as well as up and down. Adjust your stem hight also. Your stem may be too long causing you to strtch and put more weight on your arms/hands to support your torso. If you have weak stomach muscles you will tend to support yourself with straight arms which will tend to transmit all the vibration though your arms and hands. Maybe you are also gripping the hoods too tightly. Try to relax your grip more Good luck

bvfrompc

It is amazing what a difference it makes, it was just one of those nagging little things that felt a little tight in the chest/shoulders that I do not feel anymore. It isn't something that I notice, its really the lack of noticing that tightness now. I wear a size 50 jacket (XXL) and had no business riding on the middle of the size range bars, I'm still surprised it came stock on my 60cm Cannondale R1000.

D-Roc

to the OP, all i have to say is that Bianchi is very nice.

that is all.

RiPHRaPH

my buddy just realized the same thing. he just got new handlebars. the bar ends, when parallel with the ground should be flatter at the top. No amt of allen wrenching will achieve that with the bars on that Klein at the top.
Check out some FSA bars.

bccycleguy

Do you ride mainly on the hoods or in the drops? Setting the bar angle so it is best for one riding position may compromise the other position a bit. Most people like the brake levers vertical, but people touring often set the bars in the up position for comfort on the hoods.

Rich22

Well, I angled it so that the brake levers are vertical. I still get tingly/numbness in my left hand. It just seems no matter how i put my hands on the hoods it feels hard and uncomfortable. I did that test about being in the riding position and then letting your hands off the hoods, and im not sure what my results mean. Obviously when i let go of the hoods i had to hold myself up, but it wasnt that bad...?

DocRay

Yeah, back then high levers were fred, but having FAGOR on yer kit was the sh*t.

dekalbSTEEL

Which brifters do you have? Shimano?

I've found that campy ergo levers lend themselves to a flat set up



yet I can't seem to get my Ultegra 9's to do the same thing due to the steeper angle on the hoods

peugeot89

My hands were getting tingly and numb too. After long rides, and eventually just after my short commute to work (about 5 miles). I read a great tip that said "support your weight with your muscles, not with your bones". It's hard at first, you have to use your stomach and back muscles to hold yourself up instead of putting all of your weight on your hands. You get tired quick, and it takes lots of concentration to support your weight that way, but after awhile you train yourself to ride that way and it really makes a difference. My hands don't get numb anymore, long or short rides. Try it. It works.

onkey

great advice a**hole. this guy was just asking for a bit of advice. not everyone is a "pro" like yourself

yellowjeep

Good advice.

Off topic, Sean Yates in the man. Everybody in the Disco pics is in full winter kit, he has only leg warmers, and a frame pump. I rest my case.