gringodevil

Greetings BFers,

(apologies in advance for cross-posting in road bikes forum)
I am riding El Camino del Santiago in April. I am new to both road bikes and cycle touring. I have a titanium Davis Carver bike with carbon forks and 105 all around. I love it, but due to lower back fusion surgery, I cannot tolerate riding in the drop (lower) position on the bars, and for such a long ride as el Camino, I need some more options. I can squeeze out about 3 different hand position on top of the drop bars, but I am looking for more options for riding positions. I have shimano 105 integrated brake/shifters. I have looked at some of the various iterations of touring handlebars (mustache, H-Bar, euro trekking bar), but it seems that none would work with my current shifters, and I would have to change out varied brand new equipment--I may be wrong about that. I have looked at stem extenders to bump up the drop bars, but I read something they are not compatible with carbon forks--I may be wrong about that. I have looked at these triathlon type bars to attach to drop bars, but it looked like they would stretch me out further forward and lower, not back friendly. And lastly, from a google search, I have seen where people have mounted ergon grips to the side of the drop bars--but that looks like hell, and not very strong. From my mountain bike, I loved the bull bars you mount on the end of the flat handlebars, and it gives more options for hand positions, but I'm not aware of any that I could mount on the top of the drop bars, as they only secure at the end of the tubes.

Any thought on any of these 'solutions,' or any better solutions would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Russell

FBinNY 

You're asking very specific fit related advice here. Since nobody here can see you on the bike, and nobody knows exactly how and why your back gets inflamed, I doubt that anybody will be able to give you specific advice.

Best find a fitter and explore your riding posture requirements. Once you have that dialed in, then you can consider the equipment changes necessary to achieve it.

CliffordK

Photos of your bike always help when asking about fitting.

So you are going on about a 500 mile ride? How many days?

You don't need Tri-Bars.

The fused back may give you some unique issues. But, you can ride the bars without going into the drops too.

I like flat top (aero) drop bars, but you can also wrap the cable housings to give a limited flat top effect.

I avoid stem extensions if possible. However, you can turn your stem upward or downward. If there are spacers above it, put them below the stem. And there are stems of different lengths that go upward at various angles (MTB stems?), as well as adjustable stems. There are lots of options to change the bar position to be comfortable.

More time and practice on the bike can also help a lot.

rm -rf

Raise the bars?
My adventure bike has the bars set just slightly below the top of the saddle. And I really like "shallow drop", "compact" bars, typically about 80mm reach and 120mm drop.

I can easily ride in the drops by leaning forward slightly--and my arms rotate downward more, my back hardly moves. So the drops are just another hand position now. The drops are easier on my hands, spreading the pressure over a larger area of my palms.

This stem comparison tool shows how far the bars move, horizontally and vertically, with a change in stem length or angle. There are steeply angle stems, like this 30 degree stem, and adjustable stems can be useful for trying new positions.

For instance, comparing a typical +6 degree, 110 mm stem to a +30 degree 120 mm stem, the +30 one is 20 mm less reach and 45 mm higher.

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Carbon steerers are usually limited to 30mm of spacers (3 of the standard 10mm spacers), or sometimes 40mm.

Tourist in MSN

Shorter stem and stems with more angle, or both may work well. The attached photo shows my expedition bike with a steeply angled stem to get the bars up higher.

Also note that my bars have a very small amount of reach, with these bars I do not reach as far forward to ride on the hoods as I would with most other bars, that could allow you to sit up a bit more when using the hoods, which I am sure you will want to do some of the time.

And, another option would be to change forks to one with a steel steerer. Then you can add as many spacers as you want to get the bars higher.

Agree, a bar with less drop may work well too.

boomhauer

fietsbob

Fatten the diameter, wear padded gloves..

Do You have a Compact short ramp Bar to go with the Brifters, maybe raise the Stem , up angled that moves the bars Closer..





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Happy Feet

You could try aero bars for a modest cost to see if they help.
I don't spend a long time in mine as they do stretch me out but they give me a chance to take the pressure off my hands and let some circulation return.
There is an added position in actually holding the forearm pads with your hands. That puts you more upright which also takes the pressure off.

stardognine

I say try the trekking/butterfly bars, and possibly a higher stem. Like you said, you'd need to change to MTB shifters, but the comfort level is way worth the trouble. Besides, you can probably get something for the old 105 shifters, or put them on another bike, so you won't lose out much on cost. I have mine upside down, so I can still get pretty aero when needed. Good luck.

fietsbob

20+ years ago there were these under the tape lumps, 'grip shapes' from the now defunct Off the Front. I got several sets,
and put them on my customized randonneur bend bars.

By doing that the tops were widened and flattened.. drops too but I dont dwell on the drops much..



DIY any? you could make them by gouging out lumber , waxing it for mold release,

and pouring in the self curing plastic-rubber, like plastidip, for tool handle coating..





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samanthadavies

I'd recommend aero bars. They'll light and cheap. In case you have any issues, there's plenty of local bike shops along the way.

52telecaster

i would consider inverted mustache bars. they work for me and my arthritic neck. i use them on everything now and fully loaded touring is much easier for this old man. sometimes i use them with cross interupter brake levers and sometimes i use old road levers. these pics arent the clearest examples of where the brake levers are but you can see how the bars sit.