Raising the Bar... WAY up

[BiketoBasics]

I have developed trouble with my hands after riding a bike for so many years, mainly the right one. Handlebar palsy they call it. Surgery is scheduled to help correct the problem and thanks to Canada's vaunted and worldy acclaimed health care system, this surgery should take place 13 months from now.

In the meantime, I have to get my handlebar position much more elevated. Currently (and for the longest time), the riding position is not even very prone and I use ergo grips. (current bike)

For those who have had to do this on their own rides for comfort reasons, some of your stem and bar solutions are welcome.

 

[Carge]

This may sound daft - but bmx bars are sooo comfy

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/the-new-26”-cruiser-bmx-thread.472210/

 

[markoc]

+1 for BMX bars.

Lots of variety available in respect of how high they raise the arms and give you a more "sitting up" rather than "sitting over" stance.

None of us are getting any younger, and my days of arse up head down attack position are long gone!

 

[bikeworkshop]

Up?
Why not lower the bar almost to the ground!

The ultimate solution:

My wife riding my windcheater, circa 2002.
Superbly comfortable, incredible down hill, mind-boggling up.
Slightly scary in traffic or narrow lanes between the hedgerows.

 

[Scott-S]

Up?
Why not lower the bar almost to the ground!

The ultimate solution:
View attachment 910708
My wife riding my windcheater, circa 2002.
Superbly comfortable, incredible down hill, mind-boggling up.
Slightly scary in traffic or narrow lanes between the hedgerows.

Looks incredibly comfortable, sadly with the standard of driving (or lack thereof) in Glasgow that is instant speedbump material.
I remember seeing on of these around Glagow a good few years ago and the lad had a hi-vis pennant on a pole to al least try to be noticed by the MaGoo crowd.. It would probably need to be a high intensity amber LED beacon these days

 

[bikeworkshop]

With an upright bike, the steering geometry relates to the weight distribution.
The vicar and the midwife's roadsters are nice and sedate with little weight on the bars.

10mm movement can make a big difference, but if you need to unweight your wrists completely, it might be best to find a bike built for it.

The knock on problems though are that you no longer get power from the upper body, and your lower spine starts carrying that dead weight.

Just getting younger is the best solution:

https://tourisme-broceliande.bzh/en/lieu/fontaine-de-jouvence/

There's great charming cycle touring in the forest of broceliande, and the food is fabulous!

 

[greencat]

Looking at your current set up, there is plenty of scope to get those handle bars higher with a different setup/bike.

BMX bars on a slightly undersized 26r MTB are a lot of fun, and will get hands up higher and potentially farther back. Recumbents are also fun, but hard work on hilly areas.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

It's my back and shoulders that can't take the low bars. The "sit up and beg" position is comfortable for me. Smaller frames, higher bars.

Riser bars and tall stem. Forget fashion and adapt, whatever sets you up properly to ride

 

[grantoury]

If your bike has an aheadset, this stem will get your handlebar a lot higher. Ergotec high charisma:

 

[bedraggled]

I have the same issue with straight bars and I tried higher bars and ergon grips without success.
Eventually I found that changing my hand position worked wonders.
Now I use swept back bars, the further the better.