Idea for riders with wrist problems

[Peter Gardner]

In trying to get my mom to start biking, we have run into difficulties
with her wrists. She's had some wrist problems for a while, and is
unable to put much weight on her wrists for very long. So I've been
thinking of ways around that.

Recumbents work. She's tried one, and liked it, but she probably won't
want to buy another bike (she's a bit annoyed about the four my dad and
I already have, not to mention the assorted random parts littering the
basement.

Those whatchamacallit thingies that stick out in front probably won't do
either, since she is posture conscious.

Then last night, right before I went to sleep, I got an idea. Elbow
pads on poles sticking out behind the handlebars! I think I could even
make them, with help from a guy I know who has a welding torch. How
workable does this sound?

Peter

[Joe Potter]

Peter Gardner wrote:

> In trying to get my mom to start biking, we have run into difficulties
> with her wrists. She's had some wrist problems for a while, and is
> unable to put much weight on her wrists for very long. So I've been
> thinking of ways around that.
>
> Recumbents work. She's tried one, and liked it, but she probably won't
> want to buy another bike (she's a bit annoyed about the four my dad and
> I already have, not to mention the assorted random parts littering the
> basement.
>
> Those whatchamacallit thingies that stick out in front probably won't do
> either, since she is posture conscious.
>
> Then last night, right before I went to sleep, I got an idea. Elbow
> pads on poles sticking out behind the handlebars! I think I could even
> make them, with help from a guy I know who has a welding torch. How
> workable does this sound?
>
> Peter

What about one of those "aerobars" that I see on bikes. Looks like the arms
take most of the weight on those.

Or, you could start with a set of those and modify.

OTOH, I have a lot of wrist and hand pain with a flat bar bike that i do not
with a road bike. I love both bikes --- perhas my trusty hubrid the most,
but the road bike is a must for any real time in the saddle.

Good luck.

--
Regards, Joe

[Luigi de Guzman]

Peter Gardner > wrote in message >...
> In trying to get my mom to start biking, we have run into difficulties
> with her wrists. She's had some wrist problems for a while, and is
> unable to put much weight on her wrists for very long. So I've been
> thinking of ways around that.
>
> Recumbents work. She's tried one, and liked it, but she probably won't
> want to buy another bike (she's a bit annoyed about the four my dad and
> I already have, not to mention the assorted random parts littering the
> basement.
>
> Those whatchamacallit thingies that stick out in front probably won't do
> either, since she is posture conscious.

"posture" as old ladies understand it has very little to do with
riding a bicycle comfortably or efficiently.....

>
> Then last night, right before I went to sleep, I got an idea. Elbow
> pads on poles sticking out behind the handlebars! I think I could even
> make them, with help from a guy I know who has a welding torch. How
> workable does this sound?

It sounds like she is uncomfortable with the reach of the handlebars.
Replace the stem with one which has a great deal more rise and not as
much extension. swept-back, "North Road"-style handlebars will raise
her position still further. Note that with the change in position,
the saddle height might not be quite right anymore, nor indeed will
the saddle itself be more comfortable; the more upright the posture
on an upright bicycle, the more weight rests on the saddle, and so the
wider (generally) the saddle is going to be to achieve comfort (when
compared to a more extended position).

Or you could put wide dropped bars on. Teach her to ride on the hoods
or just behind the hoods. Eminently comfortable position for the
wrists (at least mine)--I could and do stay there 90 percent of the
time--only going to the drops for headwinds or 'go-fast' moments, only
going to the tops on hills and for a change. I think a lot of people
assume (incorrectly!) that because of the lever placement and the way
bars are bent that they must ride in the drops *all the time*--and
this is undoubtedly what leads to all this carping about dropped
handlebars being instruments of torture.

All of the above should be cheaper than buying the recumbent, but, if
she wants the recumbent, by all means convince her to have one. I'd
rather more people were on bikes.

I have a hard time getting my mother to get on a bike, but her main
problem isn't discomfort as much as fear. My own recent crash hasn't
done much to reassure her. And she crashed badly when she was a kid,
with pretty nasty roadrash. That put her off the whole experience.


-Luigi

[Rick Warner]

Peter Gardner > wrote in message >...
> In trying to get my mom to start biking, we have run into difficulties
> with her wrists. She's had some wrist problems for a while, and is
> unable to put much weight on her wrists for very long. So I've been
> thinking of ways around that.
>
> Recumbents work. She's tried one, and liked it, but she probably won't
> want to buy another bike (she's a bit annoyed about the four my dad and
> I already have, not to mention the assorted random parts littering the
> basement.
>
> Those whatchamacallit thingies that stick out in front probably won't do
> either, since she is posture conscious.
>
> Then last night, right before I went to sleep, I got an idea. Elbow
> pads on poles sticking out behind the handlebars! I think I could even
> make them, with help from a guy I know who has a welding torch. How
> workable does this sound?
>
> Peter

How about just moving the handle bars higher. And use some handlebars
with lots of positions. I had to make adjustments last year after breaking
both wrists in an accident ... higher handlebars = more upright = less weight.

- rick

[Joe Potter]

Joseph Santaniello wrote:

>
> How about "high-rise" style bars like you see on chopper type
> motorcycles? Sitting completely upright there would be no weight on the
> wrists.
>
> Joseph
>

That would have to work well.

--
Regards, Joe

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article >,
says...

>In trying to get my mom to start biking, we have run into difficulties
>with her wrists. She's had some wrist problems for a while, and is
>unable to put much weight on her wrists for very long. So I've been
>thinking of ways around that.

You may want to play with the position of the handlebars relative to the
seat. A more upright position will place much less weight on her arms.
-----------------
Alex __O
_-\<,_
(_)/ (_)

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article >,
says...

>How about "high-rise" style bars like you see on chopper type
>motorcycles? Sitting completely upright there would be no weight on the
>wrists.

Those are called ape hangers. Never tried them, but they don't look
comfortable.
-----------------
Alex __O
_-\<,_
(_)/ (_)

[risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi]

Luigi de Guzman > wrote:

: It sounds like she is uncomfortable with the reach of the handlebars.
: Replace the stem with one which has a great deal more rise and not as
: much extension. swept-back, "North Road"-style handlebars will raise
: her position still further. Note that with the change in position,
: the saddle height might not be quite right anymore, nor indeed will
: the saddle itself be more comfortable; the more upright the posture
: on an upright bicycle, the more weight rests on the saddle, and so the
: wider (generally) the saddle is going to be to achieve comfort (when
: compared to a more extended position).

Yup there could be too much weight on the hands. Cycling gloves
can fix the problem too, but I think it's better to first make
sure the position is correct :)

One should also ride with the arms slightly bent, not with elbows
locked out...

: Or you could put wide dropped bars on. Teach her to ride on the hoods
: or just behind the hoods. Eminently comfortable position for the
: wrists (at least mine)--I could and do stay there 90 percent of the
: time--only going to the drops for headwinds or 'go-fast' moments, only
: going to the tops on hills and for a change. I think a lot of people
: assume (incorrectly!) that because of the lever placement and the way
: bars are bent that they must ride in the drops *all the time*--and
: this is undoubtedly what leads to all this carping about dropped
: handlebars being instruments of torture.

For a while I wished my hybrid was really a touring bike with drop
bars. Then I went for something entirely different...

: All of the above should be cheaper than buying the recumbent, but, if
: she wants the recumbent, by all means convince her to have one. I'd
: rather more people were on bikes.

If she likes the recumbent you can probably sell off the old bike
and finance at least 1% of the recumbent :p

: I have a hard time getting my mother to get on a bike, but her main
: problem isn't discomfort as much as fear. My own recent crash hasn't
: done much to reassure her. And she crashed badly when she was a kid,
: with pretty nasty roadrash. That put her off the whole experience.

Maybe she'd like a recumbent trike. A quite different feeling of
riding. Too bad there aren't trikes people would like to loan to
their friends and family everywhere :( Fortunately there are some
for just $500 (new, the 2nd hand market is also worth checking).

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html
varis at no spam please iki fi