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Old October 13th 19, 01:12 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
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Default Beginner question

I got your remarks about the CF Trek above, Joy. It's the reason I gave up the crank-forward style altogether: no way to lay down any power.

On Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 1:06:55 AM UTC+1, Joy Beeson wrote:
On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 08:28:07 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

2. I assume you're looking at upright handlebars rather than
road (drop) bars. The large offroad market means you can
get matching quality compatible shifters for most popular
road gear systems. Flat or upright bars do not mean a lower
quality bike.


The other way around. Upright bars aggravate my damaged rotator cuff.

Also, the last time I rode my upright-bar bike less than half a mile
to Sweet Dreams, I was out of breath when I got there. I don't even
notice that distance on my drop-bar bike.


This is a standard problem for people of a certain age, and even for lifelong cyclists who are merely middle-aged. Because I'm finicky about ergonomics around my hands, I'm a very big fan of North Road bars for their huge adjustability, but I came to cycling late in life, and already under the physio's care for fused bits in my backbone from years of sitting upright in hard chairs. (A problem I alleviated by designing and licensing an ergonomic chair for writers.*) So I sat almost upright on my bicycle from the beginning.

But I'm on another conference of bicycle tourers where many have been riding drop bars all their lives. Their bodies get set in a mode by years of practice and while some of them are willing to try flat bars and North Road bars, their bodies are just not happy, and frankly I see no point in forcing someone to change the habits of a lifetime in a hobby or a lifestyle choice if it will hurt physically or otherwise reduce the advantage they derive. (Some of the self-styled "bicycle fit specialists" in Ireland are a menace.) However, it is often possible to set drop bars a little higher, and to ride on the hoods more often, and so gradually raise the posture of the back to an angle more commensurate with the age of the skeleton even if not theoretically perfect. There have been reports of pleasing results by small changes, which is about all we can expect.

Andre Jute
Growing up with your bike

* When my prototype chair wore out, the new owners of the license reneged on a handshake deal made thirty or forty years ago to give me a new chair free of charge on request. So I switched to Herman Miller Mirra chairs and have been very happy with them. A good tip is to order all the options except the cloth cover, because the options contain the tailorability of the Mirra. A lot of people like HM's often less expensive Aeron but I find it a bit pompous for no particular advantage, and in subtle ways not quite as good as the less flashy Mirra.
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