I am in a lot of pain while riding......and getting worse.

[Tom@WashDC]

I had a similar problem with nerve pain in my wrist and elbow. Using this guide, in combination with an adjustable handlebar riser, and these very supportive grips from SQLabs, I was able to configure my wrist position to eliminate the pain completely.

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Tom
I'll make sure I get the angle right when I mount the new HBars that are coming.
I am hoping that I'll have better seating angles as compared to the straight bar,
I have on the bike now.
This H Bar should be here before this Friday;

Granola Bar

The Granola Bar is our take on a traditional city and touring bar while retaining elegant lines and curves that is often lost in many of today's modern offerings. Width is a cool 680mm and rise is generous at 30mm.

velo-orange.com

Tia,
Don

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Ahoy! I had a revelation! I was getting annoyed with the way I have to lean forward on my bike, even though it has normal, not drop, handlebars. I had the adjustable stem positioned so they were as far up and back (towards the seat) as possible, but still I have to lean forward quite a bit. I thought maybe I should get a stem riser or some other stem unit to get the handlebar as up and back as possible. Then I thought, why don't I turn the stem thing around and see how it feels? So I turned the stem thingee around. I didn't ride for a couple of weeks because of weather and pulled thigh muscle. But yesterday I tried it out and MAN, IS IT MORE COMFORTABLE!! . I sit more erect, instead of having so much of my torso weight on my shoulders and wrists. Wow! Get your handlebars up and back, and your back, neck and shoulders will thank you profusely!!

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Chez-cheese
I had the same problem and did the same thing you did with the adjustable stem, but I was still in lots of pain in the wrist/neck and back areas.
My OEM Hbar only provided 1.5" of reach back and I was looking like a OLD stinkbug when riding. When I turned my adjustable stem 180* around, I only gained 1.5" more of reach back length (not enough).

I then researched the swept back reach of the handlebars (see info on the first post), and found out that by having a longer/swept back bar ends, should make life a lot better, plus I adjusted my suspension seat as far forward, which helped a little bit, but only had approximately 2-1/2" to work with.

Then I found this site that allowed me to compare some of the spec's of the Hbars, and found several that provided 6-10" of reach/sweep back length.
I got the longest reach back, if the reach back is to long, I can trim off what is not needed to get the length I want/need and still provide attachment room for the brakes/shifters etc.

Reach back is the distance from the clamping stem to the end of the handlebars,
with a straight edge held on the ends of the bars, and take a 90* reading to the stem area.
I'll post a couple of photo's when the new bars get here and I am changing over.
HTH's
Tia,
Don

 

[Nvreloader]

Well Guys/Gals
Here is a follow up to the new handle bars (Velo Orange Granola Bars), they are GREAT, I have 5-1/2" of more reach back and I turned the adjustable stem around which provided another 1-1/2" of reach back, stem is in the straight up configuration now, and will provide about another 1" reach back, when leaned back towards me if needed..

I'll post a photo to show the difference between the stock OEM bars and the Granola,
this is the first ride only about 10 miles on some rough roads/trails, and my wrists/shoulders don't hurt and neither does the back.
I can sit up straight and both hands can reach the handle bars comfortably etc.

I still have to make some minor adjustments to get the shifter/brake handles,
throttle, bar mirrors etc in the best locations for me.

Now I am looking for a good HD basket for the front end,
so I can move my mini pack up front..............to give me a better swing over room.

Tia,
Don

 

[tomjasz]

I’m happy to read this. The only way I’m comfy is on flat foot frames, I’m glad you found you best fit. I’m anxious to see the picture. I’ve seen those bars and wondered how they’d actually fit and perform..

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Glad to hear you have solved the problem!

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks guys

Here are a couple photo's, looking down view.
Old OEM bars are on top of the granola bar, the tape shows the reach back
and distance to the front of the seat nose. I had to tape the bars to hold them in place.

20220708-151526 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220708-151526 in Nvreloader's images album

ibb.co

20220708-151553 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220708-151553 in Nvreloader's images album

ibb.co

UPDATED INFO
Here is an update to these new bars I just added to my Wart Hog bike,
I almost made a Bo Bo,
I had to add several pieces of rubber shim stock to several of the wrap a round bar clamps that hold these items onto the bars, the diameter was smaller than the OEM bars, due to the taper from the clamp area.
The OEM bars (approximately Salsa type bars) had a longer fatter straight section leaving the clamp area, before the first bend in the bar ends etc.

The new Granola bars has a very short straight section (not enough room) for all the items I wanted to attach to these bars before the bends started, I had to shim the display and extra accessory bar I added, due to the reduced diameter in the Granola bar.
See this diagram/site to impose different bars over each other to see the differences, select the Velo Ganola bar and then select the Rivendell Bosco and you can see the difference.
It is too bad that more handle bars are not included, it would make selections of handle bars so much easier. https://whatbars.com/

HTH's
Your thoughts and suggestions.........
Tia,
Don

 

[JES2020]

Thanks guys

Here are a couple photo's, looking down view.
Old OEM bars are on top of the granola bar, the tape shows the reach back
and distance to the front of the seat nose. I had to tape the bars to hold them in place.

20220708-151526 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220708-151526 in Nvreloader's images album

ibb.co

20220708-151553 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220708-151553 in Nvreloader's images album

ibb.co

UPDATED INFO
Here is an update to these new bars I just added to my Wart Hog bike,
I almost made a Bo Bo,
I had to add several pieces of rubber shim stock to several of the wrap a round bar clamps that hold these items onto the bars, the diameter was smaller than the OEM bars, due to the taper from the clamp area.
The OEM bars (approximately Salsa type bars) had a longer fatter straight section leaving the clamp area, before the first bend in the bar ends etc.

The new Granola bars has a very short straight section (not enough room) for all the items I wanted to attach to these bars before the bends started, I had to shim the display and extra accessory bar I added, due to the reduced diameter in the Granola bar.
See this diagram/site to impose different bars over each other to see the differences, select the Velo Ganola bar and then select the Rivendell Bosco and you can see the difference.
It is too bad that more handle bars are not included, it would make selections of handle bars so much easier. https://whatbars.com/

HTH's
Your thoughts and suggestions.........
Tia,
Don

Had the same problem with my Trek. It was cutting into my ride time, wrists, shoulder and neck pain during the rides and stiffness after riding.

I put considerable time into making the bike a cruiser without going hog wild on parts and work.
Ended up with a new seat, post spring, handlebar extensions (4).
Now I can ride with a much better posture and little if any pressure on the wrist shoulders and neck and the seat post spring allows me to ride through most bumps and holes.

 

[Nvreloader]

I also added a front basket, had to drill 2 new holes for bolting it on and make another bracket, works very well, now to fix this birds nest of loose dangling wires and clean them up, and it is very easy to swing the leg over the back rack now.

https://www.amazon.com/Addmotor-Electric-Metal-Front-Basket/dp/B07V4Q4QYW/ref=sr_1_8?

 

[vado813]

Guys & Gals
I have to change my handlebar setup, (the pain in the wrists/shoulder joints is almost to much too bear,)
as close as I can tell my HB looks like a Salsa Salt in shape/design,
and is about 765mm across bar end to bar end, and with no rise up height.

See design here:
https://whatbars.com/ (look up the HB here),
You can leave a bar choice selected and then choose another design/shape and it will superimpose over the first HB shape, so you can see the angles etc.

I also have adjustable 0-90*degree HB stem in 75-80mm height. I have these handlebars raised to the max height by having the adjustable stem turned around for the max height. (Can be pivoted towards me).
I am still hunched/leaned over (seat lowered as much as possible) and have to reach forward approximately 12-13" from a comfortable slightly straight up riding position to reach the end of the bars.
I would like to have about a 10-12" reach back and have approximately a Velo Orange Granola swept back shape of 55-60*degrees and approx 650mm in width and 2-3" rise height.

I have found one, but it is the smaller standard bike 25.4mm size, not the 31.8mm size I need,
for the clamp ring.

Your thoughts and suggestions..........
Tia,
Don

you need a different geometry bike or smaller frame. you can add and change things but i don't think thats going to change your pain.

 

[retiredNH]

I had same issue with hands going numb and shoulder pain from having to lean too far forward while riding on one of my ebikes. I purchased some swept back HB's as well as an adjustable stem. The adjustable stem took care of the issues pretty much and I was able to use the original HB that came on the bike. I replaced the grips with Ergon GP-1 grips and everything is fine now. I was able to to adjust the stem angle back and up to get the HB farther back and a bit higher than stock. This is the adjustable stem I used:

Did you mount the stem forward or backward?

 

[Jason Knight]

Go "cruiser" and set upright, its the only thing that works for me, my hands still get numb at times then I just let go and shake them out, I maybe grip the grips too hard.

Paddle grips can help with that. Really you shouldn't be "gripping" the grips so much as letting friction from your palm do the work. Fingers out straight ready for the shifter and brake levers. If you're "wrapping around" the grip, yeah. That.
It's the old Groucho Marx joke: "Doctor, doctor! It hurts when I do this!"

Well don't do that.

I cannot sing the praises of "paddle" grips loud enough. Even cheap ones like these:

Work miracles.

Though I've switched to a better thicker pair a couple months ago.

They help stop you from putting your wrist position too far down on the grip. If you're pushing with your palm against the vertical sides of the grip facing you, you're doing it wrong from a comfort and endurance standpoint and are going to hurt your wrists. It's why my paddles are angled down only about 10-15 degrees, to match the natural "flat" stance of my arms when seated.

For a lot of us with back pain, wrist/hand pain, and shoulder pain when riding, butt floss seats, straight bars way the hell out in front of you forcing the "crotch rocket" stance, and low diameter "grips" only induce more pain. Might be fine for some youngling slamming it down mountain trails, but not for us retirees and disabled riders who just don't bend that way anymore.

It's why I'm surprised there aren't more fat tire full or even partial suspension e-bikes pattered after beach cruisers. Maximizing comfortable ride with comfortable stance. I've seen a number of beach cruiser conversions, but with e-bike speeds and weight that's just asking for pain due to lack of suspension.

Basically what I've turned my Aventure into.

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Guys
I just about got the WH dialed in, I have a 130mm height and reach adjustable stem coming. I am hoping that by turning the swivel part back towards me, I can gain the 1"+ I need along with the slightly higher height I am using now.

Jason
What brand name are those handlebars?
Can do do this for me and provide the results, take a straight edge and place it across the ends of the Handlebars, then measure from the center (Distance) to the attachment stem clamp and provide the total distance from the stem clamp to end of the bars?
Those handle bars look to be around 8-10" of reach back. I only have 6" at this time.

You can see what I have here ,https://ibb.co/dpFxbzW

Thank you,
Don

 

[Jason Knight]

Jason
What brand name are those handlebars?

I actually have no clue. They came off a bike I had a decade and a half ago and sat on the floor in the back of my garage until quite recently. Was looking for something I already had to fit the Aventon, saw them and cleaned them up.

They were actually rusted to the floor, I sanded them down to bare metal, cleaned them up with rust remover and steel wool, gave them an alcohol wash to get them nice and dry, one coat of Rustoleum black primer, two coats of semi-gloss.

Profile-wise they're pretty much standard cruiser bars. 28" wide, 5" rise, 1" stem clamping area, I'll try to get an approximate measurement stem to bar-end when I get a chance.

Overall the Aventure feels too short for its own good. With the stock stem they were too far towards me, so I got this long stem to push it forward. They are indeed quite long from stem to stern.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FB17YT4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Which I like because it gives the bike a very distinctive look. Really quality stem riser for the price too. I'm amazed how much of today's "cheap junk" blows what we had 30 years ago out of the water.

Elevation is important too. If your arm ends up out locked straight, you're just going to cause elbow and wrist pain. Much less the odds of breaking or dislocating something in a crash or even just a bad bump. It's why I like long adjustable stem risers as it gives you more "values" to play with. Unless you're street racing professionally, it's a dumbass way to hold the bars.

I see a lot of riders on harsh terrain with their arms locked out straight ahead and just stare dumbfounded. It's as silly as having the seat up so high you're getting full extension, or so low you're getting none.

Those handle bars look to be around 8-10" of reach back. I only have 6" at this time.

You can see what I have here ,https://ibb.co/dpFxbzW

Thank you,
Don

I'll also take a top-down pic so we can try to better compare. Yours seems to push forward on their own before going back in a M shape, mine are more of a U.

 

[tomjasz]

I’m at Rochester Mayo Pain Clinic Monday for additional procedures. I can’t ride any frame other than a true flatfoot. Day6, Electra Townie, Trek Pure, and KHS Smoothie frames all allow me to ride comfortably. I won’t list the maladies but is sufficient to say im nearly crippled when it comes to walking. Those frames are my freedom. My spine is trashed and sitting in our cage hurts. Riding my crank forwards does not. Absolutely no pressure on arthritic hands.

 

[Jason Knight]

Those handle bars look to be around 8-10" of reach back. I only have 6" at this time.

It's a full foot, which is likely why I needed the longer stem riser to push them back forwards 6".

Sorry for the blurriness, parkinsonism is acting up again. Hard to take clear pictures when you're shaking like a chihuahua.

28" bar-end to bar-end, 12" stem to reach-line, and I was right, it's 5" of height gain.

Gives a better look at how wide it is. Most cruiser bars like on my old Micargi are 25" and some change. These are BIG.

Was nice to swap out that crap bag I had for a better one hanging off the upper shoulder. That dual shoulder fork was a really good investment as not only did I get more travel -- no longer bottoming out on pavement, but also because I can hang a front bag from it instead of the bars, not interfering with all the e-bike stuff. I also like that the load adjustment is now within reach so if I need to change it up for different trails, I don't have to get off the bike to do so.

Moving the display over let me put the control pad back out where it belongs, and angle it downward better to reduce glare. I'm playing with making a hood I'll contact cement on for the display to make glare less of an issue as well.

I added strain reliefs to every electrical cable, and redid the cable management with "Cad Bane" conduit instead of the wrap-on Aventon uses. It's a bit looser fitting, but it's nice to be able to re-arrange or take things out without having to unwrap everything. Besides I've got a roll of like 200 feet of the stuff hanging off my garage wall.

And with that bag out of the way people can see the logo where I went over Aventon's yellow with some candy coat red. Using candy meant I could change the colour without hiding the logo as I kind of like that part. Which is odd as I usually hate brand logo's on products. In person you can see some swirlies from where the clear-coat I put over it reacted with the candy (my bad for not doing a test swatch... dumbass) but most people say it looks like the factory did that.

And as someone versed in automotive painting, "factory paint" isn't exactly a compliment.

From the side you can really see how far forward that stem is pushing those bars. I really like the angle and feel of those, so I don't mind the silliness of pushing forward 6" and then having them come back 12".

Again that inch and a half longer fork changes things up a lot too. As does my replacing the front rotor with something a bit prettier and grippier. Also notice the red stripe I painted on the front fender to match the rest of the bike.

Gah, moron! I had the back tire off when I did the cassette change, and I forgot to replace that rotor while I was in there.

Oh, word of warning, because the Aventure comes with very wide around bars where they meet the stem, the narrower diameter of normal cruiser bars means the mounts for the display are too big. I used cut up strips of old inner tubes wrapped around the bars to make up the difference, holds rock solid.

 

[Jason Knight]

On a lark I did a amazon search for 28" bars, and I think these are actually them. 15 years later, can still buy them. A bit expensive though for a lousy set of cruiser bars, even with the enlarged size.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Alloy-Retro-Cruiser-Handlebar/dp/B000650U5O

Says 28" x 14" x 4" with a 5" rise, so that should be the same thing I'm using. Again though that's my personal preference for size. It's another part that if one is "serious" about biking you're gonna try a lot of things before you settle on an answer.

And again where Amazon's return policy is your friend.

Another example of the "Alloy" BS, when for material they say "aluminum." Magic marketing bullshit bingo use of the word.

Mine are definitely steel. Thus how they rusted to the floor. If they were twenty bucks cheaper I'd probably order a set just to see if they're lighter.

At 70 pounds plus, taking weight off can matter.

 

[Jason Knight]

I just dug out the stock bars for the Aventure, and I'm shocked, They're 24". I could have sworn they were narrower..

I balanced them about where they would have sat "stock" (albeit an inch higher). Gives you an idea how much it changed the grip.

Also surprised how scratched up they are for two weeks of riding, removal from the bike, and then sitting upright with some PVC pipe for 8 to 9 months.

But that's cheap ass single stage flat paint with no primer for you,

 

[Nvreloader]

Jason
Thank you for the info, gives me an Idea, on those long handle bars, I can always cut a couple of inches off, after I get the new 130mm height and degree adjustable stem,
I'll do temp mount and see just where the ends land, I can also mount the adjustable stem either front or backwards which will provide several inches of more options, if needed etc.
Thanks,
Don