Idea for riders with wrist problems

Peter Gardner said:

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

Peter Gardner <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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.....

Quoted message said:

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

I added some extenders to my handlebars (from an old bike in the back yard) but put them "up"
instead of out, not really good for speed but they give me something to hold on to when i want to
move my hands and take some pressure off. I think these are better than the cruiser handlebars on my
other bike.

take care Liz

Hey! Look what Peter Gardner <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

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

Joseph

In Joe Potter said:

Peter Gardner said:

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.

Peter Gardner <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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

Joseph Santaniello said:

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

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

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 _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

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 _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

The other thing i have found out is that i really like to grip those old handlebars - now i just try
and relax instead of white knuckling it.

take care Liz

Hey! Look what Peter Gardner <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

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

Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> 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 | helsinki.fihpv.htmlOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi