Originally Posted by CapeJAN .
Hi - I went riding yesterday and did almost 30 miles with a friend. My legs and cardio seemed okay, but the last 5 miles I had alot of numbness in my right hand. Does anyone else experience this, and is it the height of the handlebars or could I lower the seat to achieve the same? I'm assuming that I can't raise the handles any more than they are ... I had the handle bar stem reversed so that the handles would be higher and my reach wouldn't be too long to bother my back. I'll take any thoughts on stretches or exercises that will help this, too.
We are so much on the same page: I reversed my stem long ago to make my cruiser bike (a Trek Lime Lite) more "dutch-bike-like".
The more upright I sit, or rather, the more nearly I can "pull back on" the bars, the less shock and strain on my wrists.
Benefits I have now: no wrist numbness at all, ever. Upper body "isometric" exercise (I pull back on the bars and dig into "crank forward" style pedals).
Like you, due to aged and damaged lower back and also a "wry neck", I cannot ride in road-bike posture anymore.
I don't miss that posture. Sure, I am not going 20mph anymore, but, I don't care about speed. I want comfort and mild workout and no pain put to my old body.
Here, folks, try this posture sometime? Borrow a "dutch" style bike for an afternoon and get a taste?
The Dutch have styled this way for utility biking since about 1894 (the geometry was perfected by that date)
No more numb hands or sore necks or backs.
Bonus: because you are sitting upright, in super-view of the environment,
and, others see you very much better too,
ah, see? the Dutch never wear helmets in city riding.
Nobody dies on a bike in Holland, not of "head injury", anyway.
Maybe the Dutch die of slow speed and comfy hands? : )
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CapeJAN, I also have a "stem extender": a bit of steel tubing made for the purpose, under fifteen dollars.
It makes my odd looking bike even more "Dutch like", by raising the handlebar to a point nearly-higher than the seat.
My bike
was not designed by the makers to be a "Dutch bike". I find, though, that I like my ride better the more uprightly I sit.
And if I can lean back a bit, and pull on the bars, I like that stance even better. I see why recumbent cyclists are so fond of their rides.
You can work your lats if you lean back, or pull on the bars, and push with your legs: you have great muscular advantage and full lung capacity.