You don't mention which handle bars you use. Different sweep or bars with multiple hand positions may help. I have hand issues as well, and it doen't seem to be based on reach as much as hand position. Using Ergon grips on a 17* sweep bar has helped quite a bit for me.
29er stem length and hand pain
Hello All,
I have dilema, I purchased a custom frame from a reputable builder. The problem is I am very tall and this was my first shot at a frame that fits. I will say it is close but I have a big problem. My hands start too kill me after about 45 minutes and they are done after an hour and a half. The frame is amazing and my experience went well but the bottom line is I think TT is too long. I don't blame the builder since he did the best he could without any reference to compare it too. And technically I sit on the bike and it fits close to how it should after reading multiple fit guides. My next one will be shorter some day, but for now this is what I have. I felt very stretched out the first time I rode the bike but thought it was because I had never really ridden a bike that fit. After a few rides I shortened the stem from 130mm to 100mm and it seemed to help. But still the aching hands. So I put Ergon grips on and it helped a little but still the pain. I now am considering a 70mm to 80mm stem with a 2 inch riser bar. At the moment I am running a 1 inch rise. My question is has any one run into this hand issue and will the new stem and bar setup mess up my handling. It is a XC bike and the stem is getting pretty short.
Thanks
I have dilema, I purchased a custom frame from a reputable builder. The problem is I am very tall and this was my first shot at a frame that fits. I will say it is close but I have a big problem. My hands start too kill me after about 45 minutes and they are done after an hour and a half. The frame is amazing and my experience went well but the bottom line is I think TT is too long. I don't blame the builder since he did the best he could without any reference to compare it too. And technically I sit on the bike and it fits close to how it should after reading multiple fit guides. My next one will be shorter some day, but for now this is what I have. I felt very stretched out the first time I rode the bike but thought it was because I had never really ridden a bike that fit. After a few rides I shortened the stem from 130mm to 100mm and it seemed to help. But still the aching hands. So I put Ergon grips on and it helped a little but still the pain. I now am considering a 70mm to 80mm stem with a 2 inch riser bar. At the moment I am running a 1 inch rise. My question is has any one run into this hand issue and will the new stem and bar setup mess up my handling. It is a XC bike and the stem is getting pretty short.
Thanks
1 - 20 of 66 Posts
I've had hand pain when my bars were more than ~ 1" lower than the saddle height. Ergon's made it worse. I would try the higher riser bar and maybe a steeper stem if you have to. How bout posting a pic of your bike?
Please explain your 'hand pain'. Is it in your fingers, palms, etc...
More info. Also, why do you think the TT is too long? I'm imagining that this is the bike on your blog
More info. Also, why do you think the TT is too long? I'm imagining that this is the bike on your blog
Bars
I am using the race face dues bar. I read some where bar height has allot to do with it. Thats why I was going to switch to a higher bar? Most my pain is on the outside of my hands (on the pinky sides). My seat is about level with my bars (seat is a little higher).
I am using the race face dues bar. I read some where bar height has allot to do with it. Thats why I was going to switch to a higher bar? Most my pain is on the outside of my hands (on the pinky sides). My seat is about level with my bars (seat is a little higher).
Thank you
Thank you all for your input. Yes the bike is the one on my Blog, I just feel very stretched out but I also have long arms so it might be OK. I just don't know what else to try and it gets pricey buying a bunch of Bars and Stems. I am trying to figure out my next most logical step.
Thank you all for your input. Yes the bike is the one on my Blog, I just feel very stretched out but I also have long arms so it might be OK. I just don't know what else to try and it gets pricey buying a bunch of Bars and Stems. I am trying to figure out my next most logical step.
Purchase Ergon grips. Problem solved.
There is much more to this than just the reach to the bar.bigtymerider said:Thank you all for your input. Yes the bike is the one on my Blog, I just feel very stretched out but I also have long arms so it might be OK. I just don't know what else to try and it gets pricey buying a bunch of Bars and Stems. I am trying to figure out my next most logical step.
I could be as simple as rotating the bar in the stem to change the angle of the grip. With the pain on the outside of your hand I would start by rotating the bar back/tip down slightly to relieve the pressure.
But it could also be the bar sweep, stem length, bar height or even saddle position that is affecting this.
Although I didn't like them at first, I noticed that the Big Sweep bars on my new bike got rid of a lot of my hand pain, which is something I had just gotten used to I think. I put the RF Deus bars on for a while and some of the pain returned, although not as bad as with my previous ones. At the same time, the sweep bars shortened the cockpit and I was jamming my palms into the bars and getting new pain there. I dropped the stem by one spacer and that eliminated this type of pain. So . . . many variables I guess. Just play around till something feels right. And take tylenol.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCExperience.jsp?eid=5097&menuItemId=9331
Just put these on my bike, what a difference.
Just put these on my bike, what a difference.
Definitely experiment with bars and stems, find what works.
I had the same dilema, bought a ventana... rode it for an entire season with different bars, stems, grips... in my case I finally decided the TT was too short (ventana stock sizes tend to have shorter top tubes then say treks for example like my previous bike). I was used to a more laid out position, found that I most comfortable with a looong stem, but it was awkward for handling.
So... long story short, I called Ventana, discussed, got a bit of a break on a new frame with a custom build, longer TT, turned around and sold the old stock one... and was only down a handful of beans.
I had the same dilema, bought a ventana... rode it for an entire season with different bars, stems, grips... in my case I finally decided the TT was too short (ventana stock sizes tend to have shorter top tubes then say treks for example like my previous bike). I was used to a more laid out position, found that I most comfortable with a looong stem, but it was awkward for handling.
So... long story short, I called Ventana, discussed, got a bit of a break on a new frame with a custom build, longer TT, turned around and sold the old stock one... and was only down a handful of beans.
The bike in the picture on your blog has the bars lower than the saddle, a riser bar, a stack of spacers, and that is with the fork travel uncompressed. So once you are riding it the bars are even lower relative to the seat. This was custom? There goes the "reputable" part...
I would suggest figure out a way between stem and bar rise to get the bar grips even with the saddle height, and work from there. Start with height, and then work on reach. Normally this is done before a custom frame is built. Depending on how happy you are with the frame geometry, you might also try a fork with a longer axle-to-crown...this will effectively raise the bars, slacken the angles, and slightly shorten the effective top tube.
Or you might want to just set it aside for now, and pay for a professional bike fit. Once you have that, you can buy parts to adapt the frame to your body. The money you spend on the fit could pay for itself in the extra stems, bars, and seatposts, and saddles you might go through just messing around randomly.
I would suggest figure out a way between stem and bar rise to get the bar grips even with the saddle height, and work from there. Start with height, and then work on reach. Normally this is done before a custom frame is built. Depending on how happy you are with the frame geometry, you might also try a fork with a longer axle-to-crown...this will effectively raise the bars, slacken the angles, and slightly shorten the effective top tube.
Or you might want to just set it aside for now, and pay for a professional bike fit. Once you have that, you can buy parts to adapt the frame to your body. The money you spend on the fit could pay for itself in the extra stems, bars, and seatposts, and saddles you might go through just messing around randomly.
Short headtubes effect many. It's a disease.canyonrat said:This was custom? .
Try some 17* salsa bars, groovy luv handles, or one of the jones bars. I'm running luv handles and would like to try the jones and the salsa's. But I did have to adjust the angle of my luv handles a few times to make them more comfortable. Hope you can solve it soon man.
Curtlo is actually a very reputable frame builder, based on the picture the OP submitted I don't see that the FRAME is not sized correctly. Curtlo isn't responsible for the fit of the components if he didn't do the build.canyonrat said:The bike in the picture on your blog has the bars lower than the saddle, a riser bar, a stack of spacers, and that is with the fork travel uncompressed. So once you are riding it the bars are even lower relative to the seat. This was custom? There goes the "reputable" part...
I don't see that the OP is stretched out at all. I suspect its more of a hand position thing. It does sometimes take a lot of adjustment to get the right hand position. I also have had pain in the outside of my hands and found a greater sweep bar slightly tilted down with Ergon grips makes me distribute my hand pressure more evenly. I've kept the same reach (longer stem on the greater sweep bars).
This is a huge bike from the pic he just posted. The HT does not look that short and it may be pushing the limits for fork steerer length. A much longer HT would do no good if you could not use the sussy fork he wants.canyonrat said:The bike in the picture on your blog has the bars lower than the saddle, a riser bar, a stack of spacers, and that is with the fork travel uncompressed. So once you are riding it the bars are even lower relative to the seat. This was custom? There goes the "reputable" part...
I would suggest figure out a way between stem and bar rise to get the bar grips even with the saddle height, and work from there. Start with height, and then work on reach. Normally this is done before a custom frame is built. Depending on how happy you are with the frame geometry, you might also try a fork with a longer axle-to-crown...this will effectively raise the bars, slacken the angles, and slightly shorten the effective top tube.
Or you might want to just set it aside for now, and pay for a professional bike fit. Once you have that, you can buy parts to adapt the frame to your body. The money you spend on the fit could pay for itself in the extra stems, bars, and seatposts, and saddles you might go through just messing around randomly.
You do not look stretched out on the bikebigtymerider said:Here are a couple pics, Me on the bike and the bike itself. And yes it is a 29er
Thanks
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Yeah, I only saw the first blog pic of smiling standing next to the bike. My first reaction was that with a riser bar, plus a spacer stack (both of which I hate) the frame was too small. This is why bike-fit professionals charge money and don't dispense advice over the Internet for free...shiggy said:This is a huge bike from the pic he just posted. The HT does not look that short and it may be pushing the limits for fork steerer length. A much longer HT would do no good if you could not use the sussy fork he wants.
Sitting on the bike pic does not look bad for reach. Bar height is still an issue, and regardless of the frame size I still say this should have been addressed by a custom builder before the cutting and welding started. Of course, communication is a two-way street so who knows what went down...but building for a really big dude is not a project that should be taken lightly.
It is possible that something as subtle as a big-sweep bar or ergons could help fix this problem. A nerve in the hand could be getting compressed. Too much sweep though, and the longer stem is going to have to go back on...:skep:
Try sliding your saddle back, you are so far forward that your upper body is hunched and you are weighting your hands in this position.
1 - 20 of 66 Posts
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