[matuchi]

Yesterday I went on my first fifteen mile ride in a long time and now I'm thinking about getting taller handlebars for my old 1996 Stumpjumper to relieve my shoulder and wrist pain. I used to bomb the fire roads and single track trails, but now my riding is just making sure my six year old son stays upright on his new bike. We mostly ride easy fire roads, so I don't need to be in a racer crouch anymore. I'm six foot tall, and hoping if I put a taller set of handlebars on my bike I will be able to continue taking longer rides with the family. What are my options and what would you recommend I retrofit my bike with? My old bike is pictured below.

 

[245044]

Riser bars, higher angle stem, or a combo of the two. Looks like a super long stem you have now. Might want to consider going shorter there. I recently shortened up the ETT , after riding a long ETT, length and it really felt good.

 

[zarr]

A little shorter stem, a riser bar, and a pair of L-shaped bar ends turned around backward and tilted upward so you can straighten up when your back starts to hurt. Used this way bar ends are the Geritol of bike parts, and mixed with a pair of petal extenders, the old man mountain bikers' exstatic dream elixer!! ... P.S. ...I been tryin' to go back 20 years and ride my bike like Speed Racer, but it doesn't always work.

 

[matuchi]

I'm thinking about trying a set of cross-over bike handlebars. I bought my daughter a cross bike and it looks pretty comfortable for how she rides. I need to find something or I'm not going on any long rides without some sort of meds. I was kind of hoping somebody on here already had come up with a solution to this problem.

 

[zarr]

No, seriously. The bar ends and the riser bar really work.

 

[matuchi]

No, seriously. The bar ends and the riser bar really work.

I'll check into your bar ends and riser idea.
Thanks!

 

[InvictaS1]

maybe you should try some mary bars http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=12362&category=516

 

[ettore]

You COULD always go the ghetto route and put a road bar on there upside down. Pretty lame, I know, but just a suggestion.

A more realistic suggestion would be to get one of those "commuter" bike stems, where you can change the angle. The more up and up you move it, the more upright you'll be due to it both raising and coming towards you during adjustment.

 

[zarr]

maybe you should try some mary bars http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=12362&category=516

Or the Origin8 spacebar that's sold through J&B imports. Its a clone of the On One Mary but only costs about 26 bucks.(Check ebay seller or the local bike shop who deals with J&B). But that's mainlly to give you a different or more relaxed hand position. If you really need to relax you back and sit straight up, the tall stem/riser bar/ L-shaped bar ends
(put the bar ends on so they are like parallel to the handlebar so you can sit straight up) option will get you there.I never tried to do it with the Origin8 spacebar/bar ends...at least not yet! :thumbsup: ---zarr

 

[matuchi]

You COULD always go the ghetto route and put a road bar on there upside down. Pretty lame, I know, but just a suggestion.

A more realistic suggestion would be to get one of those "commuter" bike stems, where you can change the angle. The more up and up you move it, the more upright you'll be due to it both raising and coming towards you during adjustment.

I tired zarr's idea and flipped my L shaped bar ends straight up and that helped a little, but I would like to have my hands a little closer to my brake levers and shifters. I guess I'm going to take it down to my bike shop and see what they have that might work better. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[zarr]

nshbar.com sells what they call "easy rider" handlebar that has a really high rise.But it's steel and a little too narrow for me. Take a look at it. You can probably find an alluminum version somewhere. I saw one once, but i don't remember where. they're out there though. Don't give up. Almost anything is possible in the world of biking. :thumbsup: Put (3 inch, 3 1/2 inch etc. mtb riser handlebars in your computer search). Happy hunting!