Hello Peter! Welcome! A few questions, as what you mention sounds like handlebars may be the symptom of a set of larger, more central issues.
1. Your reason for riding sounds like it is changing (to be with family). Have you thought about what that means for your style and approach to riding? You riding position? You will have more time to look at things. Overall comfort on the bike is paramount. There is a lot to learn when shifting from riding anaerobically (which it sounds like you've been doing if you've held your weight off your bars because you are always pushing THAT hard on the pedals) to aerobically. If you haven't, you may want to check out Maffetone's writing on exercising aerobically, and how to do that. You may find yourself riding farther, faster, and easier than before. 2. Have you read "Just Ride"? If not, get it and read it with your wife. If yes, get her her own copy and read it with your wife. Grin. 3. Is your current bike's handlebar higher, equal to, or lower than your saddle height? If lower, seriously consider changing this, which may mean changing to a bike designed for it (and Rivendell is great for that!). 4. Consider completely shifting how you think about cycling. (AKA not as a form of exercise that measures your performance at all intervals, but as time together, as family, experiencing the wonderful world, and oh, yeah, we're doing it by bike, but that's hardly the point, except that it is what makes experiencing it THIS way possible. 5. Take off your cycling computer. Turn off your GPS, your phone, all that. Stop measuring rides. Use basic map and compass for navigation. See what happens. Now to your actual question. Yup. All the time. But entire setup of the bike matters, starting with the frame material and geometry, to pedals, stem, saddle, and yes, handlebars. I love my Albastache bars. I ride 7-8 hours/day in the saddle frequently. With abandon, Patrick On Friday, June 2, 2017 at 10:16:50 AM UTC-6, Peter Turskovitch wrote: > > Hi everybody, > > I've heard that this is the place to come for advice about "alternative" > handlebars. Can anybody recommend a bar for long rides? My problem these > days is that I'm pulling a kid trailer and lowering my pace to ride with a > new-to-cycling spouse. These factors have reduced my pressure on the > pedals, so to speak, and left my torso less supported by my core. My hands > are sore! All the same, we're still riding 75 - 100km at a time, so I need > something with multiple positions for the long haul. > > Everybody's bodies and needs are different, and what works for one may not > work for another, but I would be very interested in hearing some > perspectives! > > Peter > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
