Too Cramped?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Caher
Hi all,
A while back I fitted some riser bars, which were great, when I was mainly doing lots of off-roading but I have changed the tyres etc and adapted this bike for commuter use. Now I am getting some quite annoying back and shoulder pain as well as numb hand syndrome.
Is it possible a bike can be too cramped – I do sit almost bolt upright.
Cheers
Caher

You've answered your own question, why not go down to a bike shop and let someone take a look at your position.

Indeed however i tend to find that local bike shops do not seem to have the time for such questions nowadays unless your buying the latest Whyte or Yeti.

Caher said:

Hi all, A while back I fitted some riser bars, which were great, when I was mainly doing lots of
off-roading but I have changed the tyres etc and adapted this bike for commuter use. Now I am
getting some quite annoying back and shoulder pain as well as numb hand syndrome. Is it possible a
bike can be too cramped - I do sit almost bolt upright.

It's definitely possible to be too cramped. A very upright position won't suit everyone and all
bikes. I can only suggest experimenting more with bar, stem and saddle positions, possibly trying
different stems, and seeking advice from a good bike shop. You may be able to find a compromise
position, or perhaps the bike frame size and shape is wrong for you.

Changing the handlebar stem for one with different reach and/or height can work wonders so don't
give up before trying that.

~PB

In article <[email hidden]>, "Pete Biggs"
<[email hidden]> writes:
|> Caher wrote:
|> > Hi all, A while back I fitted some riser bars, which were great, when I was mainly doing lots
|> > of off-roading but I have changed the tyres etc and adapted this bike for commuter use. Now I
|> > am getting some quite annoying back and shoulder pain as well as numb hand syndrome. Is it
|> > possible a bike can be too cramped - I do sit almost bolt upright.
|>
|> It's definitely possible to be too cramped. A very upright position won't suit everyone and all
|> bikes. I can only suggest experimenting more with bar, stem and saddle positions, possibly trying
|> different stems, and seeking advice from a good bike shop. You may be able to find a compromise
|> position, or perhaps the bike frame size and shape is wrong for you.

I wouldn't bother about seeking advice about riding in the upright position - you won't get
competent advice on it from any shop in the UK. Perhaps in Holland.

It is very unlikely indeed that those symptoms are caused by being too upright, but they could
easily be caused by attempting to ride upright on a bicycle that it not suited for such use. The
upright position (per se) almost never causes shoulder pain or numb hands, but can cause back pain.
Not as often as a half crouch, but it depends on the person. The most likely cause is that the
bicycle is unstable when ridden like that, and you need to hold on to the handlebars too hard.

It is certainly possible for a bicycle to be too small, and that is one of the most common reasons
for pain, but it definitely isn't comfortable to ride fully upright on almost any bicycle that you
can buy in the UK unless you are below average height. And even then, only a few are suitable (e.g.
Pashley). There is one place you can buy Gazelle, but that is the only one I know of suitable for a
taller rider available in the UK.

If you go to a bicycle shop, you WILL be told that a half-crouch is the best position for you,
whether or not it is true. It may even be worth trying.

Regards, Nick Maclaren.