Is it my handlebars?

[yegg]

OK, so you know I'm a new rider. I have noticed that I tend to lean forward when riding longer (more than 10 minutes) and I am wondering if it is a reach issue. I am 5'6" and have the Ultra Low seat. If the possibility exists that it is a reach issue, is the best/recommended approach to rotate the handlebars back towards me? If so, is there a good way to determine how far to do this?

 

[Spazz]

I'm 5'7" and had the same issues.... I went with 12' Yaffe Monkeys and put me in the perfect position....no numbing of the hands with bigger grips as well...

pic for reference

 

[yegg]

Thanks! Now for my noob follow up. How is it that taller bars make things more comfortable? How did you choose the 12" over the 10"? Did you do the install yourself?

 

[Spazz]

Thanks! Now for my noob follow up. How is it that taller bars make things more comfortable? How did you choose the 12" over the 10"? Did you do the install yourself?

The taller the bar, the more they come toward you when tilting back. a 10" bar and 12" bar ( same manufacturer) in the exact location will give you a bit more ( a little over an inch ) of lean toward the rider... but the 12'' bar will have a better wrist angle since you don't have to pull them towards you as much.. does that make sense? The more you pull back, the wrist angle gets worse towards an unnatural position. Look at your stock bars and wrist angle... now imagine you pivot them back toward you... what would happen to your wrist angle?

I sat on other bikes ( with permission, of course ) to closely find what I was looking for. All bars measure differently in regard to pullback, rise and width. It's a crap-shoot if you don't do this. It's not as easy as picking them out of catalog.

There are great videos on YouTube to help understand height, and pullback ( pullback also affects wrist angle, so be careful )

Also... there are plenty of bar threads here on the forum to go thru... it will be a BIG help

 

[BlkDragon]

I am 5'11" and with 10" bars I am not having anymore back pain....balance point is much better when the bars are taller as your arms are not below your shoulders trying to fight the weight....anytime your arms are level with your shoulders and above helps controlling weight ratio.

I don't understand why OEM bars are so low.....maybe the average size of riders are 5'3"?????

 

[sprnt96]

I went with 10" WO 578 bars for the same reason. I am 5'8" with short arms and the pullback saves on the shoulders and back

 

[yegg]

I went with 10" WO 578 bars for the same reason. I am 5'8" with short arms and the pullback saves on the shoulders and back

sprnt96, could you please post a picture of what those bars look like on your bike?

Thanks!

 

[sprnt96]

here are 10" bars

 

[sprnt96]

same bars from behind