I think the answer to that question is something you're going to have to find for yourself through experimentation. It sounds like you know a fair bit about yourself and your preferences, so you are part-way there. There is no single "right place" for your hands to be in relation to the front hub, head tube / stem. That's especially true if you have a cervical spine condition that limits how you can fit on a bicycle. If there were a "right" position, and your condition doesn't let you get there, then it's not right for you.
Bill Lindsay El Cerrito, CA On Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 9:57:33 AM UTC-7 Jay wrote: > I tried some swept-back bars last year and didn't like them. I've decided > to give them another chance. The bike they're going on is used mainly > off-road, with a lot of short, steep climbs and descents. The surface is > crushed limestone (not MTB trails). > > I'm wondering when I grip the bars where my hands should be in relation to > the front hub, head tube / stem? > > If I'm too upright I think it will be difficult to climb out of the saddle > (I remember it felt hard to get the leverage, but that was a different > handlebar than I'll be trying). If the bars are too far forward, well I > may as well use the drop bars I'll be swapping out. I love drop bars, and > would ride them on this bike in the winter when it's mainly a road bike, > but on the trails (April to November) I want something so when I'm riding > around my body (back, arms, head) are in a better position, in particular > with the descents (when I'm riding the drop bars down a steep hill, I'm > tilting forward of course and when I raise my head it puts stress on my > cervical spine, which is a pre-existing issue). > -- 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 view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/330c4293-d46c-471d-a7be-6d762aa8d544n%40googlegroups.com.
