Originally Posted by
rickrob
A friend is having back issues and would like me to modify her road bike. We rode a century last year and her back was screaming after 60 miles.
The pain is at the right butt/hip from a pinched nerve. She was told she needs to sit up straighter.
The bike is an older Jamis Ventura 9 speed with Shimano 105 STI brifters. The bars have already been raised and it there are a bunch of spacers on it already.
I'm not sure what to do with this bike, with all the spacers that are already there-- and the stem already has a good rise. I was thinking the drops should be replaced with flat bars that have a rise, which means the brifters would need replacing as well. These Fairdale bars have a 50mm rise and also sweep back as well The bikes a 3 x 9 so I think could use these Alivio shifters.
Any other recommendations to change the rider position?
Thanks
I've had the same back issues with drop bars for a long time. My suggestion would be try some Albastache bars from Rivendell. They offer a more upright position than drops. Unlike flat bars, they offer multiple hand positions, and they take road levers, so you wouldn't have to change shifters and brake levers. They are intended to run at or above saddle height, and it appears that the current stem and steerer length will allow that. Clamp size is 26.0.
https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...bar-26-0-16244
I've used these bars for longer rides and find them very comfortable, no back pain at all.