Originally Posted by
veganbikes
big "comfy" spring seats are heavy clunky and are the absolute opposite of comfort. They are just good marketing and part of the trend in just adding padding instead of support. A good saddle can have some padding but not so much your sit bones aren't supported. It also should be the proper width for your sit bones as well. Saddles are different for different people but I really recommend avoiding those gel RX super padded ultra comfort hype machines. Go down to your shop and see if they have any sit bone measuring devices and maybe some test ride saddles and go for that.
As far as ape hangers, those are cool bars but nobody really makes anything of quality and low weight these days because you can find so many comfortable bikes out there and so many different stems and bars in different positions to be comfortable. They are a cool novelty but I certainly wouldn't want to ride one for very long my arms would get tired and probably would lead to pain. Mountain bikes are typically designed for going significantly off road and ape hangers just would be a nightmare for control of the bike on mixed surfaces. Fine for a cruiser bike that barely gets ridden but mountain bikes are better with shorter stems and longer bars and with the numerous flat/riser bars on the market as well as a ton of alternative bars you are bound to find something that will work well.
What I would recommend which I would recommend for just about everyone is go see a professional bike fitter and get yourself fit. Your pain might not be simply fixed by overpadding and crazy tall bars but might be a position on the bike. A lot of folks ride with their saddle height really low and their saddle angled wrong as well as bars and stems that are the wrong length or rise or just simply aren't right shape wise or they are riding on bikes that don't fit. A bike fitter can help get rid of pain and I know all of my customers who have gotten fit (including myself) have noticed a better more comfortable ride. If you have actual health problems they might have fixes that can deal with those problems head on and give you comfort since they may have dealt with others with the same issues or similar.
The ape-hangers are not to look cool but for ergonomic function. Same with the fat spring seat. These items do in fact reduce the pain. The tailbone pain. The neck pain. The lower back pain. The numbness/tingling in my arms/hands/wrists. Breathing is easier in an upright position. Blood circulation improves. Bending forward to reach the handlebar also strains the heart and is a cardiovascular issue as well as an orthopedic one.
This is why there are so many aftermarket parts for bicycles. Special parts accommodate people with special needs. Kind of like putting special controls in standard-production cars for people with handicaps. I ride only on flat, level paved roads and bikeways. I would have a vehicle with a motor in it for off-road use, perhaps even an lithium-battery geared electric mountain bike such as Rambo but I am on a budget right now. My new grips are also round instead of flat like the stock ones were. Round soft rubber grips feel better in my hands. In cold weather I wear gloves.
Bike manufacturers should keep older people and people with orthopedic issues in mind. Many older people want to ride for good health. A bike that is painful to ride deters interest and reduces time spent for daily exercise. It gets expensive to have to add all these aftermarket things to make the machine even rideable. Motorcycle riders also get caught the money trap all the time.