Fit Question high end gravel bike - hands asleep
12-17-21, 09:43 AM
#26
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Bikes: 1984 homemade 531SL road bike; 1988 Ritchey TimberComp; 1997 Nashbar tandem; 1998 Kona Explosif; Specialized Epic, Scott CR1 Pro; Salsa Beargrease; Curtlo custom Tandem, Curtlo custom S3 steel gravel bike.
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Thank you everyone for all of the help and advice. Very much appreciated
Things that I have tried are... 2 complete bike fittings (one being the RETUL), changed the stem out twice. I now have a very short and upright stem (my fitter says I can't go anymore upright or shorter), Double wrapped my bars with salsa gel tape, done multiple seat changes and adjustments and a few other things. I just cant seem to get used to the aggressive geometry of the Lauf. I love the bike jut can't seem to get used to the geometry.
I've been considering maybe looking at another bike style for gravel riding. Maybe the Salsa Cutthroat?
I'm just not sure what to do besides try a different bike at this point. My hands are completely asleep at mile 3 and about every 1-2 miles I'm having to shake them out.
Things that I have tried are... 2 complete bike fittings (one being the RETUL), changed the stem out twice. I now have a very short and upright stem (my fitter says I can't go anymore upright or shorter), Double wrapped my bars with salsa gel tape, done multiple seat changes and adjustments and a few other things. I just cant seem to get used to the aggressive geometry of the Lauf. I love the bike jut can't seem to get used to the geometry.
I've been considering maybe looking at another bike style for gravel riding. Maybe the Salsa Cutthroat?
I'm just not sure what to do besides try a different bike at this point. My hands are completely asleep at mile 3 and about every 1-2 miles I'm having to shake them out.
12-17-21, 02:45 PM
#27
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I would like to see a picture of the bike from the side. I am curious if there is something unusual about its layout that is not agreeing with OP.
12-19-21, 12:04 PM
#28
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12-19-21, 12:06 PM
#29
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I have a True Grit race and it is pretty aggressive for a gravel bike. I have mine set up with a similar bar to saddle drop as my road bike with just a slightly shorter reach. It comes with a pretty short stem already, so my guess is to get a little more upright, you would need a stem with some rise on it, but probably don't have much room to shorten the reach.
I definitely think it is a fit/position issue. The Lauf with the fork and smoothie handlebar (and wider tires) is way more comfortable on my wrists and hands on long rides than my cross bike with a similar set up.
I definitely think it is a fit/position issue. The Lauf with the fork and smoothie handlebar (and wider tires) is way more comfortable on my wrists and hands on long rides than my cross bike with a similar set up.
12-19-21, 12:09 PM
#30
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Thread Starter
Sounds like your fitter hasn't heard of a riser drop bar.
Here's the most extreme carbon example out there:-
As mentioned, you'd want to first start by ensuring your saddle height and setback position is near/exact your Beargrease. Level saddle also.
Then you dial in the front end.
That Lauf frame is quite long and aggressive for its design. Hopefully you didn't purchase a frame that is just too long for modding the fit.
On a typical flatbar your hands will be out wider than a dropbar, so when trying to achieve a similar 'reach' on a dropbar [at the hoods] you want to keep a similar distance/arc when swinging in your arm reach to a narrower dropbar.
You may be able to achieve this position using a moderately short stem on the Lauf, in combo with that rather short reach [and tall stack] Veno bar.
There are a few other carbon bars out there with much lower stack, but none have as short reach as the Borderless from Japan.
The Veno bar is quite expensive but way cheaper than a whole new carbon bike/frameset, if you ARE able to achieve the fit you're chasing with such a bar or similar.
Here's the most extreme carbon example out there:-
As mentioned, you'd want to first start by ensuring your saddle height and setback position is near/exact your Beargrease. Level saddle also.
Then you dial in the front end.
That Lauf frame is quite long and aggressive for its design. Hopefully you didn't purchase a frame that is just too long for modding the fit.
On a typical flatbar your hands will be out wider than a dropbar, so when trying to achieve a similar 'reach' on a dropbar [at the hoods] you want to keep a similar distance/arc when swinging in your arm reach to a narrower dropbar.
You may be able to achieve this position using a moderately short stem on the Lauf, in combo with that rather short reach [and tall stack] Veno bar.
There are a few other carbon bars out there with much lower stack, but none have as short reach as the Borderless from Japan.
The Veno bar is quite expensive but way cheaper than a whole new carbon bike/frameset, if you ARE able to achieve the fit you're chasing with such a bar or similar.
12-26-21, 10:23 AM
#32
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Thread Starter
After doing a lot of research, reading and YouTube watching from bike expects and expert bike fitters I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to try some wider bars on the Lauf. I’ve tweaked my set up and now both bikes are fairly close (considering) but he one staggering difference is the width of the bars. Has anyone played around with that before and found any that they really like. When I search it there seems to be a lot of different choices and width. I like the look of the Walmer Curve bars but they are extremely wide. I’m not sure if I should try and match the width or just go wider than they are now. I have Lauf smoothie bars now that measure 17” at the hoods. My BG measures 30” from end to end. That’s a huge difference.
12-30-21, 11:24 AM
#33
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https://bikepacking.com/index/gravel-bars/
12-30-21, 10:48 PM
#34
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After doing a lot of research, reading and YouTube watching from bike expects and expert bike fitters I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to try some wider bars on the Lauf. I’ve tweaked my set up and now both bikes are fairly close (considering) but he one staggering difference is the width of the bars. Has anyone played around with that before and found any that they really like. When I search it there seems to be a lot of different choices and width. I like the look of the Walmer Curve bars but they are extremely wide. I’m not sure if I should try and match the width or just go wider than they are now. I have Lauf smoothie bars now that measure 17” at the hoods. My BG measures 30” from end to end. That’s a huge difference.
The Surly and the Lauf both have drop bars, the Beargrease has a flat bar, albeit with bar ends (still diff. from drops).
It's very easy to get numb hands with drop bars., especially if the bars are wider than recommended for a person's shoulder width.
If you;re riding with the center channel of your palm at the bar top curve, you will be putting a lot of pressure at the channel between the Thumb (Thenar Eminence) and Palm meaty end (Hypothenar Eminence). The Ulnar artery and Median nerve both pass thru there, along with other stuff.
Try to not 'cradle' the drop bar top curve in that channel. This can happen also with the cruck of your thumb hooked onto the hoods, although only if your hands are rotated 'flat'. Commonly hooking the thumbs onto the hoods has the wrists/hands more around the side of bar, with most of the weight on the Thenar Eminence (thumb meat).
Try: Either rotate the wrist so that part of hand sides alongside the bar curve; or move your hand slightly inboard so that the hand is supported by the two Thenar Eminences...
On Flat bars your palm channel is not doing the support, the Thenar EMinences serve that function, even when you are using the bar ends.
Doesn't take many miles for some people to have this issue. Depends on the specifics of your personal anatomy.
Try being aware of your hand placement on the dropbars....
Ride On
Yuri
12-31-21, 09:05 AM
#35
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Bikes: 1984 homemade 531SL road bike; 1988 Ritchey TimberComp; 1997 Nashbar tandem; 1998 Kona Explosif; Specialized Epic, Scott CR1 Pro; Salsa Beargrease; Curtlo custom Tandem, Curtlo custom S3 steel gravel bike.
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My main question and concern is when I ride my Lauf my hands always go to sleep and I suffer from elbow pain. I’ve been fit now by 2 different high end fitters and they have changed a lot of components and fit of The bike and still things go numb and I’m uncomfortable and ride in some pain.
I'd be surprised if a really wide bar is the solution to either.
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