Handlebar Position

[BG98T]

This might be useful info for you. When I got my bike last year I noticed the handlebars were adjusted up higher than normal, but I kind of liked the riding position so I left them there and forgot about it. Another thing I noticed but did not connect to the handlebar height was that the bike seemed to not track as solidly as I would have liked. I put that down to old tires, not worn but old. Late last fall I replaced the tires and immediately noticed a big improvement in road holding, but still not quite what I expected. So a week or so ago I adjusted the handlebars down to a normal position and voila! the bike now tracks straight and steady..wonderful. I would never have believed that a relatively slight adjustment of handlebar position could have made such a huge difference in handling. Anybody else noticed this?

[ricoman]

I think your comfort and relationship to being in control is often overlooked  and doesn't recieve the attention it should. I found (last three bikes anyway) that my using a rider backrest helped a lot with posture and resulted in better control. This coupled with handlebar adjustment to suit me made things work well.
Your head, upper body movement and location effect a lot of your driving movements, if they are in correct relationship, it all works.
Think about platform diving-it all comes from the head and upper body working together-every thing else follows smoothly. Just my 2 cents.

[BF]

Went on a about a 120 mile ride a couple of weeks ago with the bars at their nomal position......no problem as always.  Today, just to experiment a lilttle, I raised up the angle of the bars up a little because I'm wanting some new taller risers and thought it might give me an idea kinda sorta what taller risers might would be a little like. 

Filled the tank with gas and put in a can of SeaFoam....so I went on another 120 mile or so ride today to burn up that tank of gas and to check out what the adjusted bars would be like.  The height didn't bother me nor did the bike handle any different...it handled like it always has.  And actually, I liked the added height.  What did bother me was that elevated angle.  It just wasn't right and my hands/wrists started to hurt a little. 

After I got home, the bars when back to the proper angle. 


I've ordered some Deuce risers to put on, but when they get here, I'll be sure to put the bars at the proper angle to my hands and wrists.