Handlebar for my gf

[3Pio]

My gf is 5'9", and shoulder width 38cm (im 5'9" and 42 cms shoulder width).

Trying to involve her in cycling on my old Pinarello Fp3, 53cm. On this bike i have MOST Handlebar (Jaguar XA), 125mm drop, 80mm reach and 42 cm center-center width.

On first riding (we rode 90 km), she had a pain in her elbows and and her neck, so i put shorter stem (from 110 to 100mm).I choose shorter stem then i was riding, because she have longer legs then i have, so probably shorter reach. But again she have a pain the elbow.

Probably this is because of non activity (she is not overweight, thin, but she have a lot of sitting in front of computer, so probably one of the reasons of this pain).

Anyway, since this 42cm is too wide for her shoulders, im in process of ordering a new handlebar 38cm (center-center).Also there is option to put 90mm stem.

Am i going in right direction?

Also googling seem that i have two choices:

1. DEDA RHM01 (75 reach, 130mm drop)

2. Ritchey Comp Logic Curve (73 reach, 128 drop)

Which one do u think is better choice?

We are using Campagnolo Veloce 2010 or 2011

Any other suggestions?

[TacoShoppe]

I recently went from a 40 outside to outside(about the same as 38 c-c) bar to a 42 c-c bar and had similar problems in my shoulders and elbows. But over time this goes away when I got used to it. In the mean time I would suggest your gf ride more in the tops. Some push-ups help as well. I do not have an easy option to switch out my integrated bar on the Madone thus my deal with it route.

[PhilippCX]

I find it really hard to give any advice without having seen her posture on the bike.

However, IMHO the combination of cycling noob + female + neck pain + elbow pain is very common and might be solved by less reach and more stack.
The reason is that too much reach is being compensated by locked out ellbows. All forces are then directly transmitted trough the elbow up to the shoulders. You could teach her to have a slight bend in the elbows but that only works if her arm musculature can support the weight (how many pushups can she do?).
The neck pain might come from too little stack, i.e. saddle to handlebar drop too much. Also locked-out elbows point in this direction. You could encourage her to look at your rear wheel instead of looking ahead when riding behind you to ease the tension on the neck a bit.

In essence I would try a shorter stem with a higher angle, e.g. 80 mm and +6° or even +17°. I know it looks s**t but that might be the price you have to be willing to pay

[3Pio]

Thanks a lot for ur reply's,very helpfull.

She is all the time on the bike, but city riding and mtb with risser bar and high position.Her first Road Bike riding, so i guess she is not used of it (and a lot of sitting in front of computer )

Yesterday i analized her posture on the road bike, and noticed that i need to put her saddle a little bit down, and that she is streched in front, so definetly i'll put shorter stem.I also raised the bar for 2 cm (now it have 3cm spacers under the stem,i was riding that bike with 1cm).

One thing im still not sure.. Beside shorter reach with stem and higher position with more spacer.. How much it would help if i install 38 cm handlebar and shorter reach as well?

Im asking this because this bike would be my winter bike (planing just to switch longer stem and lower position for my riding), but if i put 38 cm handlebar probably would be to narrow for me.

Anyway, her comfort has priority here.. So how much would help her to put 38 cm handlebar compared to 42 installed right now?

[DeLuz]

I have a pair of almost new 40cm FSA energy bars I bought for my wife but she is not using them.
They are ovalized on the tops which makes it more comfortable.
Drop 125mm, reach 80mm
They are more like 38cm bars since they are wider at the ends than across the bends.
PM me if interested.

[PhilippCX]

Anyway, her comfort has priority here.. So how much would help her to put 38 cm handlebar compared to 42 installed right now?

I don't have so much experience with various handlebar widths. But if your girls shoulder width is 38 cm then I would for sure try something less than 42 cm.
According to Phil Burt's bike fitting book, an indicator for too wide bars are inward rotated wrists when riding in the drops. And conversely too narrow bars cause outward rotation. Hope that helps

[Fiery]

Deda RHM01 bars are dirt cheap and a very good shape, no reason not to try them. However, it's not just handlebar width that can cause the problems you describe. How much drop is there from sadle to bar on the bike she's riding?

[shoemakerpom2010]

I am almost the same size as your girlfriend in shoulder width 36-38 and I bought a 40cm bar over the recommended 42cm bar the shop proposed. It fits perfect like a glove and I rarely have fatigue in the elbows.....

[yjymb]

Deda RHM01 bars are dirt cheap and a very good shape, no reason not to try them. However, it's not just handlebar width that can cause the problems you describe. How much drop is there from sadle to bar on the bike she's riding?

[3Pio]

I am almost the same size as your girlfriend in shoulder width 36-38 and I bought a 40cm bar over the recommended 42cm bar the shop proposed. It fits perfect like a glove and I rarely have fatigue in the elbows.....

Very usefull information. But im wondering, why if ur shoulders are 36-38, u did not buy 38 cm and u bough 40?

[3Pio]

Deda RHM01 bars are dirt cheap and a very good shape, no reason not to try them. However, it's not just handlebar width that can cause the problems you describe. How much drop is there from sadle to bar on the bike she's riding?

Not much drop. Let's say about 4-5 cm, and hoods pointed out.. I'll definetly try tommorow to shorten the reach with 90mm stem. Seem that because the handlebar is wide, that also shortening the reach.

We'll ride few hours in two days, so that would be i guess enough chance to analyze better what can be improved.

[BRM]

I am almost the same size as your girlfriend in shoulder width 36-38 and I bought a 40cm bar over the recommended 42cm bar the shop proposed. It fits perfect like a glove and I rarely have fatigue in the elbows.....

Why would they recommend a 42 cm bar? Sounds odd. (have in mind that not all bars are measured the same)

[BRM]

@ 3Pio

maybe you can examine how she is holding the handlebar during a ride

she had a pain in her elbows and and her neck you wrote. This can caused by a too stretched sit and too stretched/blocked arms. But maybe the positions she tries to use on the current handlebar is not working for her.
By examining her positions you will get a better idea what handlebar shape is best for her.

[3Pio]

@ 3Pio

maybe you can examine how she is holding the handlebar during a ride

she had a pain in her elbows and and her neck you wrote. This can caused by a too stretched sit and too stretched/blocked arms. But maybe the positions she tries to use on the current handlebar is not working for her.
By examining her positions you will get a better idea what handlebar shape is best for her.

She is definetly overstreched in the front, and as i can see she try to shorten the reach and to use tops whenever she can. So shorter stem is going today, but how much wide handlebar correlate to this long reach? Can be the wide handlebar be the source of this overstretch? Anyway, i'll put her on trainer today, so i'll check her position more detailed

[ico]

I would rather experiment a few milimeters with setback and sadle height, to get a right cycling posture. It is more question of a ballance than bars I think. Speaking from experience of setting up my gf bike.