Handlebar tweak to completely change your mountain bike

[@grosjoster]

As a bike fitter, I can say that you're one of very few on KZbin that knows what he's talking about. Great videos John!

[@brianagee2790]

Hey there. A question for you as bike fitter. I am going into a bike shop tomorrow in order to get a bike fit for a bicycle I had purchased online. This is the first time I've done this I'd look forward to it much more if I weren't being charged $79 for something I'd imagine perhaps regretting having not spent some time looking at online videos and figuring out myself. Do you think I have the wrong attitude about this? Is it actually a fair or worthwhile expense?

[@ansimran659]

I totally agree. There a lot of other guys on youtube with pretty nice caneras and flaahy bikes etc. But this guy is a real bike fittar. MashaaAllah!

[@Tiger24kicks]

What handle bars should I use for going down hill for stability and control for a Specialized rockhopper comp 1X

[@actonscaletrails2753]

I bought sq labs 12 degree back sweep. I'm coming off 8 degree which were KILLING my wrists. I have two rides so far and they are much better. They feel twitchy in the tight fast corners but I think I just need to get used to them. One thing to note is if you increase back sweep you probably need to increase stem length to keep overall reach similar. Great video.

[@JNOTECH]

One of the things I learned about my MTB bars has to do with bar rotation. For some reason when I changed to a higher rise bar, the front felt a little on the twitchy side, not bad at lower speeds but almost too sensitive when riding faster. I rotated the bar back towards the seat a few degrees and it restored the stability I was looking for. Lesson learned: rotating the bar forward made the steering more sensitive, overdoing it made it twitchy at speed. rotating it backward made the steering more stable, overdoing it made it feel lazy.

[@lifelong5425]

Converted my last road bike to a flat bar recently....on 3rd. set of flat bars now, trial and error, but have gone rise and and sweep now...elevated stem, and palm padded grips with good spec gloves......massive ride difference....For years riding the road bike dream....too old to care anymore, just riding comfortably is so much more enjoyable. Still get to pull up on the bars for hills. Now adjusting the cockpit controls...brake and and shifter positions to complete the process.....good video....

[@ed250256]

I was experiencing numb thumb and forefingers, so fitted SQLabs 16 degree bars, problem now gone. Also found them more comfortable even on aggressive technical downhill tracks.....No negatives for me.

[@gatoryak7332]

I've had the same experience.

[@dk.650]

Besides back sweep, bares also have up sweep. Rotating the bars in the stem effects both, have fun. Also finding the best bar width helps with the pressure on the joints.

[@denisemoore8536]

thanks - just raised my handlebars with a riser and installed ergon grips to relieve weight on hands - big difference

[@w.m.aslam-author]

Thanks for this. I've changed to a higher rise and sweep; it has made my ride much more comfortable.

[@sybarite5videos]

I struggle with wrist pain. How does bar width impact this? Bike bars are much wider than ten years ago. I would imagine that bringing your grip in or shortening the bars would also result in elbows droping.

[@mihkus]

Probably leaning over too much, putting too much pressure on your wrists or wrong handle

[@jonnymorrisuk1]

When I bought my first mountain bike it had been configured for xc racing so had narrow straight bars, this gave me very nimble and light control but I did get wrist pain during and after a ride, despite my wrists and elbows being relatively straight. I later switched to a wider bar but this only made the wrist pain worse as my hands were now at an extreme angle as you described; I use computers a lot during the day and was diagnosed with RSI, I changed to a vertical mouse at the office and went all the way to Jones Bend bars on the bike which have a 45 degree back sweep on them, best bike upgrade I ever fitted! Combined with ergo handle grips these bars provide a great relaxed riding position, instant wrist comfort, now I never get wrist pain from riding. I don't know if they are the right bar for extreme technical stuff, but for xc style all day riding they definitely work. I think most riders do not race so probably don't need to ride in such an aggressive stance, but there's that group mentality going on so they probably put up with the pain to look good in front of their mates.

[@johnwheels89]

Lawd 45? And you actually take that on the trails? Lol i couldnt do that

[@riteandleft]

The only problem with Jones bars ( i have own two sets) is that there is no forward bend to offset the huge back sweep, so your hand position is pushed way back towards the rider, affecting handling. But yes they're comfortable.

[@123moof]

5 sets of Jones bars in my garage (4 are on my bikes). I've got both the Ergon grips and the ESI Extra Chunky XL 200 mm long grips. I like the feel of the Ergon's more, but really enjoy being able to move my hands around on the really long grips to move my body position around with the ESI ones. Not sure which I prefer overall, and kind of wish there some sort of mash-up to allow a forward position with the foam, and an rearward position with the Ergon contoured feel. Both setups have done 8-11 day bikepacking trips without undue pain and no numbness.

[@haroldplatypus2732]

Really great video! A couple of years ago, I switched out the straight bar on my mountain bike for a swept back bar (made by Metropolis) and it made all the difference in the world. Yes, a straighter handle bar is probably best for very technical off-road and downhill trails. However, when I go out for rides, we often have to do a lot of flat paved/gravel road riding to get to the rougher trails. During these long rides, the extreme forward posture (required when using a straight handlebar) would cause pain in my wrists, shoulders, neck and back. The only way to relieve the pain was to sit up straight every once in a while and ride with no hands in order stretch my back out. A swept back bar basically eliminated any of this pain and allows me to go a lot further without taking a break. A swept back handle bar will present the rider with minor disadvantages on off-road terrain, but will provide way way more comfort over the course of a long distance. Either way, the most important message in this video is you can always modify the fit of your bike using different components (handle bars, spacers, etc) if you're feeling discomfort.

[@MrPipo4pipo]

I'm planing to change my flat bar to backsweep bar and your experience and comment was really useful.Thank you.

[@DesmoDreams]

How about changing the length of your stem as well?

[@gatoryak7332]

Try it! It's amazing how much change you'll feel with a 20mm stem length change. Longer or shorter? It's up to you. You just have to pony up, put on a different stem, then ride it a half-dozen times.

[@fatboyfat2184]

I have a Breezer liberty 6 ,I changed stock bars for sartori noi rette No more elbow pain or wrist numbness Thanks for your wise counsell mate

[@wss327]

New to MTB and bought a bike with a 6 degree sweep bars. Pulled a shoulder muscle (back of shoulder) on the 2nd ride and thought it was me being too old... I was told by some that elbows up is the right way for best control... Then after about another 10 rides, zero improvement and now the crooks of my thumbs are also killing me. I attribute that to the twist in my wrist from the 6 degrees and the difficulties in shifting gears and activating the dropper. After watching a ton of videos... apparently elbows up is very old school and now it is more important to activate the lat muscles with sweep... so... now I am waiting for the delivery of my SQLab 16 degree bars.

[@TazErrant]

@wss327 How are you going? Any update as to how you found the 16 degree bars? I'm having problems with wrists and have ordered the SQLab ones as well.

[@wss327]

Hi. I had good success with my SQLabs 16 degrees but then I traded in my bike for the LevoSL and the standard bars that came with the bike and did a bike fit again. This time I turned my bar ends higher, adjusted my saddle front/back and now I have no problems with a standard bar. I also made more effort to keep my elbows high and that also helped.

[@TazErrant]

@@wss327 👍Nice bike! Maybe my next one will be electric. Thank you for your reply. I've just bought a Fuel Ex. Very new geometry compared to my old bike of 2011. Fingers crossed the new bars help with wrist position. While I'm waiting I'll focus on keeping elbows high as you say. I was putting it down to age as well. 😊

[@wss327]

I’ll be 60 in 2 months and hope I can keep riding! But jumping at this age is a challenge and seems I always buy my protection gear one crash too late! Best of luck to you with the bars. I was in that bad place and it sucks!

[@TazErrant]

@@wss327 Awesome! Yes lets keep on going as long as we can. I just turned 66 and starting to learn to jump. Just bought myself a full-face trail helmet. Got to look after the few teeth I have left LOL. 🤣

[@rdkuless]

Straight bars made my thumbs go numb and cause pain in the thumb and hand. I swapped out for a Jones Bar with a big sweep. All the pain went away and I enjoy the ride now.

[@tinman1955]

Jones bar looks interesting to me.

[@marcusbevz6500]

The attack position on a mountain bike and even dirtbike requires you keep your elbows UP not down, when your bombing downhills the elbows being UP and your back in squat position where your butt sticks out and your scaps retracted is key for bike control, wide handle bars help you get in that position, so it depends on the riding you do

[@sp4msolo724]

i agree.

[@gatoryak7332]

This is outdated advice. The upper arms should not make a T with the spine; they should make an inverted V. That will bring the elbows in and down bit.

[@endoalley680]

I had a pair of Syntace bars with 12 degree sweep. They were fine for climbing and cross country riding. But to me they felt awkward descending with higher speed. After a month I switched back to 8 degree sweep. Both sets of bars were 780mm width carbon fiber.

[@guru963]

Ohh no i am also struggling deep shoulder pain while starting cycling and my handle bar is also first one , 7degree . Thanks John.....

[@JavonDGreen]

This is fantastic. I have a very bad neck and I lift weights the way that I used to. I'm too young 36 to have surgery at this point and the ortho wanted me to do PT to try to help me live better with the situation that I have. I took up biking as an alternative to weight training. My arms would get very numb and tingly throughout my longer rides. This is due to my neck situation. Using this type of bar has helped me 1000% Thank you so much for the advice.

[@willlange9978]

After several broken hand events in my 50s I could not grip well with the straight bar or even with a slight sweep. Pain on downhill sections told me to try a bold back sweep, so I bought Budnitz “newsboy” type handlebars. Complete success. Game changer. Wish I had seen this video three years ago! Thanks

[@ajc4093]

I had tons of wrist pain while mountain biking. I switched by bars for SQ lab 12 degree carbon bars, ESI extra chunky grips, and some specialized gloves that have gel padding on the palms. Took a little experimenting with angles of the bars (which I tried with previous setups), but this one definitely worked to get rid of the pain. Took a little while to get use to the width, but worth it in the end.

[@ChesterChi3]

After reading your comment, on a whim I bought one of SQ Labs' 12 degree carbon bars. They arrived yesterday, and today I tried them out for the first time on a 4-hour ride. I was surprised that I didn't have any of the usual soreness in my upper back! I don't know if it was a fluke or due to the 12-degree bars, but it would be amazing if this fixes my problem.

[@ToysRUsKid_Critter]

I concur ! 12-15 degrees is perfect for my paws

[@stevencole7331]

I did something I would not recommend is I took my straight bars and put some sweep in them with a pipe bender . I was going to buy a new bar but wasn't sure of how much sweep I needed . The straight bar gave me hand pain and tennis elbow . To my amazement all the pain went away . I also feel it is more stable across the board even going downhill as your body adapts .

[@seanknight9898]

Before seeing this a few weeks ago, I purchased a Flexx Bar with the available 12deg sweep. The suspension is a whole other comment but the sweep specifically nearly eliminated shoulder pain.

[@crankybloke]

Best thing I ever did was put Ragley Carnegie bars on my bike. The 25º sweep is so much more comfortable than standard 7-9º bars. Sadly, they are no longer available, but the Salsa Bend Bar 2 is available in 23º sweep which is close enough. These bars combined with Ergon GP1 grips means no discomfort, numbness or tingling even on epic all day rides.

[@richardpatterson4312]

Thank you

[@ridingdeep8530]

Great video, I have trouble with my lower back and hands going numb after some time on the bike, I am going to try a bit more sweep and rise to my next set of bars.

[@alwAudio]

I've recently got back on my bike after years of it gathering dust and was finding bike comfort the biggest limiting factor, particularly numbness of hands. Adding some swept bars with a bit of rise and a new saddle have utterly transformed the bike. I'm not doing fast downhill or other technical off-road where I need that forward position, and for touring it's perfect!

[@Kalimatullah_Yoh1-1.14]

How to choose bar with correct backsweep and rise to reduce the reach gap?

[@jonthesailorman]

I did not think about how higher backsweep can help with lat engagement. I’m all for more core recruitment ❤

[@ThisGuyRides]

For me it was previous shoulder injuries that got me looking at "alternative bars". I rode with 25 degree bars at first, starting with Mary bars, but ended up with 16 to 17 degree bars for my two bikes. Salsa bend 2 was first then I found SQLabs 311 bars that are 16 degree but longer than Bend 2 bars.

[@kevinclark9176]

After 4y, what’s your thoughts on the SQLab’s 311? I’m looking at getting that bar (Carbon 311 FLX, if that’s the same). This is for a “flatbar-gravel” or “light-XC” bike. The Next SL bars with minimal sweep (720mm) give me wrist pain so thinking the 740mm & 16 degree will be really nice. Now I can go Corvus Sweet 16 for $180 vs $290 but it is a bit wide (780mm) and I think the SQLab has better flex (but I haven’t ridden either). Worth the hefty price tag?

[@ThisGuyRides]

@@kevinclark9176 My shoulder got better so I don't need that much back sweep anymore so running Salsa Rustler bars now. I ran alloy 311 so can't tell you if CF bars are worth the cost. Maybe try the alloy bars first if you're not sure if they will work for you.

[@siriderkert2172]

You might need a longer stem if you increase the sweep.

[@31.8mm]

i got avg straight bar as stock and i find myself especially in fastroad move my thumb to the top, so my elbow can go down more without force, just like neutral hand position on road bike, then when things getting more rough or more obstacles i hold my bars normaly

[@drewstratton7972]

Good video, but the comparison between the riser 7 deg bar and the flat 17 deg bar seems misleading. How much do the shoulders drop just because you have 20mm less rise?

[@bobjimenez-padyakpt2686]

Im from the Philippines. And also a Physical Therapist. You teach with profound knowledge in kinesiology and body mechanics that applies in bike.

[@vagabond-yj8pn]

I just got a new mountain bike and haven’t been on a bike in 15 years. The bars on this bike are pretty much straight and I’m having troubles riding and being able to comfortably bend my neck up to look down the road without having neck pain.

[@bensieber6960]

Switched to swept bars on both my MTBs and noticed immediate improvements in reduced arm and hand fatigue, improved breathing, and relaxed shoulders and neck. It took a few rides to adjust my reactions for control and steering, but now I'll never switch back.

[@bikefitadviser7012]

I had much the same experience. Thanks for weighing in!

[@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo]

How much back sweep you have ? I'm considering between 12 and 16 degrees

[@alexandertheroot]

@@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo Have you chosen between 12 and 16?

[@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo]

@@alexandertheroot i gotten the 16... although its a comfortable bar for mellow rides, i felt that it kind of kinked my wrists a little off , i took a few hard drops and my wrist developed a click and ache at a certain rotation on my wrist.... so i took it off for the time being

[@alexandertheroot]

@@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo Thank you. So maybe indeed 12 deg is better for gravity as sqlab states...

[@keithhagberg3019]

Recovering from rotator cuff.....seems like the bent bars would help a lot. Love to see a video or comments on that. thanks for the great info!

[@PatrickJWenzel]

Yeah absolutely the crux of 70% of my comfort issues. I originally thought this could be remedied by bringing the entire handlebar assembly up and back, which I tried. I just ended up squeezing my shoulder blades together more causing more discomfort. Your videos are right on point. Thank you.

[@johnvalderama522]

great info for different sweep degrees of a mtnbike handle bar affects the posture of your arms and shoulder. thanks for sharing.

[@jerrybear3081]

good video, thanks. i have been trying to fit my girlfriends new bike to her to avoid her arms getting itchy from bumps. the bars it came with were 700cm i tried swapping a pair of narrower bars with more rise and backsweep and it really did seam to help. i might try narrower bars myself, i feel as though extra wide bars are a fad and i have never struggled turning a bicycle wheel.

[@spinnetti]

Swept bar makes my hands hurt from too much pressure on the outside edge of my hand. If swept is so good, why don't road bars have sweep? (my hands hurt after 2-3 hrs on the road bike too for that matter).

[@evltwin984]

Thats bcoz your hands are on backwards

[@CarloDimacali]

I'm looking for ulnar nerve numbness while riding my mountainbike, where do i start to find a solution?

[@lkb3rd]

I always adjust the roll on my bars, which affects the sweep, allowing you to fine tune it without swapping bars.

[@Stellaspapa]

Unless, you have completely straight bars.

[@gatoryak7332]

But it does change the rise.

[@jltrack]

I’m 6’2 with longer arms. I was riding 780mm bars and notice elbow pain. Swapped them for a 760 with a 7degree back sweep and it is so much better. I don’t understand why people think ultra wide bars are better. For downhill/enduro yes, but trail riding, it is overkill and it makes steering less responsive.

[@riteandleft]

In the UK, blame the mountainbiking media who constantly harp on about using silly, ultra wide bars (800+) with 'ner a word about backsweep. As well as being ergonomically poor, it's also totally wrong for the type of riding that most riders do; not everyone spends most of their time going down the gnarliest of alpine rock gardens and needs ultimate bar leverage. I use Answer's 20/20 carbon bar with, as the name suggests, 20 degrees of backsweep. Comfortable? it's like sitting in an armchair. Sceptics, do this. Sit on an easy chair or a stool and with your arms outstretched in front of you and holding a ruler or stick in each hand, close your eyes and flex your wrists in all directions for about 30 seconds, finally allowing them to rest in the most comfortable, natural position - don't think about trying to beat the test, you're looking for the most comfortable, natural position. Now open your eyes and see the position of those rulers! That's how your hands want to grip the bars! And it ain't five degrees, more like 20+! Also, the WIDER the bar, the MORE backsweep our hands and wrists crave, as you can easily see in the test by swinging your arms in and out. No, mountainbike development has got a long way to go yet and the present trend towards more upright riding positions (glutes de-activated), slacker head angles, wider bars, etc etc will go on to extremes until someone decides that enough is enough, there's no more 'gains' to be had and designs start to go the other way again, hopefully to some kind of happy medium that works well for most situations, not just downhilling.

[@Blown86]

What is the name of your handlebar ? Thanks in advance :)

[@Only-one-life-68]

Brilliant idea From a guy in 🇬🇧

[@dkgray828]

The ruler/stick test is nice and all, but that your natural hand position with straight arms. Now bend your elbows to get in attack/descent position and see what happens with your hands. Those 20+ degrees become significantly less.

[@riteandleft]

@@Blown86 Protaper 20/20 carbon bar.

[@riteandleft]

@@dkgray828 Yes, but most riders don't always ride with bent elbows. When you're 'riding the trails' your arms tend to be pretty straight. Sure, backsweep is both a compromise and dependent on a riders' style and riding terrain. But in general I reckon more backsweep would benefit most riders.

[@leqin]

You just said what I learned the hard way and, as a Raynauds sufferer, the best thing I ever did was start playing around with the sweep of the bars on my 26er years ago and today I would never dream of fitting my 29er with anything less than the Jones H bars.... even if they are the only bit of a Jones bike I could ever afford :.) Great video and thanks.

[@annettesereno9617]

very excellent description I think my bars are to far away from me how could i fix that would a bike shop be able to help?

[@estelletennent7132]

I'm having pain in my hands and elbows. I feel there is too much wait on the hands. Do I go for raised handlebars?

[@splitshot71]

I’m just a novice FYI” but I had same issues and found that ergo handgrips helped a whole lot with me.

[@robertdipietro991]

@@splitshot71 ergo grips are decnet but i would just go with something round personally, I have the deity supracush which are nice and about the same price as every other nice grip. My friend has the ergos and my only issue with them is that they are only supportive of your hands in one position. For example, if you have the hand supports on the under side somewhat or flat they'll help you when you are in a sitting down position, however, once you get to some downhill you need to be in a more aggressive position and having the hand support piece makes it difficult to stay in that proper position and doesn't give any support.

[@gatoryak7332]

@@robertdipietro991 That is my experience with Ergon grips, too. Also, their shape makes it difficult to get a solid grasp. They are great for the kind of riding in which the rider remains seated and the terrain is flat and smooth. However, round grips are not optimal, either, because palms/fingers do not curl into a tube shape. Think of a box wrench and a bolt. Neither is round because that would give lousy grip. Furthermore, the fingers of the hand are not the same length; a good bike grip will account for the fingers being different lengths.The best grip that I have found for technical trail riding is SQlab 711. They come in different thicknesses to accommodate different hand sizes, so go to their website and learn how to determine the right size for you before you order them.

[@kuraitabinin]

I just ordered a set of SQ LAB 30x 12 degree bars. I'm eager to test ride them and hoping for a significant improvement in comfort. If it relieves my hunched shoulders and "heavy hands" it will be amazing and will probably get me riding more.

[@JensMHA]

Totally transformed a quite horrible Merida 29er by swapping the OEM bar with a Surly Open Bar, it has a 53 dgr sweep with a 40mm rise. It is now somewhat rideable. Very good video, thanks for making it and putting it up.

[@StiloNautica]

Oke thank you. i was looking for this video. my wrists hurt, so i wil look for a 17% sweep bar. (or other) Dont know how much sweep i have now, but i need some more sweep. It takes the enjoymed out of riding. I want to be more relaxed and have a better body position. Thank you again..

[@scottwhittet5226]

This is the holy grail toward getting comfortable on your bike. Not a racing or commercial trend but a basic ergonomics setup to make the bike fit you. Starting at the wrists through elbows,shoulders and to the neck issues.

[@co7013]

Couldn't agree more. I made a change like the one suggested here. From an old fashioned fairly straight and narrow bar to one with some more sweep, width and a bit of rise. Had to change the stem for one a cm longer. Also added ergonomic grips (specialized). Best change ever. More stability, more relaxed without changing the angle of my back, less strain on the wrists, more control. Wouldn't want to go to the extremes in width seen on modern trail bikes, as i use mine mostly for touring, xt, marathon.

[@bizgaru1771]

A lot is in play. Upsweep, backsweep and rise of the bar. Stack height of steerer tube. Length and angle of stem. These days are with aggressive toptube length. Fork travel, head and seat tube angle. To make matters worse, dropper posts and full suspension frames. Roadbikes and hardtail mtb are easier to work with their rigid rear end. The bars that i have stuck myself with are 760mm, 25mm rise, 9x5deg back and upsweep.

[@musarra195]

I think I had too much sweep on my handlebar because my wrists were hurting me. I cut the handlebar a bit to make less wide and that’s helped a bit still not perfect. I’m sure there are a number of factors in play.

[@DavidRoberts555]

it's all the little tweaks lie this that makes me more inclined to build my bike up rather than buy off the shelf for my next ride. It's important to get the bike right for you.

[@snowbike8032]

Great video! I've recently put a flat bar on a Salsa Cuthroat that I will use for gravel touring. I'm not sure how to decide how wide it and my hands should be for less technical riding. I rode it today for the first time and had neck pain, even though I'm sitting fairly upright. The new carbon bar has not been cut down yet but I'm not sure how much to cut off. Thank you!

[@grcgrcgrcgrc4]

I just purchased a set of the Stooge Cycles Moto bars. Cut them down to 780mm. Noticed the difference right out the door. Much more stable than my SQ Labs with the 12° of sweep.

[@Carecovzki]

Is it possible to correct the position on the wrists by changing the width of the handlebars without going for higher backsweep?

[@bikefitadviser7012]

+Carecovzki to a degree. Poor upper body positioning can certainly be made worse by a low sweep bar that's too wide. Cutting it down to more rider appropriate levels can be helpful, but it won't completely solve the problem in all cases. But it is a good, simple (and cheap) place to start

[@Carecovzki]

Bike Fit Adviser thanks for the quick answer! I'm thinking that maybe 760 mm is too much for me (my height is 1.72m)

[@mcruzdvm]

I have a surly ogre, and I have issues with my wrist , old fix and arthritis, and gets numb , I change to Jones, still have issues , any suggestions

[@markthorrowgood3266]

I like Ergotec-Humpert stems and handlebars with Ergon grips. There are specialized ergon grips for swept handlebars, and the small size grips are nice on the hands. The Ergotec-Humpert grips can be uncomfortably fat.

[@arghomajumdar1300]

My handlebar is making a screeching noise when I turn it. I use the cycle for city travelling. Can you help me out?

[@purdoy25]

Sometimes I put my pinky behind the grip to have some semblance of using a handlebar with more sweep. It makes my arms more comfortable but puts a lot of strain on my pinky finger so I think I have to get a bar with more sweep. My current one probably has less than 10 degrees of sweep.

[@scottchristman7955]

Having pain on pinkie side of hands/palms during rides. Was thinking less sweep, but now I'm not sure.

[@LooknFeelGood]

Makes sense, but how does this benefit trail riding?

[@JerryWDaviscom]

I ride and prefer a lot of technical riding, both up and down, but last ride I had pain in both wrists. My carbon bar is my secret mistress, and I don't yet want to change it, so I did this: Bought some padded road bar tape from amazon, a very cool yellow/black camo color, and replaced my handgrips with this tape. I wound it a little thicker at the bar ends in order to push my wrists back towards straight. I also rotated the bar a bit to give me just a little more sweep back. Tomorrow I ride. I think this might do the trick because I have ridden this bar for months with no pain, but when I initially put the tape on my bars, it went on a little shorter than a standard grip, and farther out. I remembered that my former grips had a tendency to drift inward a 1/4 inch or so over time, so I figured that I was unconsciously sliding them inward when I was riding. Therefore, I reinstalled my tape today a little longer from end to end, and relocated my shifter/brake housing inward a bit, too. This will align my wrists more, and maybe enough to enable to keep my lovely carbon bar. Also, I did take your advice a few weeks ago and drop my stem about one inch while also sliding my seat all the way rearward, which eliminated my burning ass syndrome. Thanks for all the good dope.

[@Alphard_adventures]

What about flare on gravel bars 🤔

[@golddiggerdave]

Having a nightmare, fitness is good but my week point is neck and shoulder pain on my MTB, anything over 2-3 hours an I really feel it. Ordered a 50mm riser bar to see if this gives me a slightly more up right position.

[@JonPrevost]

Classic original bicycles used a lot of sweep angle... probably for a reason. I used to be surprised by how frequently people chose appearance over function. Now I'm just sad when I see somebody not using 5% of their brain for 10 minutes to just TRY and understand WHY some things were the way they were. Seems so silly but too often I find the most flippant response to my questions about things done in the past is, "they are stupid" which just is not true. What did G.I.Joe say? "Knowing is half the battle." lol. Thanks for the reminder that looking the part doesn't mean you can do the part. Posers be warned. Some Jones bars or cruiser bars can get you across the country without elbow, back and shoulder surgery :) I love your content. It assumes the viewer knows more P.T. or O.T. than the average person but doesn't leave a layman scratching their head. Thanks for bridging the gap and please keep up the good work. More cyclists... well fitted to their bicycles = lower insurance premiums ;)

[@jacobkeller29]

I ditched the dropbars on my Poseidon redwood and went with the soma dream bars. Have 25 degrees of sweep. Much more comfortable and better ability to apply breaks. Also, I have a dropper post with suspension built in, and now my upright riding posture places my weight more upon the seat and takes advantage of the suspension.

[@joondizon5416]

This video is very helpful. This helped me realized what what i did wrong. I developed this wrist pain because of the flat bar that I use for my commuter bike. I felt that there a little problem with my bike setup but i ignored it. now i have to fix mt wrist ;-(

[@bacazterchovej2235]

i got straight handlebar with horns on the ends and i got some 100km rides on hardtail MB and never got any problems with wrists or back pain ....terain was hilly but not so steep ....

[@hannes6114]

For more aggressive position more rise then?

[@richardjeffery517]

I'm 5'7" tall ,I've got a 2011 demo small .It was far too short for me .I needed a medium size .The front felt heavy .I put a spank 30mm stem on that made the front lighter ,high riser bars 43mm and an Easton ea70 seatpost 30mm layback .I gained about 15mm top tube length with.my weight more over the back wheel .Done some DH trails ,no traction on the front so I dumped psi until I go it right .My bike rides amazing for me now .

[@31.8mm]

i changed my flat bar to loop bar and got a very good result, as im able to sit back and recuit glutes i feel more relax above and powerful below in the same time

[@ShaggyWill]

Do you mean the Jones H-bar loop? I've got one on my gravel bike instead of drop bars, and have fitted it to my hardtail too. Love it!

[@joescheller6680]

you guys cant keep up with your jargen, what is a loop bar,

[@alex_n8863]

Having problems with my back on my new MTB. Shortened the bars and stem, also trying Ergon grips for more support. If that doesn't work for me I'll try changing the bar. Thanks for the advice! 👍

[@propertyphotoprodurango4199]

try the SQ lab grip. Better than ergon imho

[@Blown86]

Hi, thanks for the video ! What is the name of the handlebar with 17 backsweep ? Thanks in advance

[@itsallspent]

I have a plus bike with a short bar that makes it difficult to turn the three inch tires. So I would like to try a Jones SG 2.5 Aluminum Loop H-Bar. That bar will raise and give a wider bar. It should let me bring my arms back towards me where I can move my shoulders. I want to use the bike on gravel roads.

[@monty2078]

I tried Jones bar. I tried everything, shorter stem, longer stem, different angles. Nothing worked with it. I tried for 6 months and then sold it. Worse bike investment I ever made

[@monty2078]

Hi Michael, I sold it.

[@wazzup105]

I am struggling with my (almost) straight handlebars and now I understand why. My aero bar is a lifesaver though.

[@ZychuZychu]

Tomorrow Im ordering Ergotec riser bar with 50mm rise and 12degree backsweep. Will post my feelings after mounting it to my Trek Stache. Currently riding 750mm 38mm riser with normal 6 or 9degree backsweep and my wrists are in pain!

[@ReviewChick]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts! I'm thinking of roughly same swap. That straight bar is woopin' my wrists!

[@ZychuZychu]

Ok so Im after my first real mountain ride and I must say that I like the Ergotec bar a lot. No wrist pain, more relaxed position. A little bit too high however on the climbs so I might lower the bridge by one spacer. Other than that I think its a really good investement. The backsweep seems really natural and it corresponds to what John said in the video - your arms lower automatically so you are actually just holding your bars instead of leaning on them.

[@ReviewChick]

Awesome!!!! I cut a total of 1.5 inches off my bars and added Ergon GP3 grips and wah lah, no pain! I'll be putting a video out of that soon on my channel. Great to hear, I really appreciate the update!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

That's cool...thanks for the update!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

I've had many riders go with a little more sweep and some of the smaller riders also trim the width a little to better suit their upper body and significantly improve how they're sitting. A few of them it was the only change we made and the result in their posture was dramatic. Thanks for letting us know how this went for you!

[@TLPnega]

Does this not hinge on whether you are riding with your saddle down? Most of the time when you are descending you have no saddle - so what would the advantage be of more backsweep if a rider isn’t stabilizing themselves through their lumbar and pelvis on their saddle?

[@adireitinho]

Hi!!! Kept my 9Deg Sweep bar/Ergon Grips on the Mountain bike. On the Tourism/Long distance Installed the Jones Loop 710, and it incredibly increased my comfort and the bike handling under big loads. On the city bike Installed the Cube 30Deg Swept Handlebar with the angled Ergon Grips. Have to say that i am considering changing my MTB handlebars... :-)

[@100toeface]

It might sound ridiculous, but now I put super high monkey bars (like you might see on some harleys) on all of my bicycles, so my sitting position is upright and arms go straight out parallel to my shoulders. It sounds like it would be tiring 'holding' them up there, but it is quite the opposite. This in conjunction with a b schultz suspension seat post makes non-recumbent bikes tolerable for me.

[@davidlaurence4323]

I am looking for a handlebar that will relieve neck pain while mountain biking technical terrain, or generally riding your mountain bike.

[@barrybebenek8691]

I’ve struggled with numbness for so long. This was SUCH a helpful video. Gonna look into different bars now. Thank you for posting. Cheers.

[@MyMegaJOKER2]

And? Did you buy new handlebars? I'm curious

[@richyrich9761]

@@MyMegaJOKER2 I did based on the article, I too was getting numbness after long rides. 15 degrees back sweep, 7 degrees up sweep and 55mm rise and some Ergon GA3 grips and no more problems with numbness. Upside was better handling and confidence through technical single track.

[@inderdhingra]

Really helpful. Am having problems with my new straight bar touring bike and tennis elbow. After watching your video I noticed my wrist position (as you described) is off and I probably need to instal a different sweep handlebar. Question is how much sweep do I need - 10, 15, 17, 20 or more degrees. How can I judge what’s right for me? Many thanks in advance.

[@Indictedheart]

I may fo went to far with my 70mm +6 degree stem and 1/4inch rise Bar. Should of bought 35mm Rise Bar with 8degree backsweep on a 55mm-60mm 0degree stem & come close to same position?

[@davidjames5389]

I use the k force xc carbon. Not much of a rise but for comfort an lightness I can't beat it I use it on my gt avalanche mtb

[@ANUNIAUNIAcst]

Hi. My reach is too far- should i use stem spacers to have the handle closer to me or just go with sweep handlebars?

[@Blown86]

Hi, I have a flat handlbar in my MTB and it hurt my arm and hand. My arms feel tired when i drive my bike. Can you give me the name of your handlbar of 17 " backsweep ? Do you think carbon handlbar could help also for the fatigue of arms ? Thanks in advance for your answer :)

[@realchicagophill]

Best video I've seen in the subject so far.

[@jackfederski7646]

This is a critically important point to me. Because of injury in a different sport that took two years for the inflammation in my arms to settle down, I could not ride for any length of time with any twist in my forearm, so it was not possible to drop my elbows at all. I converted my hybrid "road" bike to drop bars, but my MTB trail bike was a different problem. No only did I need a forward sweep, but it turned out I also needed a downward rotation of the wrist. I spent a fortune on every curved bar available, and I spent a lot of time converting my bike. It took me even longer to get the bike to handle OK - my hand position was so wrong it changed my balance and I could not safely ride the bike. I finally have the bike dynamics OK, and now I think I have the inflammation solved (partly a diet issue, which is why it took so long for the inflammation to stop). I lost years of riding and am afraid to change it now that the bike works, but I am concerned that the bar is not meant for off-road. I would like to look at more regular swept bars. Is there more detailed information I can get in this subject before I mangle my bike's geometry again?

[@miguelpantoja250]

Would moving forward my saddle halp?

[@RicardoMendes90]

How there! My bike came with 6.5 degree backsweep bar and often feel some numbness in my hands. I'm thinking on getting a 9 degree backsweep bar, but I don't know if I have to change the original 70mm stem as well...

[@skypuppet9]

I've got huge neck pain and rhomboid knots after every ride. Might a greater swept bar help with easing that tension?

[@jeffrey7104]

Dealing with the same issue.Did you ever resolve it?

[@skypuppet9]

@@jeffrey7104 comes and goes depending on how hard i reide. I did find this great massage ball/s that helps quite a bit. www.radroller.com/. Good luck!

[@camwells9726]

My local trail is climbing up, then coming back down on enduro style trails , not much in betweens , Tried a few bars , but like deity carbon dc 31s , comfortable, and seem to take out a lot of vibration .

[@lukefarmer5391]

Too wide of a bar will also put strain on your shoulder joints. Wide bars look cool but you loose pulling strength and become more susceptible to shoulder injury.

[@b.s.adventures9421]

If you look at dirt bike moto bars, they are wide, and tall with a good bit of sweep. They tend to be pretty comfy. To tall for most mtb applications but interesting. Moto guys figured this out a long time ago. I have put them on cruiser clunker builds. (They fit a bmx stem) Work good for cruising and trails. Easy on your wrists, shoulders, and back.

[@albertfranqui3598]

Very nice and simple explanation all about body mechanics, I suggest let take some pictures when you are on the bike and the picture will help.

[@elachichai]

Jones H Loop is too upright?