The last bike I had, Rufus, was a hybrid with 700c wheels, flat bars with bar ends (and gel grips), and a saddle that had been faithful for around about 4000miles. He was pretty comfortable, and despite being a cheap bike I had spent almost 3 years adding to him, updating him, and adapting him. He was pretty darn comfortable, and even took me on LEJOG back in 2009. And then he got pinched.
So, I went out (and bearing in mind I was aware I was moving to Switzerland by this point) and bought a Carrera Centos Limited Edition 2012 bike. This one to be precise.
Most of my riding is in town, although I also ride off road, on trails and sometimes on cheeky paths across fields. Rufus' little tyres used to pop on a gravel path, so this bike - Rosie - is far better for those. I also hope she'll get some mountain action when I move to Switzerland in 6 weeks.
However, she's not that comfortable, yet. Yesterday on my ride the hands and shoulders started hurting. Having no where to move to (no bar ends or drops) was really uncomfortable, and toward the end of the ride, incredibly painful. So my first modification is to change the bars - I'm getting trekking bars.
Here are some articles that helped in the decision making process - The Middle Aged Cyclist, Crazy Guy On A Bike, and the one and only Sheldon Brown - and might help inform you.
It seems however that there is little choice in the UK when it comes to butterfly/trekking bar. Wiggle only has one set, and it's perennially out of stock, Chain Reaction don't stock any, and neither do Decathlon, Halfords or Evans. In the end good old VeloSolo came good, and I've ordered a set of these.
I will fit them this week, and keep you posted on the whether trekking bars are the future.
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