Like PB, I've struggled to get comfortable on the Noodles. I like the fact that the brake levers can be installed in such a way that leads to a more or less "flat" ramp from the tops of the bar bend down to the lever hoods. But, since they're basically a "randennour" (sp? design, they have this slight upsweep bend right at the spot where I rest my hands when riding just up a bit from the brake levers and that bend causes wrist problems.
Far and away the most comfortable bars I've ever owned are the Ritchey BioMax. They have a kinky looking shape where the ramp meets the curved drop part of the bar at a really tight bend, so tight that the clamp of a standard quill stem cannot pass around it - you have to use a threadless stem. But this combo made for a very flat ramp that worked especially well with brake levers like Cane Creek or Tektro. Then, the drops themselves have a slight "reverse curve" at the bend that makes a much more comfortable place to rest the hands than a just plain curved section. Also, the tight bend at the clamp area made for a shallower drop so you didn't feel like you needed chiropractic adjustment after riding the drops for a while. These truly were an ergonomic innovation, but evidently the strange look didn't sell well because I believe they've been manf. discontinued. On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 12:15:26 PM UTC-5, pb wrote: > > Always tough to peer through the computer screen to set up another guy's > bike, but, some responses > > - I dislike Noodles, and can't get comfortable on them. Tried three times > and punted. I'm now transitioning pretty much all of the fleet to SOMA Hwy > One, which design offers a couple of possible advantages for you, > including, I believe, shorter ramps. > https://www.flickr.com/photos/pbridge1300/16126988157/ > - You're already set up far more upright and less reachy than I prefer, so > I'm a bit surprised that you're having reach issues, but there it is. Is > your saddle flat? If so, you may need to tilt it back a bit, nose up, to > rotate your pelvis and center of gravity back. How comfortable are you on > your saddle in general? > - How's your overall core and arm strength? > - Yes, cheap and easy answer, you sound like a candidate for upright > bars. Doesn't sound like you use the drops anyway? Might need to think > about saddle as well, at least I need a wider saddle on an upright bike > than I do on a drop bike. > - Yes, you absolutely might have to "get used" to lots of things on a > bike. No matter how relaxed the position is, it isn't a La-Z-Boy > recliner. I make lots of small adjustments to my position over the course > of a riding season, both to bars and to saddle. Our bodies change, and on > any given day we are more or less fit, we are more or less tired, etc. > > ~pb > > > On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 8:52:01 AM UTC-7, Dave wrote: > >> Hey folks, >> >> Looking for some advice on my newly installed 46cm Nitto Noodle >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
