Levo Gen 2 Raised Handlebars

[granny girl]

I am new to this forum. I started MTB at age 60 and at almost 64 I now own an ebike so I can keep up to my younger and fitter husband. I do get a sore neck and have read that some people raise their handlebars but I was wondering how this affects performance - steep climbs, drops, jumps etc.

 

[EME]

Hi @granny girl , Im similar age (older if I have to admit it ), male.

I found e-mtb earlier this year and despite being reasonably fit I also struggled with a sore neck for a couple of months.

Until your post I had totally forgotten about that.

Rather than mechanical ( I haven't changed my bars ), I can only assume in my case its less 'stress' / a tad more experience / not hanging on to the bars for the sake of my life / making the difference ?

There is always the challenge of bike set-up of course but I could not knowingly comment.

Enjoy the journey whatever happens.

 

[routrax]

You can get higher rise bars, I think you can go like 50-60mm+ with some bars
Having a little extra back sweep, a shorter reach stem or cutting down the bars a little can all also help.

I've got a bad back and run 35mm rise bars, a 35mm reach stem and my bars are cut down to about 760mm. It's perfect now!

I'd get down to your nearest decent bike shop and get them to try some combos out for you.

I'd definitely steer clear of any bolt on fork extensions or adjustable angle stems though.

 

[apac]

I am new to this forum. I started MTB at age 60 and at almost 64 I now own an ebike so I can keep up to my younger and fitter husband. I do get a sore neck and have read that some people raise their handlebars but I was wondering how this affects performance - steep climbs, drops, jumps etc.

How wide are your bars? And what is the current rise of your bars?

 

[granny girl]

How wide are your bars? And what is the current rise of your bars?

I currently have 30mm rise, 8 deg back and 6up. I am thinking of going 35-38, 9 and 6. Just might make a subtle difference. My bars are currently 760mm

You can get higher rise bars, I think you can go like 50-60mm+ with some bars
Having a little extra back sweep, a shorter reach stem or cutting down the bars a little can all also help.

I've got a bad back and run 35mm rise bars, a 35mm reach stem and my bars are cut down to about 760mm. It's perfect now!

I'd get down to your nearest decent bike shop and get them to try some combos out for you.

I'd definitely steer clear of any bolt on fork extensions or adjustable angle stems though.

What kind of riding do you do? This sound exactly like what I am thinking of doing to my bike, but I do like jumps and drops (not crazy huge) but I don't want to compromise my riding style.

 

[routrax]

I currently have 30mm rise, 8 deg back and 6up. I am thinking of going 35-38, 9 and 6. Just might make a subtle difference. My bars are currently 760mm


What kind of riding do you do? This sound exactly like what I am thinking of doing to my bike, but I do like jumps and drops (not crazy huge) but I don't want to compromise my riding style.

Not too different to you by the sounds of it. Pretty happy on red trails, 3ft-ish drops and a few jumps on a good day!

I think there is definitely a sweet spot between comfort and performance and would rather sacrifice a bit of downhill performance to have a bike that isn't a nightmare to ride once you're not going downhill.

If you have some upsweep you can also try rolling your bars back a bit. Little tweaks can make all the difference.

 

[aklemm]

You could try shortening your "reach" by sliding your saddle forward. There should be markings on the rails, just keep the saddle mounted to the seat post inside those markings. Shortening the stem will also decrease your "reach". If you already have a short stem, then you'll have to find handlebars with a larger backsweep and/or upsweep.

Small adjustments can make a huge difference.

 

[urastus]

How do the top of your bars sit compared to your seat height? Do they look level? If so consider doing some neck stretching.

On an older bike I have fitted a ritchey comp riser to get some height in the front. I used to have trouble getting bar height close to seat height, and this was always with frame sizes considered too big for me. I must have long legs

 

[Swissrob]

I watched a YouTube clip about this recently and learned a couple of things. High rise bars say 50mm will raise the bar in the vertical plane but spacers under stem will shorten the reach (as will stem length) so it depends on whether you need to go up or up and back as to what you do.

 

[Mikerb]

Neck ache can be caused by a number of things. Being overly tense/ having fork suspension too stiff/a heavy helmet/having your upper body at too steep an angle ( ie more like a roadie) meaning you are having to hold you neck up.
If out of those you think it is riding position, you need to aim for a position where your neck/head is held in a straight line with your upper torso. If that means bringing your torso a little more upright Swissrob above has explained the options for the cockpit but you can also play with seat position. Be aware if you change your current riding position you will alter the front/back balance of the bike slightly and will need to compensate for that when riding. For example if you bring your torso more upright you take weight off the front wheel so you will have to compensate for that on a climb by leaning forward over the bars a little more. It only takes a ride or two to compensate so it is not a big deal.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I am new to this forum. I started MTB at age 60 and at almost 64 I now own an ebike so I can keep up to my younger and fitter husband. I do get a sore neck and have read that some people raise their handlebars but I was wondering how this affects performance - steep climbs, drops, jumps etc.

I'm 62 (still male as far as I can tell, thus far ). I started MTBiking at age 40 and BMX (on and off) prior to that.

Don't hesitate to try different handlebars. Research and analysis can only go so far. The cost of a new handlebar is negligible if it would prevent neck, back, arm or wrist - strain injury. Over the years (and many various bars sitting on a shelf in my garage), I have come to realise that my particular physique benefits from a higher handlebar orientation. And it is different for everybody, so another person's findings and recommendation may not necessarily be right for you.

I currently have a 40mm riser bar with a shim stack arrangement that places my stem all the way up as it can safely go on the steerer tube. From there I then play around with the stem length (got lots of spare stems too, through the years). If after raising the bars you still have discomfort, then start trying shorter stems. If you don't sell or get rid of your previous bars and stems, you will always have a revert path, should you find the changes unsuitable after some time (yes sometimes the benefit doesn't show immediately). You will know once you hit the 'sweet spot.' You won't have strain or discomfort, your ride will be safer and more enjoyable because you've got better control and you're not distracted by pain.

Just my 2 cents regarding 'performance.' A lot of bikes (not all) come with specs that are set-up for racing performance... that's to be expected. That usually means a posture that's leaning low and forward - to 'attack' the trails (max acceleration and deceleration) and everything else be damned. But where I'm at right now, maximum performance means - maximum control, comfort and enjoyment. I'm not riding to prove to myself or to anyone how fast or for how long I can ride. My podium is the local cafe (my wife and I travel to ride various places) where my flat-white (or hot meal) is waiting for us.
.

 

[Konanige]

All the points above are valid, but it may be worth persevering with your current position if you haven't had the bike long, to see if it improves as your neck muscles adapt. The problem is modern geometry, the longer reach and slacker head angles of the latest bikes require you to weight the front end of the bike more in order to maintain traction at the front wheel, so raising your bars and stem will put your weight more rearward and you may find the bike will try to wash out on corners. Its not a massive issue but something to be aware of, good luck in getting it sorted.
Not all its cracked up to be this getting old malarky ! Now if someone can come up with a solution for painless riding with a FUBAR shoulder joint I'm all ears!!!!

 

[Mikerb]

All the points above are valid, but it may be worth persevering with your current position if you haven't had the bike long, to see if it improves as your neck muscles adapt. The problem is modern geometry, the longer reach and slacker head angles of the latest bikes require you to weight the front end of the bike more in order to maintain traction at the front wheel, so raising your bars and stem will put your weight more rearward and you may find the bike will try to wash out on corners. Its not a massive issue but something to be aware of, good luck in getting it sorted.
Not all its cracked up to be this getting old malarky ! Now if someone can come up with a solution for painless riding with a FUBAR shoulder joint I'm all ears!!!!

shoulder strap and plush forks!!

 

[Konanige]

shoulder strap and plush forks!!

Tried shoulder strap but that just makes the pain worse, I have been thinking of stretching my fox36 out to 170 and going coil though!!

 

[EME]

Tried shoulder strap but that just makes the pain worse, I have been thinking of stretching my fox36 out to 170 and going coil though!!

Rocking chair ?

 

[Konanige]

Rocking chair ?

Never, its better to burn out than to fade away!!???

 

[Mikerb]

Rocking chair ?

Harsh!

 

[urastus]

Does your shoulder ache from sleeping in bed? Both mine do I try not to sleep on them, and it helps big time if you pull your shoulder down while in bed - pretend someone is pulling your hand down toward your feet.

 

[EME]

Never, its better to burn out than to fade away!!???

Oops , I really should have added a smiley ... and I 101 % agree, even if it took me a lockdown to realise it !!

 

[granny girl]

Thanks for all the great advice. I was in a serious car accident years ago and fractured my neck and finally the arthritis has taken over. I will never stop doing what I love even if I have to endure the pain. I just learned how to do jumps this year and built my own play park right out my back door. It has 8 jumps, rock ridges, berms, and I even built a skinny bridge. I call it the 'senior citizen' skinny as it is only about 4 inches off the ground but still great for building skills. I am happiest when I am in the air. Maybe that is because I figure skated all my live Ha Ha. I have ordered 38mm carbon (very light) handlebars and will fiddle with those but if they don't work, I will go back to my original set up and and keep on happily plugging along.

 

[Bumpy]

Have a look at this video, it's a great explanation of how handle bar position affects your ride.


I also had some issues with neck and shoulder ache and swapped to 40mm riser bars and bought my seat forward a little bit and it's fixed it now.

 

[Singletrackmind]

I am new to this forum. I started MTB at age 60 and at almost 64 I now own an ebike so I can keep up to my younger and fitter husband. I do get a sore neck and have read that some people raise their handlebars but I was wondering how this affects performance - steep climbs, drops, jumps etc.

As others have stated, having higher bars would impact your performance when climbing and will improve performance on descents. Handlebar width is a matter of personal preference and there definitely are benefits/drawbacks to having shorter or longer witdth bars. I have been mtb'ing for over 30 years and once I reached my mid 50's starting having hand numbness and sore back/neck issues (age is b*tch!). Been really impressed with SQ Lab Handlebars, have them on my 3 mtbs and flar bar road bike. Did wonders to eliminate pains and numbness. They come in different rises and backsweep options. Previous bars had 8-9 degrees backsweep, went with 12 degree for all my bikes, different rises based on the bike type.

SQlab GmbH Online Shop | Handlebars | Ergonomic bike equipment

SQlab bike handlebars provide an ergonomic position on the bike and are easy to adjust. Rise (height) and backsweep are crucial.

www.sq-lab.com

 

[KeithR]

Harsh!

Aah, he'll be back in school tomorrow...

 

[EME]

....

 

[MACSKI1]

Keep on rocking, check Jones bikes bars and grips.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Thanks for all the great advice. I was in a serious car accident years ago and fractured my neck and finally the arthritis has taken over. I will never stop doing what I love even if I have to endure the pain. I just learned how to do jumps this year and built my own play park right out my back door. It has 8 jumps, rock ridges, berms, and I even built a skinny bridge. I call it the 'senior citizen' skinny as it is only about 4 inches off the ground but still great for building skills. I am happiest when I am in the air. Maybe that is because I figure skated all my live Ha Ha. I have ordered 38mm carbon (very light) handlebars and will fiddle with those but if they don't work, I will go back to my original set up and and keep on happily plugging along.

Go you!!

 

[Dfriz]

I have 80 mm rise Deity's on my Kenevo they climb and descend

 

[granny girl]

I thought I would update on the changes I noticed after putting on difference handlebars. As I stated in previous post I have severe neck pain from having fractured my neck (now arthritis) many years ago. Mt levo came with 30mm rise and 8deg backsweep. I changed to 38mm rise and 9deg backsweep - also they are light (carbon). Specialized has a long wheelbase compared to other models and me at just 5'4" - it just wasn't working. Now, with the new set-up, I experience little to no pain. My downhill has improved and it actually has made the uphill easier. I am over the moon happy.

 

[Exrm193]

Try Spank SPOON 35 Skyscraper MTB Riser Handlebar from Chain Reaction in UK...Made a big difference to my neck pain....recommended

 

[MikeyR]

Great thread! Thanks to all. In July (2022) i bought a turbo levo sl and don't ride trails anymore, so i'm trying to sit more upright on my daily dirt road rides. So, up front, i'm trying to make this new full blown trail bike into something it wasn't designed for (like we buy 4x4's to drive on pavement most of the time!) which means you can quit reading now if you are a trail rider!
For those left, i had an 80mm diety handlebar installed as soon as i test rode the sl. Way back, I "doctored" my old 2007 Stumpjumper fsr elite (which i still ride) with a steering tube extender and a rise stem and sit comfortably on it, no neck, shoulder, butt, etc pain. The problem is, i'm reminded of my new bike (dis?)comfort every time i sit on the old bike!
Measuring where i want the handlebars by lowering my adjustable seat, it appears i need 2-2.5 inches (50-63.5mm) more height to match my old bike. The only way to get that much is with a 145mm rise handlebar $32 Amazon) or, a steering tube extender, or some very major orthopedic surgery!. I have a short stem and don't want to put longer cranks on. With the handlebar i'd have to make sure my cables were long enough (internally routed on the back) and everything would fit on the new bars. Again, this is all my fault!! The good thing is that my current position isn't all that bad and i can probably live with it on my 2 hr rides. Any suggestions, ridicule or sympathy???!! (ps, i'm a little over 70).