I am new to the forum and am a Design student trying to modify a simple bike handle bars for my dad for his birthday as he is a keen cyclist but unfortunately has very bad arthritis in his hands. It would be a great help for me if you could answer a few of my questions, it would be greatly appreciated.
1. Which handle bars are the comfiest to use?
2. How would you suggest I modify the use of break and gears?
Thank you! (If you want to include any other information that would be very helpful!)
Written by
RoseWindust
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Hi there, sounds a good idea to me . Would the design in adapted cars be a starting point for break design as grip is lost in arthritic hands or maybe some of the design for lift switches and wheelchair controls might work. Handles need to be thicker & larger with softer materials. Maybe mobility centres might have some ideas. Even static bicycles need new research on their design for people with arthritis to be able to exercise. Well done for investigating hope you succeed for your dad, good luck.
hi the most comfortable handle bars are the drop type on road bikes multi hand postions straight bars are bad for you as force hands into an unatural position which in turn causes more issues one being wrists plus elbows and shoulders.
The other good type is drops turned over with the bottom half cut off so have what looks like bull horns so have the tops(Middle bits)then hands forward on sides pus upturned part for another position.
they can be used with the ergo brake/gear levers still.
Then use some cork/foam tape along bars
Also there bar width to consider esp if wide i rode 44 width as if narrow makes shoulders ache more.
think of it this way drop your hands to the sides relaxed where/how do your palms face?
So that is what you want on the bike less pressure.
you can also tune bike with different handle bar stems as well so longer/shorter/high/lower
The other thing is Tyres! they transmit road vibrations go with the widest you can and have a look at the likes of the Schwalbe marathon pluses smoothish tyre with an anti puncture layer under tread which is a soft rubber great tyre for what your looking for.
Ive raynauds and fibro i can't ride with tyres with any rough type tread even smaller types as the vibrations cause hand/feet issues got the marathon pluses and not many issues also have some other ones like there big apples.
Used to cycle thousands of miles a year also racing and endurance plus i was coaching/training at eastway cycle circuit before got destroyed for Olympics
Hi rosewindust I didn't have any further to add to the previous emails, although I after some thought, heat may affect the arthritis and so heated gloves might help. Kind regards.
im also a design student and conducting research for my final year of uni regarding keeping active with reduced dexterity and hand strength, if anyone is able to complete my short 3 min survey about your condition it would really be of huge help.
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EXPERIENCE OF RITUXIMAB AND TRIXUMA INFUSIONS TO CONTROL RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS - ALSO USE OF ABATACEPT with or without Methotrexate therapy 
Am I too young for Arthritis? 
