Help: Touring on 29er/Too much pressure on hands

[Ride4fun]

I am planning on using my 29er to ride the GDMBR however as I have experienced before on my 26er a Stump Jumper there is too much pressure on my hands.  Although I didn't notice it ridding single track for an hour or two I do notice it riding gravel rail trails and dirt roads even for as little as an hour.

I put Jones H-Loop Bar on to give more positions and shorten reach but I still feel too much pressure.  The bar position is about level with the seat so I don't want to go higher.  Thinking about a shorter stem although the reach in the primary hand position  is about the same as other bikes I ride comfortably.  Thinking using an offset seat post to move the seat reward which I believe would result in a more up ride position. 

I ride a Soma Double Cross I built on for dirt touring and it feels great for hours and 60 miles just want to get the 29er to feel the same.  Any thoughts?

Thanks

[csykes]

A good LBS should have someone who could help fit the bike to you. Also, if the Soma is comfortable you could take a bunch of measurements and try to duplicate it as much as possible on the 29er. Alternately you could tour on the Soma with a change of tires, etc.

[Pat Lamb]

Get out your measuring stick!

There are two or three key measures you'll want to duplicate from your Soma so the fit will be the same; the distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle, the distance from the saddle to the bars, and vertical distance between the saddle and the bars.  You might also measure the distance from the saddle to a plumb line to the center of the BB.

Get those close (1/4" to 1/8") between the bikes, and then start tweaking if you're using a different bar.

[RonK]

Jones does recommend using a short stem for the loop bar.
Be careful moving the saddle forward, it could lead to knee problems. 

[RussSeaton]

I am planning on using my 29er to ride the GDMBR however as I have experienced before on my 26er a Stump Jumper there is too much pressure on my hands.  Although I didn't notice it ridding single track for an hour or two I do notice it riding gravel rail trails and dirt roads even for as little as an hour.

The bar position is about level with the seat so I don't want to go higher.  Thinking using an offset seat post to move the seat reward which I believe would result in a more up ride position.

Your 29 and 26 mountain bikes both put too much pressure on your hands when riding gravel roads.  But not single track because when riding single track you are always moving your hands and body every few seconds.  On gravel you stay more stationary with your hands and body so weight will put pressure on your hands.  Your mountain bikes do not fit.

There is no law against having your bars even or above your saddle.  If it improves comfort, do it.  An offset seatpost moving the saddle rearward will stretch you out more and put more weight and pressure on your hands.  Moving the seat rearward will not put you in a more upright position.  Based on you writing this, I surmise you do not know how bikes fit.  So I advise you to find someone who can fit you to a bicycle.

Simple and easy step would be to put a shorter and higher stem on the bike and see if it makes you more comfortable.  $20 mail order isn't too much to try.  Try that for both the 26 and 29 bikes.

[John Nelson]

There are quite a few different adjustments which should relieve some of the pressure on your hands. I assume you know that relieving pressure on your hands will just transfer the pressure somewhere else, mostly to your butt.

- Shorten the reach. This can be done by moving the saddle forward or the bars back (i.e., a shorter stem), or using different bars.
- Raise the handlebars or lower the saddle.
- Tilt the saddle back (or at least make sure it isn't tilted forward).