Since the mtb enduro season has ended my focus shifted to longer endurance rides on the mountainbike.
Things are different when you ride longer in a steady state endurance effort.
One of the things I noticed was my hands and wrists got very uncomfortable on these rides.
I would constantly shake out my hand to relieve the pressure and numbness.
Technical trails don’t bother my hands as much as they move around more and my riding position is more dynamic.
Also the technical trails are typically ridden on my Enduro Bike which has plush suspension that takes the sting away.
Upon closer review I noticed how unnatural my wrists were positioned on the bars, producing a sharp pain on the inner side of my wrist and numb fingers.
I needed a bar that had more back sweep to align my wrists with my forearms.
That’s when I came across the SQLab 30X16 Handlebar and decided to give it a try along with the SQLab 711 Grips
I’m glad I did. Initially the larger contact patch of the grips is most noticeable and immediately offers relief from the pressure hot spot on my hands.
Wrist alignment improved along with my elbow position due to the increased back sweep of the bars.
The pinched feeling on my wrists subsided and the new elbow position allows me to feel stronger on the bike and seems to reduce stress on my shoulders as well.
If you are suffering from wrist, hand and or shoulder pain during your rides I highly recommend you give this combo a try .