There could be many reasons for this, but in some cases it may be just a matter of having chosen the wrong bicycle. Many people are not aware of the range of possibilities. As with most things, bicycles are subject to fashion, and it is easy to 'go with the crowd' and choose a machine more or less like the vast majority that are seen on the roads these days. The most popular type has three major features whose particular design might, for some cyclists, cause problems. These are the gears, the saddle (or seat if you prefer), and the handlebars.
If you look closely at the bicycles streaming by on a cycle path on a fine summer's day, you'll be unlikely to see even one that does not have the derailleur type of gears\emdash those with the set of small cogs at the rear end of the chain. These work by making the chain jump from one cogwheel to another as you change gear. Most of the time they work very well, especially if they're perfectly adjusted. But not everybody enjoys doing the adjusting themselves, getting their fingers black with grease after the chain has once more become 'derailed' in a more thorough way than was intended.\par
Is there an alternative? Certainly\emdash switch to hub gears. For many years the three-speed hub was the standard choice for nearly all non-racing cyclists, at least in Britain. The beauty of these gears is that the mechanism is entirely enclosed in the back hub, where it is safe from any external damage that might be caused in a minor collision or by the bike simply falling over. And as for the bicycle chain, it stays firmly on the crankwheel and a single cog; it never has to jump or derail. Some modern hubs contain as many as eight gears, quite enough for normal use (though you may need more if you intend cycling in the Alps or the Andes).
Now for the saddle, or seat. Some people choose a nice broad one, thinking of comfort first. Comfortable it may well be\emdash for sitting on. But remember, the point of being on a bicycle is to pedal, and as soon as you do that, the edges of the broad saddle will begin to rub against the inner thighs. After an hour or two of cycling, this can be devastating. To solve this problem, a narrower design was evolved, which left the legs more room to move without friction. However, this led to a dilemma. The traditional long, narrow saddle, unless it is well designed, is likely to exert pressure between the legs exactly where you would rather not have it. Not only may this feel uncomfortable, but in a few cases it can lead to serious medical problems. (An internet search under 'bicycle saddle pressure' will provide several references).
The upshot is that in recent years many modifications have appeared in an attempt to deal with the twin problems of friction and pressure. In general, these try to ensure that the rider\rquote s weight is supported mainly by the appropriate bones rather than the tissues of the perineal area. Some designs, while keeping the overall traditional shape, leave a central fissure to avoid pressure in that area, while others break new ground altogether and become what are in effect two separate saddles to support the respective left and right bones. Unless you are lucky and have found exactly the seat that suits you, it could be well worthwhile to explore these possibilities.
Finally, the handlebars. Try this small experiment. Stand with your arms hanging loosely at your sides. Now raise them, without twisting, to a position roughly where the handlebars of a bicycle would be if you were sitting on it. Don't do anything with your hands or wrists, just keep them relaxed. If you've done this properly, you should notice that the line of knuckles on each hand forms roughly a 45\f1 E\f0 angle (your left knuckles will be pointing at about 2-o-clock, while those on your right hand point to 10). And now move your hands so as to grasp an imaginary pair of straight handlebars such as are almost universal on today's bicycles. The only way you can do this is by twisting your forearms inwards. Easy enough to do, but when you maintain the same position for hours on end it's hardly surprising if your arms and wrists begin to ache.
What to do about it? Perhaps you're not keen on dropped handlebars, but they can be a solution to this particular problem. Whether you hold the handgrips or the middle part of the curve (a common riding position), the hands and forearms are relatively untwisted. Actually, the term 'dropped handlebars' covers quite a variety of different shapes, and if straight handlebars are giving you arm or wrist problems it might be a good idea to look at what is available, and try out the feel of the different styles. On the other hand, if dropped bars are simply not for you, you may find that even the old standard sit-up-and-beg type of handlebars keep the arms and wrists in a more relaxed position. If you find them too high, try installing them upside down. For some people, this is the best compromise of all.
Incidentally, handlebars of the dropped variety have a further advantage worth considering. Many of the straight kind are considerably longer than necessary, all the better to catch in that projecting branch, or fail to get through that narrow opening that you were sure you could manage. Curved bars tend to have much less 'wingspan', and will allow you to pass with ease through a space that will force your friend with the straight bars to dismount. The value of this when riding in traffic hardly needs stressing.
If any of the above problems makes you wonder whether cycling is after all your cup of tea, the general advice, before deciding to give it up, is to consider the options. Perhaps the design of bicycle that's perfect for you is out there somewhere. After all, one of the delights of cycling is that you don't \i have\i0 to go with the crowd.
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