Shoulder and neck muscles

In a upright riding position on a trekking or city bike, it is important to relax the shoulder and neck muscles to prevent discomfort. This is due to the fact that if a handlebar has too little downward bend (downsweep), it forces the hands to rotate inward, which results in the elbows moving outward and the shoulders being pulled toward the head. This unnatural posture can cause the shoulder and neck muscles to become very tense and painful.

To avoid these problems and relax the muscle chain, the goal should be to get the "shoulders away from the ears." A handlebar with more "downsweep" can help achieve this. The "downsweep" in combination with the "backsweep" (bending backwards) provides a natural hand position and an elbow position close to the body. This natural posture lowers the shoulders and the muscles in the neck get better blood circulation and relax due to a looser position.