Flat handlebar sweep back angle?

tangled_metal

Anyone know about the angle bars sweep back from the centre? Is there an optimal angle? I was commuting home and looking down thought my bars weren't right. I'm probably being a bit OCD here but the bar digs into the outside of my palms. My hands tend to grip the bars with my arms slightly bending inwards. This puts the shape my hand makes around a grip fit a set of bars that is flat not swept back. I can't be the only person that wonders why they sweep back? I think this is making most of the weight resting on the outside of my palm, just the area with a flat bit on the specialized bike's grips. Is that the brand compensating for this sweep back?

While I'm at it, why do front light brackets not allow for horizontal angle adjustment? I'm assuming lights are best pointing forward. If this is so then the sweep back means the lights point outwards. Why don't light brands allow for compensation?
Also, what is the optimum light angle vertically? I'm assuming the more powerful, "to see by" lights should be directed downwards and slightly away from cars going the other direction. Don't want to blind drivers but still need to see at the best distance ahead.
Sorry but on a poor weather commute home I get bored and my mind starts to ponder some weird things. Riding along today I got distracted by my handlebars hence my stupid, slightly obsessional questions.
PS. What do you do when you have too much to put on your bars? I'm wondering if there's something that can attach to the bars to give attachment points (in a flat bar not swept back) ahead of the bar and perhaps above it. Perhaps something that allows for the bar underneath.to also be used.

anewman

I put my front light on the left. That way it is like the left hand headlight on cars, i.e. angled up to the left so you can see signs etc but not dazzle oncoming traffic from the right.

Daz555

I always rotate swept back bars forward so the sweep point upwards slightly. I find it much more comfortable when seated and it also feels better when out of the saddle in the attack position.

MichaelW

Flat bars can induce rotation at the wrist which winds up the arm, causing elbow and shoulder issues and concentrating any vibration a the wrist. If his is the case, switch to a swept back bar, like On One Mary. I also use Ergon grips.
Find your neutral grip angle by holding 2 bits of broomhandle.
I fit my light to he fork crown with a mount that permits changes in angle.

The Rookie

One persons best angle is not anthers, as stated above you can try rotating it to change back versus up sweep, if that still doesnt work try MW's trick to work out what angles your body wants.