Numb fingers after long ride

Hi Kathy
You didn't mention what type of bars you have but regardless
of whether they be drop bars or flat you could look at putting extensions on
them so that you have more than the one the position to choose from thus
eleviating the constant pressure on the one part of your hands.
Maybe a better padded gloves and bars may also help but if
that all fails be a "goose" if you find it more comfortable.
Regards
Rod

"just us" <[email hidden] wrote in message news:
[email hidden]...
Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half way through day
one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout the ride that the
palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went
numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to wake up and
still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any suggestions
on what other positions I can try to set up my bars as it is obviously
related to position of my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would be
better off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up straight and
look like a goose!
Anyone else had numb fingers?
Kathy.

Did you get pins and needles in your hand or fingers at any stage?

Usually these sort of things result from being too tense. Perhaps try
doing a few finger wiggles every so often, or change hand position.

Another thing to check is how tight you have your glove around your
wrist or fingers.

Can't think of much else, except congrats for sticking at the long ride
in discomfort.

--

Just Us said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half way through
day one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout the ride
that the palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my
fingers just went numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride and still my
two fingers remain numb! We slept by the road over night and I was
dismayed to wake up and still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb!
grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other positions I can try to set up my
bars as it is obviously related to position of my bars/body on the bike.
I seem to think I would be better off with very old fashioned bars that
make you sit up straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

Yes, after rides over an hour for about a month I had that. It sort of
just passed. I did more riding with my hands on the cross bars or on the
drop bars. Found the numbness was mostly happening when I had my left
hand on the bar just short of the gear/brake handle. Didn't happen on
the RH. Weird!

--

I get a slight numbing of the fingers when I go for longer rides with an
older (and hence tighter...) top on. I think it pinches a nerve or a vein
under my arm or something. It is worse when I use my arm warmers too.

"just us" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half way through

day

Quoted message said:

one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout the ride that

the

Quoted message said:

palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went
numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to wake up and
still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any suggestions
on what other positions I can try to set up my bars as it is obviously
related to position of my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would

be

Quoted message said:

better off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up straight and
look like a goose!
Anyone else had numb fingers?
Kathy.

just us said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half
way through day one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt
throughout the ride that the palm of my right hand was
uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went numb. It is
now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to
wake up and still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb!
grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other positions I can try to
set up my bars as it is obviously related to position of my
bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would be better off
with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up straight and
look like a goose! Anyone else had numb fingers? Kathy.

Try riding with your wrists straight, instead of bent back (at
least when you feel the numbness starting). This advice (with
an explanation) was given on rec.bicycles.tech at one stage, and
I find it helps a lot.

John

Getting stuck in the one position can be bad, especially on
longer rides.

You need to change poitions regularly (altho I get 'stuck on my ergos
all the time wearing my thumbs/ball of hand out constantly...)

Flat bars can be very bad on longer rides, especially if your riding
poition means you are placing alot of weight forwards onto them. The
position your hands are in on flats is particualrly bad for your
wrists/forearms over extended periods as your elbows are pointing
out, as opposed to down/in when on drop-bars (refer to touring bikes
which use drops mainly for this and the wide variety of hand
positions they give you)

Bar-ends are really a must on flatbars, no matter what the riding and
wide flatbars actually make the problem worse over extended periods too

PS where'd you ride?

--

Thanks all - I do think it is related to my bars, as I am leaning forward
all the time and find that my full weight is on my hands. I am going to go
in search of different bars and positions. ( btw my fingers are still numb
and it is Tuesday night and this first started on Saturday!) Flying dutch,
we live in Far North Qld and are in training for the Coast to Coast ride
http://www.ridefnq.com/frameset/frameset2.html so are out riding over 2 days
most weekends. This ride was from Tolga to Lakeland Downs - hot and hilly.
Chased by bulls and pigs!!
This weekend I will try a different position with my bars and see if my
fingers are better. We are on a tandem - so probably I could look like a
goose up the back!!!
Kathy.

Just Us said:

Thanks all - I do think it is related to my bars, as I am leaning
forward all the time and find that my full weight is on my hands. I am
going to go in search of different bars and positions. ( btw my
fingers are still numb and it is Tuesday night and this first started
on Saturday!) Flying dutch, we live in Far North Qld and are in
training for the Coast to Coast ride http://www.ridefnq.com/frameset/-
frameset2.htmlhttp://www.ridefnq.com/frameset/frameset2.html so are
out riding over 2 days most weekends. This ride was from Tolga to
Lakeland Downs - hot and hilly. Chased by bulls and pigs!! This
weekend I will try a different position with my bars and see if my
fingers are better. We are on a tandem - so probably I could look like
a goose up the back!!! Kathy.

if your up the back of a tandem youre weight doesnt need to be so far
forward. can you adjust the position so you are more upright and get
your weight off your hands more? No type of bars are going to solve this
until you do, most likely!

If your tandem has the standard stoker bars on em you may just have to
slide your hands laterally along the bars for variety. Maybe slide the
bracket/stem thats attached to the drivers' seatpost up a bit rather
than adjust the angle of the bars alone

--

Just Us said:

We are on a tandem - so probably I could look like a goose up the
back!!! Kathy.

Maybe you could get someone to build a stocker flex stem for a tandem?
That might relieve some of the jarring if that's what is causing
problems. I have a "normal" flex stem kicking around and it wouldn't be
that difficult to TIG weld a different clamp to fit a seat post - not
that I am looking for another job at the moment to add to all the
personal ones.

Pete - Canberra

(or you could try one of those funny recumbent bikes - I've heard they
are pretty comfortable after a long ride)

--

"just us" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half way through

day

Quoted message said:

one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout the ride that

the

Quoted message said:

palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went
numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to wake up and
still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any suggestions
on what other positions I can try to set up my bars as it is obviously
related to position of my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would

be

Quoted message said:

better off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up straight and
look like a goose!
Anyone else had numb fingers?
Kathy.

Yep... numb fingers and neck/arm/hand pain doing all sorts of things. 10
years of a physio fiddling around with my neck and telling me it was all
from a pinched nerve in my neck. Another doctor sent me off for a nerve
conduction study which quickly identified carpal tunnel troubles. Once I had
surgery my neck came good, no more pain and discomfort! My hand hasn't
recovered well, though, after having the nerve compressed for so long. With
your ring and pinky numb it won't be carpal tunnel (tht affects the thumb
and index). You could have a compressed radial nerve though.

My advice would be twofold:
(1) Get thee to a quackery and have your doctor refer you for a nerve
cnduction study. It may save you treating the wrong thing and causing
further damage to what's wrong. The trouble may be referred from elsewhere
(neck, elbow, shoulder...)
(2) For the time being, until the problem is properly diagnosed, pay
attention to where the most pressure on your hand is while riding. If it's
on the pinky side, you could be compressing the radial nerve. You can try
rotating the bars a little to even the out pressure across your
hands.Alternatively you can try a slightly higher or shorter stem or
different bars. If you're too stretched out you may have too much weight on
your hands. A shorter stem may help by closing you up a little and without
perching you too upright (which can be uncomfortable on the bum when too
much weight is on the seat).

Overall, get seen to by a proper health/cycling/sports doctor and the people
to which he refers you.Take any advice from here as a interim measure until
someone who can explore more sees you. I took too long to get proper advice
and, two years down the track, still have trouble holding my bars. Nerves
take a long time to regenerate.

Toodles,

Frank