Hi - I went riding yesterday and did almost 30 miles with a friend. My legs and cardio seemed okay, but the last 5 miles I had alot of numbness in my right hand. Does anyone else experience this, and is it the height of the handlebars or could I lower the seat to achieve the same? I'm assuming that I can't raise the handles any more than they are ... I had the handle bar stem reversed so that the handles would be higher and my reach wouldn't be too long to bother my back. I'll take any thoughts on stretches or exercises that will help this, too.
Hand Numbness
- Thread starter CapeJAN
- Start date
You might move the seat forward. If you are a new rider, you may be
gripping the bars too tightly. Common thing. Or some try to hold their
hands over the brake levers.
Just a relaxed hold, don't fully close your hands around the grips.
Take one hand and then the other off the bar from time to time.
Scratch your nose or something?? Wave at some one??
gripping the bars too tightly. Common thing. Or some try to hold their
hands over the brake levers.
Just a relaxed hold, don't fully close your hands around the grips.
Take one hand and then the other off the bar from time to time.
Scratch your nose or something?? Wave at some one??
I was given a tip off here about keeping my hands in different positions. This helps to not cut off circulation of the same blood vessels with the same hand grip. Also, follow what BHOFM said and loosen your grip if it's too tight. Not so much that you will fall off though! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif
That part is easy to learn. My grand daughter is taking gymnastics and the first
few weeks they learned to fall the correct way, she told me, "Papa, I can fall down
real good!"
Also when you stop, light or stop sign, hold your arms out to the side for
a few seconds, or over your head, really helps. Or out to the side and do
circles. People will think you are nuts, but you are riding a bike, so that is
a given!
I quit closing the velcro strap on my gloves--made a huge difference. For those gloves, the strap landed right in the crease of the wrist on top of my hand, cutting into the veins on the back of my hands (I have prominent veins on my hands/arms). Also, it's like other areas of the body that see constant pressure during cycling--time spent doing it will toughen the area and you'll have less of a problem. That said, if you watch any of the major pro tours on TV, you'll see the pros shaking their hands out from time to time.
Jason
Jason
We are so much on the same page: I reversed my stem long ago to make my cruiser bike (a Trek Lime Lite) more "dutch-bike-like".
The more upright I sit, or rather, the more nearly I can "pull back on" the bars, the less shock and strain on my wrists.
Benefits I have now: no wrist numbness at all, ever. Upper body "isometric" exercise (I pull back on the bars and dig into "crank forward" style pedals).
Like you, due to aged and damaged lower back and also a "wry neck", I cannot ride in road-bike posture anymore.
I don't miss that posture. Sure, I am not going 20mph anymore, but, I don't care about speed. I want comfort and mild workout and no pain put to my old body.
Here, folks, try this posture sometime? Borrow a "dutch" style bike for an afternoon and get a taste?
The Dutch have styled this way for utility biking since about 1894 (the geometry was perfected by that date)
No more numb hands or sore necks or backs.
Bonus: because you are sitting upright, in super-view of the environment,
and, others see you very much better too,
ah, see? the Dutch never wear helmets in city riding.
Nobody dies on a bike in Holland, not of "head injury", anyway.
Maybe the Dutch die of slow speed and comfy hands? : )
_____________________________________________________
CapeJAN, I also have a "stem extender": a bit of steel tubing made for the purpose, under fifteen dollars.
It makes my odd looking bike even more "Dutch like", by raising the handlebar to a point nearly-higher than the seat.
My bike was not designed by the makers to be a "Dutch bike". I find, though, that I like my ride better the more uprightly I sit.
And if I can lean back a bit, and pull on the bars, I like that stance even better. I see why recumbent cyclists are so fond of their rides.
You can work your lats if you lean back, or pull on the bars, and push with your legs: you have great muscular advantage and full lung capacity.
I had a lot of hand numbness too, when I started. A few things helped:
1. I forked out the money for a full BG fit at a LBS. I think it cost $80, but the bike was much more comfortable after. My seat actually had to go farther back for me and my handlebar angle and control lever position had to be adjusted, to allow my wrist to grasp the brake hoods straight.
2. I had to play around with different gloves. I originally thought more padding was better; now, I'm the most comfortable with gloves with almost no padding. This was a little costly (I purchased three different pairs over the course of a few weeks).
3. When I first got my bike, I had the tires pumped right up to 120 psi all the time. Then I read on here, that I really didn't need them that high. Now I ride at 110 psi and there's significantly less road shock. I think I was really rattling my hands with my tires so hard.
Scott
1. I forked out the money for a full BG fit at a LBS. I think it cost $80, but the bike was much more comfortable after. My seat actually had to go farther back for me and my handlebar angle and control lever position had to be adjusted, to allow my wrist to grasp the brake hoods straight.
2. I had to play around with different gloves. I originally thought more padding was better; now, I'm the most comfortable with gloves with almost no padding. This was a little costly (I purchased three different pairs over the course of a few weeks).
3. When I first got my bike, I had the tires pumped right up to 120 psi all the time. Then I read on here, that I really didn't need them that high. Now I ride at 110 psi and there's significantly less road shock. I think I was really rattling my hands with my tires so hard.
Scott
Hi Scott - thanks for the advice, and I tried riding at 110psi this weekend and it did seem to help! Of course, it also helped that it's super difficult for me to put 120 in there myself without someone helping out. I also tried a bunch of the other suggestions -- I moved positions more (much like the spinner instructors at the gym), I waved at a few kids, I waved thank you to cars letting me through. It's all starting to help -- although I do still get a bit numb, I know how to address it better.
jpr95 -- thank you for the feedback on the gloves. I tried that along with the advice from everyone else and it seems to be helping. I also took off some bracelets that I never, ever take off (ever). since they're metal, i thought i'd take away anything that would increase the shock if even a little. I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks so much!
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