hands going numb on rides

[jrstang473]

Just wandering how many of you this affects.Iam sorta used to it from taking long trips on my motorcycle and swapping hands around.But i know that is from holding my throttle and not haveing a throttle lock. I had the guys at leader bike size my new bike up and every thing feels right except that after 20-30 miles my hands start to go a little numb. I have tried taking my hands off the hoods and staying on the bar ,but that doesnt seem to help alot either.I even moved the seat forward.At first my wrist were hurting a little the first week of having the bike,then i moved the seat and that stopped know my hands just go numb. I havent tried moving my hands to the drops yet,anyways just wandering if you guys think my stem may be a little to long or if that is just a comman thing. The bike i had before this one was an old lemond , and i never got any numb feelings or any kind of wrist pain from it.I did not use any spacers on my headset (local lbs said it was best for windy cond. ) . Anyways yourtips or comments will be wellcomed,thanks in advance.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Just wandering how many of you this affects.Iam sorta used to it from taking long trips on my motorcycle and swapping hands around.But i know that is from holding my throttle and not haveing a throttle lock. I had the guys at leader bike size my new bike up and every thing feels right except that after 20-30 miles my hands start to go a little numb. I have tried taking my hands off the hoods and staying on the bar ,but that doesnt seem to help alot either.I even moved the seat forward.At first my wrist were hurting a little the first week of having the bike,then i moved the seat and that stopped know my hands just go numb. I havent tried moving my hands to the drops yet,anyways just wandering if you guys think my stem may be a little to long or if that is just a comman thing. The bike i had before this one was an old lemond , and i never got any numb feelings or any kind of wrist pain from it.I did not use any spacers on my headset (local lbs said it was best for windy cond. ) . Anyways yourtips or comments will be wellcomed,thanks in advance.

Good luck finding the answer. I haven't found it yet. You'll probably hear everything from "move your seat further back" to "get a shorter stem" to "tilt your saddle up slightly". I've tried them all and my hands still go numb. The new bicycle fit standard is more aero than it used to be so I don't have any high expectations of finding the right solution other than get a bike that has a more upright riding position in the first place. Many of today's bikes just aren't built with the typical rider in mind.

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/rr_comfposition.html

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/101_pureopinions.html (bottom)

 

[artmichalek]

.I did not use any spacers on my headset (local lbs said it was best for windy cond. ) . Anyways yourtips or comments will be wellcomed,thanks in advance.

Sounds like your LBS doesn't know what they're talking about. It doesn't matter how aero you are if you can't hold on to the bars after an hour. Keep the seat where it works best for your legs. If it's a fit issue, you need either a shorter stem or one with more rise. The right pair of gloves also goes a long way toward damping vibration.

 

[jrstang473]

Sounds like your LBS doesn't know what they're talking about. It doesn't matter how aero you are if you can't hold on to the bars after an hour. Keep the seat where it works best for your legs. If it's a fit issue, you need either a shorter stem or one with more rise. The right pair of gloves also goes a long way toward damping vibration.

Maybe it could be a bar issue im using the deda aluminum bars , im gonna go buy a set of fsa carbons and see if vibration is the problem. Where my seat is now , seems to be where i get my best performance. Betwen positions i did notice before it seemed i was more into having to stand up on hills now in the posistion it is in i seem to be able to stay seated and climb alot better. How is it getting adjusted to wearing gloves ? So moving your seat further back is suposed to take wheight off your hands ?

 

[in.10.city]

Just wandering how many of you this affects.Iam sorta used to it from taking long trips on my motorcycle and swapping hands around.But i know that is from holding my throttle and not haveing a throttle lock. I had the guys at leader bike size my new bike up and every thing feels right except that after 20-30 miles my hands start to go a little numb. I have tried taking my hands off the hoods and staying on the bar ,but that doesnt seem to help alot either.I even moved the seat forward.At first my wrist were hurting a little the first week of having the bike,then i moved the seat and that stopped know my hands just go numb. I havent tried moving my hands to the drops yet,anyways just wandering if you guys think my stem may be a little to long or if that is just a comman thing. The bike i had before this one was an old lemond , and i never got any numb feelings or any kind of wrist pain from it.I did not use any spacers on my headset (local lbs said it was best for windy cond. ) . Anyways yourtips or comments will be wellcomed,thanks in advance.

Stupid user trick, but keep the flexion in your wrist to a minimum. I used to allow my wrists to buckle inward instead of keeping them straight - fixed me at least...

 

[artmichalek]

Maybe it could be a bar issue im using the deda aluminum bars , im gonna go buy a set of fsa carbons and see if vibration is the problem. Where my seat is now , seems to be where i get my best performance. Betwen positions i did notice before it seemed i was more into having to stand up on hills now in the posistion it is in i seem to be able to stay seated and climb alot better. How is it getting adjusted to wearing gloves ? So moving your seat further back is suposed to take wheight off your hands ?

It sounds like you've got the seat where it needs to be. I don't think you need to buy a new set of bars. Good gloves or even some softer gel bar tape will have more effect than a switch from aluminum to carbon. Aside from getting some strange tan lines from some of them, gloves aren't too hard to adjust to.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Maybe it could be a bar issue im using the deda aluminum bars , im gonna go buy a set of fsa carbons and see if vibration is the problem.

Before going out and plunking down a second mortgage on the house to get CF bars, try using a larger tire in front with lower tire pressure to see if that helps. Sheldon Brown does this as he has issues with his wrists as well.

Where my seat is now , seems to be where i get my best performance. Betwen positions i did notice before it seemed i was more into having to stand up on hills now in the posistion it is in i seem to be able to stay seated and climb alot better. How is it getting adjusted to wearing gloves ? So moving your seat further back is suposed to take wheight off your hands ?

Getting used to wearing gloves isn't any trouble. A couple of days tops.

Moving the seat back may take the weight/pressure off of your hands but it puts it on your lower back. Personally, I don't care for that either.

Rivendell sums up my fitting strategy exactly ...
http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_riv6.html
Be Careful Who You Emulate
Sizing, fitting, and positioning systems based on the young pro cyclist who has a flexible, tolerant body, is willing to sacrifice comfort for speed, gets a massage frequently, and usually quits riding when he turns 32…are not suitable for a non-competitive cycler seeking a lifetime of cycling health and pleasure.

 

[Coach Carl]

Raise your bars. Your bars are probably too low causing you to put too much of your weight on your hands. Leave your saddle alone. You need to put more of your weight back in your seat and feet. Raise your bars.