Numb hands

[thommo74]

Hi All,

Just started looking on here again after not having logged in for what must be over 3 years. Anyway, after reading all the great hints and tips on here, looking for a bit of advice.

When I ride over poor road surface for any length of time, I get really numb / tingly hands and fingers. So much so that I can barely change gear. I am pretty sure it's a result of me putting too much weight onto my hands while riding but wondering if anyone has got any tips on how I should fix my riding position to stop this.

If it makes any difference, I am currently riding a hybrid (hoping to upgrade to a decent road bike in the near futures once I have had budget clearance from the missus).

Cheers!

 

[numbnuts]

Padded gloves can help

 

[thommo74]

Thanks numbnuts. Sounds obvious but didn't even think of that. BTW - your name on here isn't a cycling affliction you suffer from is it?

 

[Norm]

The free alternative is to keep moving them around. Shake them for 5 seconds every 5 minutes or something might be all that it takes.

Padded gloves may help, but the problem could be in your wrists rather than the hands themselves.

Bar ends (I use these and these on the flat-bar bikes) will help giving you alternative hand positions, in turn changing the pressure points and the wrist angle.

 

[numbnuts]

Thanks numbnuts. BTW - your name on here isn't a cycling affliction you suffer from is it?

I had an accident at work and damaged my spine and it left me with some numbness and I told my best mate and he told his mate, and he told his mate and numbnuts became my name

 

[thommo74]

thanks Norm. Yes, I do shake them but maybe not enough. The bar ends could be an option.

Sorry to hear about your accident numbnuts.

 

[Mo1959]

The free alternative is to keep moving them around. Shake them for 5 seconds every 5 minutes or something might be all that it takes.

Padded gloves may help, but the problem could be in your wrists rather than the hands themselves.

Bar ends (I use these and these on the flat-bar bikes) will help giving you alternative hand positions, in turn changing the pressure points and the wrist angle.

Damn, wish you hadn't shown the link for these. They do look comfortable but I have spent too much this month. Definitely think I will get them sooner rather than later though.

 

[Norm]

Damn, wish you hadn't shown the link for these. They do look comfortable but I have spent too much this month.

Not sure whether you are looking at the Ergons or the Cane Creeks but I'd recommend either. The former are more secure and the changed grips are more comfortable than most standard grips but the ends on the latter go above and below the bars so they don't affect your body position or the weight distribution.

 

[Fubar]

Hi All,

Just started looking on here again after not having logged in for what must be over 3 years. Anyway, after reading all the great hints and tips on here, looking for a bit of advice.

When I ride over poor road surface for any length of time, I get really numb / tingly hands and fingers. So much so that I can barely change gear. I am pretty sure it's a result of me putting too much weight onto my hands while riding but wondering if anyone has got any tips on how I should fix my riding position to stop this.

If it makes any difference, I am currently riding a hybrid (hoping to upgrade to a decent road bike in the near futures once I have had budget clearance from the missus).

Cheers!

I get numb hands/arms, not so much these days but certainly when I started cycling again - as stated above giving them a shake every few miles to get the blood circulating helps. I think when you start out there is a tendancy to grip the handlebars/brakes, as you cycle more you tend to relax your arms so less numbness. Regards, Mark

 

[Berties]

its pressure on your ulnar nerve,gloves may help,changing grip helps,less pressure on the bars helps,and dropping your chin to your chest when possible helps,when the pain starts or again when you can stretch arm behind you one at a time open and close hand a couple of times,hey presto in less than 5 seconds pain should be gone,
sometimes the pain of the nerve does get easier after time even to the fact it never comes back,good luck

 

[Cheshire Celt]

I had this problem but I've been back to my local bike shop where I bought the bike and they have tweaked the a few times for me and it's much improved

 

[thommo74]

Thanks for your tips everyone. Lots to think about here. Will give the free stuff a try first and see how that works for me. Failing that, may need to shell out on some end grips.

 

[cyberknight]

Thanks for your tips everyone. Lots to think about here. Will give the free stuff a try first and see how that works for me. Failing that, may need to shell out on some end grips.

Pretty much any bar end will be better than nothing as it gives you another hand position, i just use cheap ones on my MTB and oncei had got the angle right i found them comfy.

 

[Tomba]

Try relaxing your grip see if that works.

 

[defy-one]

its pressure on your ulnar nerve,gloves may help,changing grip helps,less pressure on the bars helps,and dropping your chin to your chest when possible helps,when the pain starts or again when you can stretch arm behind you one at a time open and close hand a couple of times,hey presto in less than 5 seconds pain should be gone,
sometimes the pain of the nerve does get easier after time even to the fact it never comes back,good luck

This!