Sore hands...... Is it the gloves?

[thefett]

Evening guys,

I've upped my riding considerabley to 150+ miles a week but I'm suffering from soreness in my hands between my thumb and index finger. I work in IT so I've never done a hard days work in my life and my hands are girly soft. I almost always ride on the hoods but don't grip them tight. I'm a big bloke at 18st and my arms do ache when I get over 50 miles.

The advice you gave me on the saddle was priceless and since switching the brooks I'm pain free down below so I'm hoping you can help again.

My big ride is in 2 weeks so a wee bit worried as it looks like they could turn into really deep blisters.

I've tried 3 different gloves, cheapies all, and today tried a pair from aldi, but happy to pay whatever to sort it out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

It sounds like you are putting more weight through your hands than your backside: try raising your handlebars or possibly a shorter stem.

I guess you have those new fangled combined brake and gear levers, but try and vary your hand position: the shape of road bars offers you great variety with five basic positions.

Cyclist's have three points of contact with their machines and economies here will often prove to be false economies, so I suggest that you buy a pair of mitts of equal quality to your Brooks.

PS You can use Surgical Spirit to harden your skin.

 

[Cubist]

Are you using mitts? ALl teh mitts I have ever owned have given me blisters between thumb and forefinger. It's the seam and the constant gear shifting that cause the havoc. I eventually plumped for full fingered gloves with mesh backs but made sure there wasn't the seam inside the thumb.

 

[thefett]

Thanks guys,

I think it may be bike setup as I do seem to lean forward a lot and my arms start to ache after 35-40 miles.

I'll try an angled shorter stem and see how I get on, the bars are as high as they can go at the mo.

On a related note I'm 5'10" with a 31-32 inside leg and my current steed is 54cm. I've just order a Bianchi Inifinto (YIPPEE) but was told to order the 55 or 57, that sound about right? I've been googling size charts and there doesn't seem to be a set in stone standard. I can't jump on it and try as they don't have any in stock.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

If your arms ache then that would suggest you are putting too much weight on them: have a look at this page under "The Fore-Aft Position".

54cm does sound a little small. As you say there is no hard and fast rule of bike sizing, the usual advice is to "try before you buy" as everyone is a little different.

Sheldon Brown is, as always, an informative read and has links to other resources at the bottom of the page.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

54cm, is that a compact frame, or standard geometry ?

I am 181cm/5'10'' in old money and I am a 56cm minimum on standard geometry bikes.

If your arms are aching, this suggests 1) bars too low, 2) stem too short, 3) both 4) you need to work on your core or pedalling technique.

Also check your seat height & fore/aft position too.

Bon chance.

 

[thefett]

Not sure how to tell, it's a bianchi B4P 1885

When I bought it I was a few stone heavier and it had been almost 20 years since my last road bike so I think the smaller frame was almost reassuring. Now that the miles are clocking up though it's not as good.

The stem looks quite long, but it does feel like the bars could be too low. I recently had to change the front fork and the new one had a longer post, my bars are right at the top. Can you buy angled stems to give more height?

Tried playing with fore and aft and where it is now is the only place that i don't need to constant adjust my butt when the peddling gets hard. Aware this will need adjusting if I change the bar height.

Its also started hurting on the lower part of my arm from the elbow down, maybe I'm just getting old??

 

[thefett]

Loving this input, thank you guys!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Your frame is too small and whatever tweaking you do will offer temporary respite at best; in other words you are throwing good money after bad.

You don't need a new stem, you need a new (bigger) frame. If you were just popping down the shops, then you could "tweak" it; you're not, you're doing "serious" miles. so you need to get a bike that "seriously" fits you!

PS I forgot to say "well done, love the work!"

 

[thefett]

Thanks

Well my new bike comes in tomorrow and it's 3cm bigger.

The chap in tredz seemed worried as he said at 5'10" a 54cm is the right size for me and I just need to point my handlebars more "upwards".......... not filling me with confidence.....

I'll let you know how I get on in the bike fit tomorrow

 

[thefett]

Got my new bike today and Mark in tredz spent about 2 hours getting me right.

At first he thought the 57 frame would be too big for me but he got everything adjusted perfectly for me, knee angle, cleat position, bar height but coudnt get near my ideal fore aft position, saddle needed to go back another 40mm and couldn't. Tried 3 saddles with long rails but to no avail.

He said this suggests th frame is too small which didn't make any sense with my height and leg measurement.

Took it for a tiny spin tonight and what a massive difference from my other bianchi, felt higher and more on top of he bike, longer spin tomorrow and I'll let you know how I get on!