What am I doing wrong?

[OrangeSuperduke]

I've been riding for about a year now, about 4 months ago I changed from a hybrid to a drop bar road bike as the cycling bug had bitten. I'm getting fitter and faster which was the whole point of starting cycling (lost 4 stone so far)
My problem is when riding, after about 10 miles my left hand goes so numb that operating the brake or gear change is near impossible. I change position on the bars regularly, relax and flex my fingers too, but still loose feeling in my fingers and hand.

Please help

Rog

 

[gavroche]

Are you putting too much pressure of your left hand? I know it has been said many times before but just rest your hands on the handle bars without applying pressure. Also change the position on your hands every now and again on different parts of the handle bar. That's all I can think about but I am sure others will have other views.

 

[byegad]

Some attention to your riding position seems to be needed. I take it you are wearing padded mitts?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Move your saddle further back to take weight off your hands. If properly balanced you should be able to ride with just your fingertips on the tops of the bars, ie without significant weight on your arms.
Raising the bars might also help.

 

[Doobiesis]

I had this problem in both hands. The things I did was;

Longer stem
Moved seat back

A lot of the time I move my hands about just for a minute or so but the best advice I can give you is, don't ride your racer like a hybrid/mountain bike - go right back on the saddle and lean. If some had given me all that advice 6 months ago, I'd of been very happy.

I still get tingly hands but they don't go numb anymore. If your feet go numbe, loosen off your shoes and let us know how you get on.

 

[outlash]

Are you relaxed while riding? Easier said than done, i regularly have to tell myself to drop my shoulders and relax my hands from the 'grip of death' otherwise I'll get the symptoms you describe.

Tony.

 

[TheDoctor]

Core strength helps too - so you're holding yourself up with your back muscles, rather than putting your weight all on your hands.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

^^^^^^^^^ this, this, this and this

 

[cyberknight]

I suffer from similar although neck/shoulder induced i have found moving the saddle back + shorter stem worked for me.

 

[Hippy]

Well done on loosing 4st as well.

If you are wearing mitts? are they a little tight around the fingers, hence causing poor circulation. I had a similar issue and although the mitts were comfy, they were a bit tight. If you are not wearing mitts perhaps try as this will alleviate some vibration along with a good bar tape. this may help a bit for any symptoms leading up to numbness.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You could be trapping the ulna nerve. If not already doing so try wearing gel padded gloves, this fixed my left hand going numb problem.

 

[cyberknight]

You could be trapping the ulna nerve. If not already doing so try wearing gel padded gloves, this fixed my left hand going numb problem.

Now can you get summer weight full finger padded gloves ? my bad circulation means unless its well into the mid /high teens my hands go white with windchill but the only correct thickness full fingers i have are unpadded .

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Now can you get summer weight full finger padded gloves ? my bad circulation means unless its well into the mid /high teens my hands go white with windchill but the only correct thickness full fingers i have are unpadded .

Mine are fingerless, though if it is cold I wear a pair of woollen gloves over the top of them

 

[cyberknight]

Mine are fingerless, though if it is cold I wear a pair of woollen gloves over the top of them

I was going to work at 7 pm this week and even though it was sunny the windchill meant my fingers went white with fingerlesss glove s

 

[coffeejo]

Now can you get summer weight full finger padded gloves ? my bad circulation means unless its well into the mid /high teens my hands go white with windchill but the only correct thickness full fingers i have are unpadded .

Have you tried summer MTB gloves? They tend to be long fingered* but thin.
*you know what I mean. I hope.