Mountain Biking - My hands go numb and tingle from a ride. Help!

Ok I have an Older Mongoose hardtail with XC geometry and setup. The seat is about 3 1/2 inches above the flatbars. Ive owned the bike for 10 years and from the first second I sat on her It was love at first BIKE. Its not untill Im doing heavy mileage that I noticed this hand thing.

THIS LINK: http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/06/CUSA/model-6VP9.html
Has a picture of a bike that looks pretty close to the way I have my seat to bar ratio my seat is a tad higher though. THIS IS NOT MY BIKE JUST A REFERENCE PICTURE.

I am doing 46 miles today 97% of which is a mix of groomed dirt, fine gravel or rough chunky gravel. In otherwords, constant bouncing. I never feel while Im riding that I have too much pressure on my hands but they start to hurt alot. They tingle go numb, I end up shaking them out periodically. Also my elbows hurt, but I don't have my arms locked out.

1. A better fork might help but I can't afford it.
2. I was thinking of getting 1" riser bars, but I love the aggresive riding position of my bike, Im worried the riserbars will make it feel like a grandma bike.
3. I have gel gloves, but they arent spectacular, maybe there are uber gloves I can buy?
4. I would like to get SUPER cushy grips with no regards to weight, but I have gripshift and most of the ergo grips dont fit on there right.

Thanks!

Throw some bar ends on there so your hands are in a different position to allow better blood flow throughout your ride. I had the same problem you have and went with some bar ends and don't have the problem anymore.

The issue is too much pressure do to the big saddle to bar drop. The riser bars would be a good start or perhapse a higher ride stem? Bar ends are another good suggestion.

What gloves do you have? The Specialized BG gloves are great, I have them in both half and full finger and they do a good job keeping the pressure off of the nerve in the center of your palm that is making your hands go numb. Pearl Izumi also makes a gel glove with a similar pad setup.

Another key is to keep a loose grip...too many people do the death grip on the bars, a light touch is all you really need unless you are coming off a jump or hitting a big rock with the front.

Big bar drop is good for racing to get a bit more aero but you have to have the core strength to pull it off...so situps and supermans (lay flat on your stomach like superman flying and lift your arms and chest into the air...like a reverse situp) will help some as well.

That happenes to me too.

I have a threadless stem, Im not sure I can raise it up.

I had bar ends on my bike originally for along time but when I took them off I threw them out beucase it was so nice to be able to put my hands out at the ends of the bars for power. I was so cramped before, remember I have gripshift. It was stupid that I threw them out, but that was a couple years ago and I remember being so happy once I got them off that I NEVER thought I would want them back.

I don't feel like I have "Big bar drop" it just feels natural thats whats bothering me. I have just enough forward lean to keep me going forward and thats it.

The loose grip thing I focus on constantly when Im riding, Ill be EXTRA aware of it today.

I have these gloves now
http://greatadventuresports.com/site/images/library/large/giant_pro_gel_shrt_glvs_05_m.jpg

Where can I get riser bars like THIS bike, EJ123's bike
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/viperfx10/IMG_2309.jpg
They look perfect, almost flat maybe a 10 degree bend and the riser part.

try some carbon bar ends

If the problem is the front of the bike is beating you up on rough ground, only suspension will solve the issue. If the problem is too much weight on the hands over long distances, learn from our road-riding homies and use bars with alternate hand positions. The cheapest way to do this is to tap the old school technology of bar-ends.

"Handlebars to low" is a problem that will manifest itself either through lower back pain or endos on decents. In the absence of these issues, leave the bars at the height you like.

all of these answers ignore a fundamental truth: hands go numb, bike frame too small. higher stems, riser bars, bar ends, suspension are all bandaids for a frame that puts the handlebars too low. its basic math: bigger frame equals bigger headtube equals bhigher bars. easy. bandaids are just that, temporary fixes. a properly sized frame and good bars with proper sweep ie at least 9 degrees backsweep, will be comfortable for any length of riding time.

all of these answers ignore a fundamental truth: hands go numb, bike frame too small. higher stems, riser bars, bar ends, suspension are all bandaids for a frame that puts the handlebars too low. its basic math: bigger frame equals bigger headtube equals bhigher bars. easy. bandaids are just that, temporary fixes. a properly sized frame and good bars with proper sweep ie at least 9 degrees backsweep, will be comfortable for any length of riding time.
+1 but the guy said he couldn't afford a new fork...he isn't going to buy a new bike. A stem with more rise and or a riser bar will help the issue and cost much less than a new bike.

Hey another SC rider. Howdy. :D

all of these answers ignore a fundamental truth: hands go numb, bike frame too small. higher stems, riser bars, bar ends, suspension are all bandaids for a frame that puts the handlebars too low. its basic math: bigger frame equals bigger headtube equals bhigher bars. easy. bandaids are just that, temporary fixes. a properly sized frame and good bars with proper sweep ie at least 9 degrees backsweep, will be comfortable for any length of riding time.


Yea But I have a 19.5" Mongoose with geometry more like a road bike. I stand 5'10. The bike fits me. Someone even said this bike was too big for me.

Well I guess Im gonna get some bar ends, sigh. I hate being poor, on the otherhand not working alot gives me time to ride for 4 hours 3 times a week.

bar ends may not be the answer...they work best for climbing anyway

your top tube may be a bit too long and your seat may be too high...also, if you have a high seat, you must slide it forward on the rails...so that you don't put so much weight on your bars...it may cause some painfull tennis elbow after a while

try this...lower your seat so that the length from the top of the seat to the peddle at the bottom of the stroke is equal to your inseam + 2"

then, if you have risers, angle the bar towards you and readjust the levers and shifters

lastly, adjust the seat so that the nose is above your bottom bracket...maybe a bit forward...depends on comfort

then...sit upright, power your peddle using muscles from the waist and abdomen...using shoulders and back muscles does not increase your power but cause you to put too much weight on the bars, restricts your circulation, and cramps the muscle impacting on the nerves in your elbow and wrist

happy trails!

Its called ulnar nerve impingement.. thats the nerve that goes through your elbow and down to your wrist and fingers. If you are putting pressure on the base of your palm for a while, it will act up. Your riding position doesn't seem to be a big problem. Perhaps a shorter stem and riser bar. Make sure your brake levers angle down so you aren't bending your wrists up to grab them.

Get some good soft grips like these:

http://www.extremesteering.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Absorbing.htm

I have a pair and they are awesome. I didn't really find the gel gloves to help much eaither.

I just got some killer SOS bar ends for $14 with tax. They are sweet. Now though if I go to the roost position my elbows are almost locked out :(
Well the hand positions I have avaliable feel great and Ill have to see how it goes on the ride.

Im thinking the long top tube is culprit rather than too low, therefore Im looking into getting a shorter stem.

Those soft grips look good too.

Its called ulnar nerve impingement.. thats the nerve that goes through your elbow and down to your wrist and fingers. If you are putting pressure on the base of your palm for a while, it will act up. Your riding position doesn't seem to be a big problem. Perhaps a shorter stem and riser bar. Make sure your brake levers angle down so you aren't bending your wrists up to grab them.

Get some good soft grips like these:

http://www.extremesteering.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Absorbing.htm

I have a pair and they are awesome. I didn't really find the gel gloves to help much eaither.

+1 and then some.

I had the exact same symptoms. Turned out my stem was too long, which forced me to lean on my palms and cause my hands to go numb. The shorter stem just as mcoine suggested fixed my problem. I'd give that a try first.

practice NOT gripping the bars. I bet if you watch yourself you are doing a vulcan death grip without realizing it. also put your thumbs in front of the bars when not going downhill to aid in not gripping tight. it also helps with climbs.
if this doesnt work, then look at new stem, bars etc. but for now look at bike fit like seat height, seat angle, bar angle, brake lever position, and riding positioning.
more times than not it is improper fit of the bike that can be adjusted without changing components

I got some bar ends. They work great! My hands felt way better. I need to change position on my bars frequently apparnetly. I still might get the shorter stem too.

How do you measure a stem, I see all these numbers 90,100,110 but I need to know what mine is now to know how much to shorten it.

The stem should be measure along it's centerline from the center of the steerer tube to the center of the bars. The rise of your stem is also a question.

I measured mine and its 4.22 inches. Its like not quite 4 1/4. That in MM and 105 is too short and 110 is too long its like right in the middle of those two apparently. The rise I have now looks completly 'normal' its tilting up just a bit.

I was thinking of getting a 90mm unless someone can steer (no pun intended) me in the right direction.

Lol my elbows and hands hurt when i ride a BMX long distances.