Training & Nutrition - Hands numb - new rider needs help

I am a casual rider preparing for a 40 mile Diabeties Bike A Thon at the end of April. Knowing that I would still have to "tweak" things later, I just spent 2 days taking 1 mile rides and making minor bike adjustments. Everything felt ok so I went for my 1st, 5 mile ride today and both hands and arms went numb.

I was riding with both palms on top of the handlebars, after about 2 miles, gradually both hands and then both arms started to go numb, like maybe I was putting too much weight on them.

HELP !!! Are there any suggestions out there on what adjustments I should make first. Thanks for any advice.

is the bike the right size for you?

do you have handlebar tape?

are you wearing gloves?

perhaps you can try different saddle positions. Change the angle of the saddle and the position. you need to shift the weight off your hands.

What Zan said. Also, don't ride with your elbows locked straight - keep maybe a 10 to 15-degree angle in your elbows in order to allow greater flexibility throughout the upper body.

What Zan said. Also, don't ride with your elbows locked straight - keep maybe a 10 to 15-degree angle in your elbows in order to allow greater flexibility throughout the upper body.

Very true. This mixed with some decent gloves will eliminate the problem. The bent arms will also help with handling as well.

Without seeing you on your bike, this is like trying to....anyway...go to a bike shop and ask them to adjust your saddle height and bars. Maybe the bike fits you and minor adjustments will solve the problem, but most newbie riders seldom have the right size bike frame.

For myself, I've noticed that my hands go numb when I ride my bike with carbon forks. I'll switch to my bike that has steel forks and don't experience the problem.